Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is awake and “has shown remarkable improvement,” but is “still critically ill,” the Bills and Hamlin’s agent shared Thursday morning.
Hamlin’s team shared the message of the 24-year-old’s condition in a tweet posted on Thursday morning.
“Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours,” the Bills wrote. “While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress. We are grateful for the love and support we have received.”
Shortly after the Bills’ statement, Hamlin’s agent, Rob Butler, told CNN that the safety is awake and has been holding hands with his family.
Hamlin’s teammate, Kaiir Elam, also tweeted the good news, writing: “Our boy is doing better, awake and showing more signs of improvement. Thank you God. Keep the prayers coming please. All love 3!”
The news comes three days after Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest in the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Medical teams resuscitated the second-year player on the field for more than 10 minutes.
Hamlin’s recovery has been trending in a positive direction, Jordon Rooney, Hamlin’s friend and business partner, shared with multiple outlets including NFL.com on Wednesday.
Hamlin’s agent Ron Butler also told ESPN Tuesday night that his client’s oxygen levels had improved over the course of the week.
Hamlin’s teammates, players and coaches throughout the league, and fans have remained steadfast pledging their support, donating to Hamlin’s charity — as all invested have clamored for updates.
Twenty minutes after the Bills posted their update on Thursday, the post had garnered more than 100,000 likes.
On Wednesday, Damar Hamlin’s father, Mario Hamlin, addressed the team on a Zoom call to share that his son is making progress, something an ESPN source said that “the team needed” to hear.
