ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. [WKBW] — Damar Hamlin was moved to tears as he practiced with his teammates at Highmark Stadium on Friday. 35,000 members of Bills Mafia welcomed Hamlin back to Buffalo for the Return of Blue & Red scrimmage as he ran out of the tunnel to a massive roar.
"Buffalo is a special place. It's one of the most special places in America" - Damar Hamlin @WKBW #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/1WBEIST5li
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) August 5, 2023
"To be able to be blessed to be back out here with my team, playing the sport I love at the highest level, it meant everything to me," Hamlin said after practice on Friday. "It was really emotional and it will be like that forever."
Hamlin and his teammates practiced for nearly two hours in the same stadium where they will play their first preseason game next week. For Hamlin, this was a chance to ramp-up the contact and face more live action than he's seen since suffering cardiac arrest on January 2 in Cincinnati.
"Buffalo is a special place. It's one of the most special places in America," Hamlin said. "These fans, they truly care. And it just wants to make you win for them that much more."
All 🫶 from Damar!#BillsMafia @WKBW pic.twitter.com/o46yMQ06fi
— Dom Tibbetts (@DomTibbettsTV) August 4, 2023
Hamlin's first practice with pads was earlier this week at St. John Fisher University in Rochester. Friday's scrimmage was another step in the right direction as Hamlin prepares to play his first game later this month.
"I've got so much love for the game and love for the sport. You learn so much about yourself and life through playing this game, so, there is so much passion behind it."
