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Damar Hamlin said “there’s nothing I want more than to run out of the tunnel” with his teammates as the Buffalo Bills prepared for their first game since the safety’s cardiac arrest on Sunday.
The 24-year-old has continued to make positive progress since collapsing on the field during the first quarter of the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night.
Before Buffalo’s Week 18 game against the New England Patriots at 1 p.m. Sunday, Hamlin took to Twitter to support his teammates.
Damar Hamlin said “there’s nothing I want more than to run out of the tunnel” with his teammates as the Bills prepare to take the field for the first time since their collapse.
He revealed that he desperately wants to get out on the field with his ‘brothers’, but insisted that God is using him ‘in a different way today’.
He shared a video of him running out of the tunnel during a previous Bills game and wrote: ‘GameDay… I want nothing more than to be running through that tunnel with my brothers. God uses me in a different way today. Tell someone you love them today! come on @BuffaloBills’.
Hamlin’s Game Day tweet comes after he took to social media for the first time since his cardiac arrest to thank fans for their support in an emotional statement Saturday night.
The 24-year-old took to Twitter to support his teammates ahead of their Week 18 game.
Despite wanting to be with his ‘brothers,’ Hamlin said God was using him in a different way.
Bills security wrote on Instagram: “When you put true love out into the world, it comes back to you 3 times over.”
“The love has been overwhelming, but I am grateful for each person who prayed for me and reached out. We rallied (sic) the world behind this.
‘If you know me, you know that this will only make me stronger. On a long way she keeps on praying for me.’
He posted a similar message on Twitter, writing: ‘Putting love into the world comes back 3x…grateful for everyone who reached out and prayed.
Hamlin spoke on social media for the first time since his cardiac arrest on Saturday.
A fan holds up a sign supporting Hamlin before the Bills’ game against the Patriots on Sunday.
‘This will make me stronger on the road to recovery, keep praying for me!’
Hamlin collapsed and had to be resuscitated on the field after going into cardiac arrest following a tackle with the Cincinnati Bengals’ Tee Higgins during the first quarter of a Monday Night Football game.
On the play, the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin was injured, Higgins leading with his right shoulder, which struck the defense in the chest. Hamlin then wrapped his arms around Higgins’ shoulders and helmet to drag him down.
Hamlin scrambled to his feet, appeared to adjust his mask with his right hand, then fell back about three seconds later and lay still.
The Bills safety was surrounded by players on both sides and received treatment for 16 minutes before being restrained and taken off the field to the hospital.
Although he remains in critical condition, Hamlin has shown encouraging signs in recent days.
Hamlin is pictured with his mother, Nina, before a Pitts game against Boston College in 2019.
Doctors said Saturday that his neurological function is “excellent” and that he is now breathing without a tube.
The Bills released the details on Saturday, with the statement on their official Twitter account reading: “According to doctors at UC Medical Center, Damar is making continued progress in his recovery but remains in critical condition.”
He continues to breathe on his own and his neurological function is excellent.
The Bills got a big surprise Friday when Hamlin FaceTimed them, saying “I love you guys” and flexing the muscles in his arm after his breathing tube was removed.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott spoke to the press after the interaction with Hamlin and attempted to describe the scene to reporters, but conceded that he “probably won’t be able to do it justice.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott revealed that the team had received a FaceTime from Hamlin
“Amazing, moving, to see Damar,” McDermott began. ‘Not. 1, through my own eyes. I know it’s something I’ve been looking forward to, something I needed to see, I guess. And then see the reaction in the room with the players, the coaching staff and the team.
The NFL confirmed earlier this week that the pivotal game between the Bills and Bengals would not resume with playoff adjustments should the cancellation affect the AFC Championship game.
However, while the MNF matchup will not continue, the entire week 18 league roster has moved on with the Bills taking on the Patriots on Sunday.
In the team’s first media availability since its collapse, McDermott claimed the Bills “owed” Hamlin to play Sunday’s game.
When asked why his team has to play this weekend, McDermott revealed that Hamlin’s father, Mario, had told them that’s what his son would want.
He said: ‘I feel strongly that, as his father Mario had mentioned to us, that this is what Damar would have wanted. We owe it to Damar and his family.
The Titans and Jaguars came together to pray for Hamlin before his game on Saturday.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars already played on Saturday and both posted victories over the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans, respectively.
Before the start of Saturday’s late game, the Titans and Jaguars came together to pray for Hamlin at midfield during his warmup.
Hamlin took to Twitter again, minutes later, to say: “Love is felt and extremely real.”
‘No matter race or religion, all unite in prayer!’