The Buffalo Bills are officially placing safety Damar Hamlin on Injured Reserve as he continues to recover from cardiac arrest… while rookie cornerback Christian Benford has been activated from the list
The Buffalo Bills placed Damar Hamlin on Injured Reserve ahead of their Week 18 game against the New England Patriots after the safety suffered a cardiac arrest Monday night.
The Buffalo safety had his breathing tube removed Friday in the latest sign of improvement after he was resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati Monday night following his cardiac arrest.
The Bills unsurprisingly placed the 24-year-old on Injured Reserve on Friday and activated cornerback Christian Benford.
Buffalo placed Damar Hamlin on Injured Reserve as he continues to recover from a cardiac arrest
On Wednesday, the Bills announced they signed safety Jared Mayden from the New York Jets practice squad to fill the void left by Hamlin’s condition.
The Bills also released veteran cornerback Xavier Rhodes last week and activated Benford to replace him.
On Friday, Hamlin FaceTimed his teammates from the hospital after his breathing tube was removed. According to the team, he bent down, threw up a heart sign and told them, ‘love you boys’.
Hamlin continues to recover in a Cincinnati hospital and had his breathing tubes removed
They don’t know we’re going to do it [the call],’ Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters on a conference call Friday.
‘When I said we had a ‘treat’ in store, you could see the look in their eyes in anticipation of what was likely to come,’ continued McDermott.
‘And then to get Zoom and when he comes on screen … to see the player’s reaction, they stand up immediately and clap for him and shout some things at him and it’s a pretty cool exchange. for a few seconds there.’
A team statement on Friday provided further clarity on Hamlin’s current state and his recovery progress.
‘Per physicians at UCMC, Damar’s breathing tube was removed overnight,’ the statement read. ‘He continues to make remarkable progress in his recovery. His neurologic function remains intact and he is able to communicate with his family and care team.’
Meanwhile, back in Buffalo, rookie CB Benford was activated from Injured Reserve to make room for Hamlin.
Benford broke his hand in a game against the Dolphins in Week 3 and sat out just a few games.
Villanova’s sixth round pick was placed on IR in late November when the team activated CB Xavier Rhodes.
With the news of Hamlin going on IR, the Bills have activated rookie CB Christian Benford
