Bills GM provides update on Damar Hamlin's possible return to field

Bills insider ESPN Alaina Getzenberg added more Beane:

Hamlin nearly lost his life when he went into cardiac arrest during a "Monday Night Football" game at the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2. The 24-year-old required CPR on the field and then spent over a week inside medical facilities before he was able to return home. However, he was cleared to attend Buffalo's playoff game against the Bengals on Jan. 22 and has since made numerous public appearances. 

Ahead of the Super Bowl LVII matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, NFL Players Association medical director Thom Mayer offered a "guarantee" that Hamlin "will play professional football again." NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport later poured some cold water over that declaration, but Hamlin then made it known during an interview that aired on Super Bowl Sunday he "eventually" wants to play. 

"But what I would say is I know that the Buffalo Bills have already engaged a number of outside consultants and will continue to do so," NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills told Washington Post editors and reporters for a piece published on Feb. 11. "And they’ll gather opinions and then, [with] all of those opinions, they’ll sit down with Mr. Hamlin, his family, his agents, all the people that love him and lay that out. And that’s what we do in medicine every day is say: 'Here’s our understanding of risks. Here’s our understanding of the situation. Let us make sure that you have all the information and make a good decision.'" 

Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper pointed out that there's no rush for the Bills and/or Hamlin to announce any decision about his future with summer workouts still months down the road. The fact such discussions are possible is remarkable considering Hamlin's status on the night of Jan. 2.