Demar Hamlin is now breathing on his own, addressing his Bills teammates for the first time

It was great for Buffalo Bills staff and players to see Damar Hamlin appear on video in the team’s conference room on Friday — “larger than life,” Coach Shawn McDermott said — for the first time since security collapsed to be resuscitated on the floor.

What moved everyone was hearing Hamlin, his mouth and throat still breathing shortly after his breathing tube was removed, say softly, “I love you boys.”

“Unbelievable. Touching. To see Damar, Number One, through my eyes, I know that was something I was looking forward to, and I kind of needed to see it,” McDermott said. “And to see the reaction of the players. They immediately stood up, cheered him on, and shouted things at him. It was a wonderful exchange. »

Four days after his heart stopped after making what appeared to be a routine tackle during a game, Hamlin, 24, took advantage of his hospital room in Cincinnati and took a pill for a moment of relaxation. . He described it as a wonderful recovery.

“We’ve got our boy, man. That’s all that matters,” said left tackle Dion Dawkins.

“To see the boy’s face, to see him smile, to see him go like that on camera,” said Dawkins, flexing his muscles to imitate Hamlin. This is what we need. »

Hamlin now breathes and walks on his own, fiddling with the clipboard he used to communicate. Although there was no timetable for his release, Hamlin’s doctors said Thursday that breathing on his own and showing continued signs of improvement were the final steps for him to be released from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Hamelin spent his first two days in the hospital under anesthesia. When he was awakened on Wednesday night, Hamlin was able to follow orders and hold people’s hands. On Friday, the team said the breathing tube was removed and “Hamlin’s neurological function remained intact.”

The team did not say if Hamlin’s condition was still critical or if he had been released from intensive care.

In what was an expected formality, the Bills placed Hamlin on injured reserve at the end of the season and activated rookie linebacker Christian Binford from the NFL. Benford has been sidelined since his injury on Thanksgiving Day.

“I felt the back of my neck stop on end when he said, ‘I love you boys,'” said general manager Brandon Bean, who returned to Buffalo Thursday after spending three days in bed in Hamlin with the player’s family. .

hour | The Bills coach describes the team that saw Hamlin on video:

But the turning point in Hamlin’s recovery, for Bean, came Thursday morning when the two men kissed.

“Just to hug him and hug him tight,” said Bean, before remembering what he said to Hamelin’s father, Mario. “I told him, I am not crying, but the man was emotional and many great men cried yesterday. Something I will never forget.”

The reaction from across the NFL on Friday was warm.

“It’s probably something that really lifts up the whole league,” said New York Giants coach Brian Dabol, who spent the previous four seasons as offensive coordinator for the Bills. “It gives you a boost because you pray so hard for the youngster. »

The NFL announced plans to show support for Hamlin during all games in Week 18, including a pre-game support moment, with Hamlin painting #3 on the 30-yard line and T-shirts before the game with “Love for Damar 3”. The Bills will also wear jersey “3” patches.

New York Jets rookie Sauce Gardner was already planning on wearing Hamlin’s jersey number 3 during a warm-up before the team’s game in Miami on Sunday.

“What a warrior he is. He’s so strong, and a fighter for sure,” said Gardner. “I was so happy he was able to come back into the world. »

Watching the scene of Hamelin’s collapse raises questions about the game’s integrity:

The interaction with Hamlin encouraged the Bills (12-3) and allowed them to focus on the home game against the New England Patriots (8-8) on Sunday.

“It will be a celebration of life and life going on,” Bean said passionately.

He added, “It will not only be a celebration for Buffalo, but a celebration for the whole country, and I’m sure people all over the world have seen this situation.” “It will be a lot, and the only better thing is that Demar will be here by then. I don’t know if that will happen, but anyway, we are excited for Sunday.”

The scene of Hamlin’s collapse, shown to North American viewers on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” sparked an outpouring of support from fans and players across the league. Fans, team owners and players — including Tom Brady and Russell Wilson — have made donations to Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation, which has raised just under $8 million as of Friday afternoon.