Bills’ Damar Hamlin expects to be excited and emotional in return to Cincinnati

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Whether he plays or not, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin says he has nothing to worry about in preparing

to return to Cincinnati for a game against the Bengals on Sunday night so long as he stays true to himself.

Cincinnati might be where Hamlin nearly died after going into cardiac arrest before being resuscitated on the field on Jan. 2. What’s

more significant some 10 months later is how the place and the experience have come to represent where the next chapter of his life began.

If there’s one thing Hamlin learned during his recovery — and courageous bid to resume his career — is that he has the resolve to

overcome just about anything.

”It’s a new life, a new mission that I’m cherishing. And it is unique, of course,” Hamlin told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

”I’m super thrilled. I’m super excited. I’m a thousand emotions. I’m every emotion, all the good ones and the bad ones. But there’s

strength in that,” he added. ”And I think there’s strength in walking through the fire, and walking into your fears.”

Hamlin then put aside whatever personal emotions he might be experiencing, and turned the attention to his team.

It’s no coincidence Hamlin is focused on winning. The first words out of his mouth after being awakened from a medically induced

coma in a Cincinnati hospital were, ”Did we win?”

It’s unlikely Hamlin — who missed practice Wednesday due to an illness — will suit up Sunday. He’s been a healthy inactive for all but

one of Buffalo’s first eight games since he’s last on the team’s safety depth chart.

No matter his role, the Bills continue to take their cues from Hamlin. The third-year player has shown no signs of trepidation since

being cleared for contact in April before finally making the Bills’ 53-player roster in August.