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Players leaped to their feet, clapped and yelled as Hamlin
appeared from his hospital bed on a FaceTime call during the
Bills team meeting on Friday, head coach Sean McDermott said in
describing the scene.
"The room went nuts. It was awesome," said Bills General Manager
Brandon Beane, who returned to Buffalo on Thursday after saying
behind in Cincinnati to be with Hamlin. "The hair on the back of
my neck stood up."
Doctor have said that Hamlin is progressing remarkably well
after having to have his heartbeat restored on the field on
Monday night. After making a tackle in the first quarter of the
game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Hamlin collapsed, requiring
emergency CPR, a scene that stunned fellow players, coaches and
fans.
On Friday, Hamlin told his teammates, "Love you, boys,"
McDermott said - a moment that seemed unfathomable just a few
days ago. Hamlin flexed his biceps and flashed a heart symbol
with his hands during the call.
"It was a pretty cool exchange," McDermott told reporters,
describing Hamlin as "an infectious young man with an infectious
personality."
Beane talked about the decision to stay behind with Hamlin while
the team returned to Buffalo to prepare for Sunday's regular
season finale against the New England Patriots.
"What would you want someone to do for your son?" he said.
"So we divided up... And that's why I love Sean (McDermott), we
were able to work this through and he did a great job there. But
it was it was a rollercoaster."
Physicians on Thursday said Hamlin was "demonstrating signs of
good neurological recovery" but that it was too soon to comment
on his long-term football prospects.
The frightening on-field incident prompted a massive outpouring
of support from fans and the football community. Donations to an
online toy drive fundraiser Hamlin launched in December 2020
skyrocketed in response, raising more than $7.8 million as of
Friday.
The National Football League on Thursday said it would not
resume the halted Bills-Bengals game despite the contest having
postseason implications with both teams playoff bound.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Mark Porter
and Bill Berkrot)
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