Bills Central

Bills' Damar Hamlin Returns, Shows Out in 1st Half vs. Colts

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin showed little hesitation in his return to the field during the first half of Saturday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Zach Dimmitt

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Highmark Stadium was filled with both emotion and excitement for the preseason opener between the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, as Bills safety Damar Hamlin made his return to a live-action game for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest on Jan. 2.

Regardless of what Hamlin did in the first half on Saturday, his seemingly miraculous comeback to the field would have been a highlight-worthy sight as is. But he decided to put on a solid first-half defensive showing on top of that, as Hamlin finished with three solo tackles before returning to the bench as the Bills led the Colts 10-7 headed into the locker room.

"He told me he was good to go," Bills coach Sean McDermott said of Hamlin before heading into halftime. "He's gonna trust himself, trust God and he's ready to play."

Hamlin showed little hesitation coming down from his safety spot to make contact in open gaps against the Colts running backs, making some standout tackles as a result. And though it was hard to see due to the pile of bodies, he made a key fourth-down stop on 4th and 1 in the first quarter that gave the Bills the ball back near midfield.

Hamlin returned to the sidelines toward the end of the half, as he had played plenty of snaps both on defense and special teams. It's unclear what his role will be in the second half, as the Bills coaching staff could elect to ease his workload as he continues to get back into the flow of things.

Regardless, seeing Hamlin make plays in his first game back is a sight for sore eyes.

You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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Zach Dimmitt
ZACH DIMMITT

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