Bills safety Damar Hamlin had his breathing tube removed overnight, allowing him to begin talking to people on his own for the first time since he suffered a terrifying medical emergency during Monday night’s game against the Bengals. That included his teammates in Buffalo, whom he FaceTimed on Friday morning, the team confirmed.
Hamlin called into a Bills team meeting to speak with both players and coaches Friday, ahead of the team’s Week 18 game against the Patriots. On the FaceTime, he had a very simple, yet heartfelt message for his teammates: “Love you boys.”
Bills coach Sean McDermott confirmed that the call took place a short while later, revealing that the players weren’t aware that Hamlin would be speaking to them ahead of time.
“The guys immediately stood up when they saw… it was brief but much needed, hopefully for Damar but also for the team,” McDermott said on WGR 550 Friday morning.
McDemott added that Hamlin flexed for the team, in addition to making a heart with his hands and giving his teammates a thumbs up, according to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg.
Friday’s update is the latest positive news for Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest and had to be given CPR on the field after making a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in Monday’s game. He was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was considered to be in critical condition.
Hamlin’s status has slowly improved in recent days, according to the Bills and doctors at the UC Medical Center. The team said on Thursday that the 24-year-old woke up and was “neurologically intact,” and was able to ask about the outcome of the game against the Bengals through writing.
The AFC contest was postponed and later canceled by the NFL, but doctors responded to Hamlin that he had won “the game of life.”
Hamlin remains at the UC Medical Center while the Bills prepare for Sunday’s game against the Patriots, which will take place as scheduled at 1 p.m. ET.
