Damar Hamlin's Father Addresses Entire Buffalo Bills Team With Update on Son

01/05/2023 10:42 am EST

The Buffalo Bills heard some good news about safety Damar Hamlin. On Wednesday, Hamlin's father, Mario Hamlin, addressed the Bills on a Zoom call and gave an update on his son's health, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Mario Hamlin informed the Bills that Damar was making progress, which was something the team needed to hear.

Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during the game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. He is currently hospitalized at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and is in critical condition. Earlier in the week Hamlin's family released a statement, thanking everyone for supporting them during the difficult time. 

"On behalf of our family, we went to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time," the family said in the statement. "We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans around the country. We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar."

"We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they've done. Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them."

President Joe Biden spoke to Hamlin's parents "at length" on Wednesday, according to The Hill. When Biden was asked by reporters about the dangers of football, he said, "I think working like hell on the helmets and the concussion protocols, that all makes a lot of sense. But … it is dangerous. We've got to just acknowledge it."

Hamlin, who is the Bills' starting safety, was selected by the team in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The incident happened after he tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter. The game was called off once Hamlin was sent to the hospital, and it's not clear if the game will be played again since the NFL is entering the final week of the regular season. For the 2022 season, Hamlin notched 91 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two passes defended and one forced fumble.

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