Hamlin's physicians shared the exciting health update during a press conference Monday.
Damar Hamlin has been released from the hospital just one week after suffering a cardiac arrest during the Buffalo Bills' game against the Cincinnati Bengals. In a press conference from the University of Cincinnati Health Medical Center on Monday, the 24-year-old safety's physicians revealed that Hamlin has not only been discharged, but has returned to Buffalo, New York.
"Dr. [Timothy] Pritts and I are thrilled and proud on behalf of UC to report to you, that Damar Hamlin has been released and returned to Buffalo," Dr. William A. Knight IV shared. "I traveled with him to the airport this morning, with our UC health air care and mobile care crew, including teammates who were with us on the field when Damar Hamlin collapsed."
Knight continued, "He landed safely, and as standard as anybody who has gone through what he's gone through this past week, and certainly after flying on a plane, he is going to be observed and monitored to ensure that there's no impact on the flight of his condition or on his lungs."
"Dr. Pritts and I have spoken extensively with his care team in Buffalo, and I can confirm that he is doing well and this is the beginning of his next stage of his recovery," he added, before later noting that Hamlin is receiving care at a medical facility there.
The update came after a weekend of improvements from Hamlin, which included hitting "key milestones" like being taken off a ventilator, attending physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions and tolerating a regular diet.
As for what's next in Hamlin's recovery process, Dr. Pritts shared that his outpatient care will include more testing and evaluations to determine what caused the collapse he suffered during last Monday night's game.
"We anticipate that he will undergo an ongoing series of tests and evaluation to determine the etiology of what caused the incident on Monday night and to treat any pathology that may be found," Dr. Pritts said.
A return time to the field is also yet to be determined, with both physicians maintaining that it's too soon to tell when Hamlin will be cleared to play football again.
Hamlin shared an update of his own Monday, taking to Twitter to confirm that he was "headed home with a lot of love" on his heart.
"Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart. 🫶🏾 Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling," he wrote. "The same love you all have shown me is the same love that I plan to put back into the world n more. Bigger than football! 🫶🏾."
In a second tweet post Monday, Hamlin thanked the medical staff at UCMC and also gave a shoutout to those now caring for him at Buffalo General as he aims to make a full recovery.
"Grateful for the awesome care I received at UCMC. Happy to be back in Buffalo," Hamlin wrote. "The docs and nurses at Buffalo General have already made me feel at home! 🏩🫶🏾."
The good news comes just one day after Hamlin shared photos of himself cheering on his team from his hospital bed at UC Medical Center, supporting his team as they took on the New England Patriots.
The game came amid Hamlin's returned to social media, where he gave his supporters his first personal update, thanking fans for their "overwhelming" support and flashing a wide smile.
The Buffalo Bills safety posted a couple of pictures of himself in uniform Saturday as well as a block quote from Dr. Pritts, who said doctors told Hamlin he "won the game of life" after he woke up and asked who won the Bills-Bengals game.
"When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x’s as much.. 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾," the second-year NFL pro wrote in his caption. "The Love has been overwhelming, but I’m thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out. We brung the world back together behind this. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me! 🫶🏾❤️3️⃣ #3strong."
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