Win or lose, Damar Hamlin achieved the ultimate victory on Saturday in his Buffalo Bills preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts

He played professional football again

Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest on Jan. 2 during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, entered Saturday’s game on the second defensive series for the Bills. It was a moment the crowd in Cincinnati and a nationally televised audience thought might never happen as they watched Hamlin go down, and then be revived by medical staff on the field, that night

He spent a week in a Cincinnati hospital before returning to Buffalo. After continued medical care, he was cleared to fully participate in practice in July

One of Hamlin’s highlights on Saturday came at 7:42 in the second quarter when he stopped rookie running back Evan Hull on a fourth-and 1 play at the Buffalo 40 for no gain to force a turnover on downs

Hamlin said earlier that he understood the enormity of playing again

“Man, sometimes it’s like normal don’t exist,” Hamlin, 25, said. “But it’s a super-blessed space. To be able to do what I love again. That’s kind of the normal thing.

–Field Level Medi