Last January, when the Buffalo Bills traveled to Ohio to play the Cincinnati Bengals in a highly anticipated prime time showdown with AFC Playoff implications on the line, the sports world was left in stunned silence.

Fans around the globe watched what looked like a routine tackle made by safety Damar Hamlin go from just another play, to a life-threatening situation in the blink of an eye. Everyone wondered if this would be a time when a player lost his life on the field.

Thankfully, the life-saving methods utilized by both the Bills and Bengals medical teams, as well as the trauma center in Cincinnati, were able to keep Hamlin alive. But he didn’t just live, he has returned to football.

Whether you are someone who thinks its wise for Hamlin to return to the game isn’t important. Hamlin has the best doctors in the world advising him, and they gave him the green light to return to the playing field with no restrictions.

Hamlin has attended the Bills’ offseason workouts and the non-padded portions of training camp thus far, but Monday marked the first time Hamlin put pads on for the Buffalo Bills since that fateful night in January.

Take a look at Hamlin taking the field, via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero:

Damar Hamlin back in pads for the first time since January here at #Bills camp. pic.twitter.com/UPbWbeWBZO

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 31, 2023

This will be the first time Hamlin could be in a live tackling situation since his cardiac arrest, and whether the Bills ease him into the process has yet to be seen. Either way, it is a great story to see Hamlin back out on the field, even if you disagree with his decision to do so.

We wish Hamlin nothing but the best moving forward, and hope he remains healthy and productive for the Bills in 2023.