Damar Hamlin is attempting to make one of the most remarkable comebacks that the NFL world has ever seen.

Hamlin has been practicing at Bills training camp just seven months after he suffered an on-field cardiac arrest against the Bengals. Many feared for his life after his collapse and subsequent hospital stay, but he has been able to make a recovery that doctors have deemed “remarkable.”

Now, the question for Hamlin is when he will return to the field in a game scenario.

So, is Damar Hamlin playing football in 2023? Here’s what to know about the Bills safety’s future and his chances of making the Buffalo roster.

DeCOURCY: Damar Hamlin has support of friends, community because of generosity, caring

Will Damar Hamlin play football in 2023?

Damar Hamlin is planning to play this season. The Bills safety was first cleared to return to the field ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft in April. 

“He’s fully cleared, he’s here and … he’s in a great headspace to come back and make his return,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said, per NPR.

Beane also outlined that Hamlin had seen multiple specialists and they were “in lockstep” over Hamlin’s diagnosis. As such, it was just on Hamlin to decide if he wanted to keep playing.

He quickly announced that he would be returning to the field.

“I’m here to announce that I plan on making a comeback to the NFL,” Hamlin said shortly after Beane’s press conference in April, per NFL.com.

“I’ve been beating statistics my whole life, so I like my chances here,” he added.

Since then, Hamlin has returned to the field for Bills minicamp, OTAs and training camp. In doing so, coach Sean McDermott has said that the safety “remains on schedule” as he attempts his comeback.

“We’re in a good spot. He’s in a good spot. We’ll continue to take it one day at a time,” McDermott said, per The Buffalo News. “This is to some extent for unchartered territory for all of us. We’re just trying to be the best to be there for him. … I try to keep a close guy on where he is and how he’s responding. He’s done a great job.”

That paints a positive picture regarding Hamlin’s preseason participation. Once he achieves that step, his next will be to get on the field during the regular season.

MORE: Damar Hamlin’s charity receives millions in donations

What happened to Damar Hamlin?

Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field in the Bills vs. Bengals game during Week 17 of the 2023 NFL regular season. He tackled Tee Higgins on an innocuous-looking play but crumpled to the turf briefly after getting back onto his feet.

At the time it wasn’t immediately clear what had happened to Hamlin. However, it was later revealed that he had suffered commotio cordis, which occurs when a person takes a hard hit to the chest that causes sudden cardiac arrest.

Treatment of commotio cordis involves getting “high-quality CPR” as quickly as possible, as Dr. Manesh Patel, chief of cardiology and clinical pharmacology at Duke University, told The Sporting News.

“That is the key is to get blood flow to the brain and organs while you get an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to shock the heart back to a normal rhythm,” he explained.

Bills medical staffers quickly followed this protocol and tended to Hamlin on the field. A stretcher and ambulance came out to treat him while he received CPR.

Members of the Bills and Bengals watched the situation unfold, horrified. Many members of the Bills were in tears and Hamlin was eventually taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. There, Hamlin fought for his life and was eventually able to recover thanks to the life-saving actions of the first responders.

The game was postponed and later canceled.

MORE: Damar Hamlin’s journey from Pittsburgh to NFL has inspired many, including those from hometown

Damar Hamlin recovery timeline

Jan. 2, 2023 — Hamlin collapses on the field after tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. He is treated quickly by the Bills’ training staff but has to be taken off the field by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. His condition, at this time, is unknown.

Jan. 3 — The Bills announce that Hamlin did, in fact, suffer a cardiac arrest. He remains at the UC Medical Center on a ventilator, but his uncle says that he is now just 50 percent on the ventilator which is a “good sign.”

Jan. 4 — Hamlin remains in the ICU and in “critical condition.” However, there are “signs of improvement” as he is further removed from the incident.

Jan. 5 — Mario Hamlin, Damar’s father, tells the Bills players over Zoom that his son is “making progress” in his recovery. Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam tweets that Hamlin is awake while the Bills provide the most encouraging update to date.

The team says he has shown “remarkable improvement over the last 24 hours,” per the physicians caring for him at UC Medical Center, and “appears to be neurologically intact.” Doctors say that one of the first things he asked upon waking up was, “Did we win?”

Jan. 6 — Hamlin has his breathing tube removed and is able to talk to his family. He also FaceTimes the Bills ahead of their Week 18 game against the Patriots to tell his teammates that he loves them.

Jan. 8 — Hamlin posts a picture of himself watching the Bills vs. Patriots game in his hospital room. It is the first current image provided by Hamlin since his cardiac arrest.

GAMETIME!!! @BuffaloBills pic.twitter.com/PQYClonUHb

— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023

Jan. 9 — After a week at the UC Medical Center, Hamlin is well enough to be transferred to Buffalo. He needs to remain hospitalized, but this marks a big step forward in his recovery.

Jan. 11 — After nine days in the hospital, Hamlin is able to go home. The Bills announce that he has been discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center after a “comprehensive medical evaluation.”

“We are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills.”

Jan. 14 — Hamlin is seen visiting the Bills facility ahead of their wild-card matchup with the Dolphins. There is some talk that he will attend the game, but he does not.

Jan. 22 — Hamlin attends the Bills vs. Bengals AFC divisional playoff matchup. He receives a raucous ovation from his home crowd after being shown on the JumboTron.

It’s all love for Damar Hamlin. pic.twitter.com/BbsqzFOkGV

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 22, 2023

Feb. 13 — Hamlin outlines his recovery from his cardiac arrest in an interview with Michael Strahan. He reveals he is physically well — having been able to start walk, eat regular food and start physical therapy in short order — but he is still struggling with the mental side of his recovery.

“I’m still working through things,” he said, per ABC7 Chicago. “I’m still trying to process all the emotions and the trauma that comes from, you know, dealing with a situation like that and not really having people around or, you know, like, no one in my immediate circle who’s dealt with something like that.”

April 17 — Hamlin announces his intentions to play in the NFL again. Bills general manager Brandon Beane backs him in those efforts.

June 6 — For the first time since his cardiac arrest, Hamlin is a full participant at practice. This comes during Bills OTAs.

For the first time in an OTA open to the media, Damar Hamlin wore his helmet and was a full participant in practice. Big step forward. pic.twitter.com/4NVoPBhgFI

— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) June 6, 2023

July 31 — Damar Hamlin participates in padded practice for the first time. The 25-year-old calls it “a roller coaster of emotions.”

“In football, you can’t hit that field with no hesitation,” Hamlin said, per ProFootballTalk. “You’re putting yourself in more danger by doing that. I made the choice to play, but I’m processing a thousand emotions. I’m not afraid to say that it crosses my mind of being a little scared here and there. But like I say, my strength is rooted in my faith, and my faith is stronger than any fear.”

MORE: Full timeline of Damar Hamlin’s ‘remarkable’ recovery from cardiac arrest, hospital release

Bills preseason key dates

The next milestones for Hamlin will be about getting on the field in the preseason and regular season. He will also need to avoid being cut as he tries to make the team’s final 53-man roster; he seems to be inside the team’s roster bubble right now, but things can change quickly in the NFL.

Here are the key dates to know throughout the preseason as Hamlin prepares to return to the Bills.

There is only one roster cut deadline in 2023, so Hamlin will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself. He just will have to do it amid the Bills’ crowded safety depth chart.

Bills depth chart at safety

Below is a look at the seven safeties the Bills currently have on their roster:

Hyde and Poyer are arguably the best safety duo in the NFL when healthy, so the Bills will be happy to have the pair reunited after an injury-plagued 2022 season.

The team relied on its safety depth quite a lot last season. that’s part of the reason that Buffalo signed former Rams starter and 2019 second-round pick Taylor Rapp to serve as its third safety. Rapp is a great tackler, having recorded at least 92 tackles in three of his four seasons, so he figures to be a nice fit next to Hyde and Poyer, who have elite ball skills.

Most NFL teams keep four safeties with a select few keeping five due to special teams abilities. With that said, Hamlin has the inside track for the No. 4 safety job after he generated 91 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two pass defenses in 13 starts last season. He also plays special teams, so that should help him find a role in Buffalo.

That said, Hamlin was just PFF’s 61st-graded safety out of 88 total at the position. That may allow special teams ace Dean Marlowe to catch him; so too could a greener safety like Mayden or Anderson.

Still, Hamlin has the best skill set of the bunch and the most upside. Releasing Hamlin would also be an unpopular move among the team’s fanbase, so it’s hard to imagine the Bills taking that route unless Marlowe, Mayden or Anderson blows them away.