CNN —
Just four days after his stunning on-field cardiac arrest, Buffalo Bills safety guard Damar Hamlin is breathing on his own and speaking to family, doctors and teammates – positive news that Bill’s players say they picked up in this weekend’s matchup against the New England Patriots will strengthen.
“Hearing him talk to us was all and that’s what we needed. That’s literally all we needed,” Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said over the team’s video call Friday with Hamlin, who is still being treated at a Cincinnati hospital.
Hamlin – who was sedated and put on a ventilator after collapsing on Monday – began waking up later this week and was able to have his breathing tube removed before Friday morning, doctors said.
“Love you guys,” the 24-year-old player told his team via FaceTime on Friday, according to head coach Sean McDermott, who added that Hamlin bent his arms and made his signature heart-shaped hand gesture during the call.
Damar Hamlin FaceTimed our team meeting today to speak to players and coaches.
What he said to the team: “I love you guys.” ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8dorrWNaxt
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 6, 2023
Since collapsing during the Monday Night Football game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Hamlin “continues to make remarkable progress in his recovery” and “his neurological function remains intact,” according to the Bills tweeted Friday citing his doctors.
Dawkins described the emotional “roller coaster” ride this week has been for the team – who watched in shock as Hamlin received CPR on the field and was carried out of the stadium in an ambulance. But he said the news of Hamlin’s significant improvement will “surely heat us up” in the team’s showdown against the Patriots on Sunday.
“The excitement was beautiful, it was amazing,” he said of speaking with Hamlin. “It gave us so much energy, so much bright, good humor — whatever you want to call it — it gave us to see that boy’s face.”
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said Hamlin’s continued recovery is “uplifting news” for the city of Buffalo, which has recently been struck by multiple tragedies, including a racist mass shooting and a brutal snowstorm that left at least 41 dead in Erie County.
“What happened to Damar Hamlin, his injury, was another blow to the city of Buffalo and to see him making such a remarkable recovery is certainly lifting spirits in our community and across the country,” Brown told Kate on Friday CNN’s Bolduan.
After millions witnessed Hamlin’s emergency game live, a wave of support has emerged from fans and strangers across the country, many of whom have bought his shirt or donated to his foundation’s charity fund, which has raised more than $8 million as of Saturday morning. Teams across the NFL have also rallied behind the Bills player by wearing his number 3, illuminating stadiums and scoreboards and sharing words of solidarity.
Shows of support continue this weekend as the league prepares for an emotional return to competition for the final games of the regular season on Saturday and Sunday. The NFL plans to honor Hamlin before every game.
The NFL announced Thursday that the Bills-Bengals game originally postponed Monday night will not be resumed or rescheduled.
The cancellation will not affect which teams qualify for the playoffs, as both the Bills and Bengals have already secured spots. However, the imbalance in the number of games played has prompted the league to approve unprecedented postseason regulations based on the seeding of the Bills and Bengals and their potential opponents.
As players head into the final week of the regular season, the NFL announced several ways teams can honor Hamlin ahead of this weekend’s matchups, including holding a “moment of support” before games or outlining the “3” on the 30-yard line in the red or blue colors of the bills.
Players also have the option to wear shirts that say “Love for Damar 3” during warm-up, and the Bills will wear “3” patches on their jerseys, the NFL said.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who stayed in Cincinnati after the game was postponed to be with Hamlin and his family, this week praised the unified message of support across the league and noted how competitive is a sport .
“Yes, we go into battle. But in the end, life is the number one fight,” Beane said Friday. “And to see this unity of players, coaches (general managers), owners and fans is unheard of. But I think it’s a good light. It sheds a great light on the NFL. The NFL is truly a family.”
The NFL Players Association named Hamlin their Community MVP of Week 18 and announced the organization will donate $10,000 to his Chasing M’s Foundation.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders said he could video chat with Hamlin and tell him, “You know you’re the most famous person in the world right now?”
Hamlin replied, “But not for the right reasons,” according to Sanders, who told Hamlin, “You’re blessed, brother, you don’t know how blessed you are.”
Sanders refers to Hamlin as his best friend and said the two spoke after every game NFL Network reporter James Palmer.