ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Damar Hamlin turned and pointed to the glass-enclosed booth above the end zone tunnel of Highmark Stadium and recalled the last time he attended a Buffalo Bills home game.
“Right up there,” the Bills safety said following the team’s annual “Red and Blue” practice inside the stadium. “It was an emotional day. I felt the love then.”
The setting last week provided Hamlin a chance to reflect on the excitement he felt attending the Bills' loss to the Bengals in an AFC playoff game on Jan. 22. Raising his arms to urge on a cheering crowd through an open window on a snowy afternoon, it marked Hamlin's celebrated first public appearance some three weeks after his near-death experience during a regular season game in Cincinnati.
The moment also stirred emotions of uncertainty Hamlin experienced about his future.
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Some seven months later, the 25-year-old is preparing to take the next major step in his efforts to resume playing when the Bills open their preseason hosting the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.
After coach Sean McDermott on Thursday said he’s taking a “day at a time” approach to Hamlin’s playing status, he later clarified to The Associated Press by saying Hamlin is “scheduled to play.”
Much like everyone else, McDermott has closely followed each milestone of Hamlin’s recovery, with the game to be the third-year safety’s first appearance in a competitive setting since going into cardiac arrest and needing to be resuscitated on the field.
“This is to some extent uncharted territory for me as well, and all of us. So we’re just trying to do the best we can to be there for him,” McDermott told reporters. “I try to keep a close eye on where he is and where he’s showing up and how he’s responding. And he’s done a great job.”
For Hamlin, it's been a step by step process without peeking too far ahead.
“Trying to look forward, it just creates a lot of anxiety, a lot of unnecessary feelings,” he said. “If you stay in the moment, it allows you to process it when you’re there.”
It’s an approach that began with Hamlin waking up from a medically induced coma in a Cincinnati hospital bed, to being able to breathe on his own, being strong enough to attend the Super Bowl, and eventually announcing he was putting fear aside to resume playing football after being cleared by doctors in April.
Football for Hamlin has ramped up over the past three months, with him taking part in individual drills in May, to team drills in June and finally enduring his first thud of being hit during the Bills' first session in pads two weeks ago.
Hamlin wasn’t ready to envision what it might be like to play on Saturday, saying: “It’s too soon, man.”
Doctors have referred to Hamlin’s recovery as remarkable since he collapsed on prime-time TV after making what appeared to be a routine tackle. His heart stopped as a result of commotio cordis, which is when a direct blow at a specific point in a heartbeat causes cardiac arrest.
And his comeback bid has been called courageous. After two more preseason games, Hamlin's next hurdle will come on Aug. 29, when the Bills make their final cuts to establish their regular-season roster.
Hamlin has displayed no signs of a setback or hesitation during training camp in seeking to re-secure one of the backup spots behind returning starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. One of Hamlin's best moments came during the Bills' second day of padded practices, when he intercepted a pass from backup quarterback Matt Barkley.
Otherwise, he’s been his playful self, whether it’s skipping out to practice while acknowledging the cheering crowd, dancing on the sideline to the music, and signing as many autographs as time allows.
Stefon Diggs takes joy in seeing Hamlin simply being himself again.
“It’s easy to come in and say, `OK, he’s back on the football field.' But to see him every day living, breathing, laughing and having a good time is really where you have your eye opening. Like God is good,” Diggs said. “Of course I’m going to be one of the main people cheering for him. From a human standpoint, I’m just happy the guy is alive.”
AROUND THE LEAGUE
RAIDERS: Wide receiver Davante Adams limped off the practice field with what appeared to be a leg injury, but coach Josh McDaniels said he didn't think it was serious. The injury occurred during Las Vegas’ joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers. Adams made first-team All-Pro each of the past three seasons.
SEAHAWKS: Wide receiver Cade Johnson has been released from the hospital a day after suffering a concussion in the preseason opener. Johnson was placed on a backboard as a precaution and taken to the hospital for evaluation of head and neck injuries during halftime of Seattle's game against Minnesota.
SAINTS: Former Pro Bowl linebacker Jaylon Smith was added to New Orleans' roster. Smith practiced in the Superdome on Friday in advance of Sunday’s preseason opener against Kansas City. Smith’s signing comes as starting linebacker and defensive captain Demario Davis tries to work his way back from a calf injury that has sidelined him since late last week.
FRIDAY'S GAMES
STEELERS 27, BUCCANEERS 17: Baker Mayfield continued his bid to follow Tom Brady as Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback and jumpstart his career with a solid, if not overly impressive preseason debut for the Buccaneers in a loss to visiting Pittsburgh. Mayfield was 8 of 9 for 63 yards and one touchdown over five series. Steelers starter Kenny Pickett worked one series and completed six of seven passes for 70 yards on a 10-play, 83-yard drive that finished with a 33-yard TD throw to George Pickens.
LIONS 21, GIANTS 16: Adrian Martinez scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 1:51 left to give Detroit a preseason victory over visiting New York. Graham Gano’s third field goal gave the Giants a 16-14 lead with 7:59 to play. Martinez led the Lions on a 69-yard drive. New York stopped former Steelers running back Benny Snell Jr. twice from the 1, but Martinez — an undrafted rookie who had 49 TD runs in 45 college games for Nebraska and Kansas State — dived over the goal line for the score.
COMMANDERS 17, BROWNS 15: Deshaun Watson looked less rusty in his first action this preseason, and Jacoby Brissett had a TD run in his return to Cleveland as Washington won an exhibition delayed more than an hour at the start by a storm. Watson took the Browns on a 67-yard drive to the Commanders' 1-yard line in his one series. His performance — 3 of 3 for 12 yards, 20 yards rushing — was far better than his preseason debut a year ago, when he completed just one pass.
PACKERS 38, BENGALS 19: Jordan Love showed he can move Green Bay’s offense, at least in an early test against a leaky host Cincinnati defense with few starters on the field. Love, the replacement for Aaron Rodgers, played only part of the first quarter but was in command, completing 7 of 10 passes for 46 yards and a lofted a perfect throw to Romeo Doubs for a 9-yard touchdown.
FALCONS 19, DOLPHINS 3: Dee Alford scored on a 79-yard punt return, Breon Borders returned one of the team's three interceptions for a score, and Atlanta defeated host Miami. Facing a Dolphins special teams unit that was among the NFL’s worst in 2022, Alford broke multiple tackles for the touchdown, which came with 4:36 left in the game.
BRONCOS 17, CARDINALS 16: Russell Wilson competed 17 of 13 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown, Jerry Jeudy caught two passes for 40 yards and a score, but Denver lost its preseason opener against host Arizona after the Cardinals completed a two-point conversion with two seconds remaining. David Blough completed an 18-yard TD pass to Brian Cobbs to set up the two-point try.