When is Damar Hamlin expected to come back to play after being discharged?

According to his medical staff, Damar Hamlin is progressing faster than expected.

Doctors claimed during a press briefing on Monday that Hamlin had his breathing tube removed early Friday morning, and by Friday afternoon, he was walking with help around the hospital unit where he was being treated.

Hamlin is “continuing to regain strength,” according to Dr. Timothy Pritts, the surgeon who has been caring for him at UC Health. “He’s certainly on what we consider a very normal to even accelerated trajectory from the life-threatening event that he underwent, but he’s making great progress.”

Hamlin “has been a little bit ahead of that at each stage,” according to Pritts, who estimated that a typical recovery time after a cardiac arrest would be several weeks to months.

The physicians reiterated on Thursday that Hamlin’s neurological function remains unimpaired.

The physicians said that they needed to improve Hamlin’s health from critical to fair or good before he could be transported. Today, his condition improved significantly.

“We felt that it was safe and proper to help get him back to the greater Buffalo area,” Pritts said.

His organs were functioning normally, so he didn’t require constant monitoring or breathing treatments. Thus the doctors suggested they might improve his status.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott has expressed relief that injured safety Damar Hamlin is back in Buffalo.

“Super excited that he’s back in Buffalo and what a job that the team of docs and the medical team did out in Cincinnati and now he’s in great care here in Buffalo. We’re happy to have him back. He’s doing well and a little bit tired but it was good to get to see him in person for the first time in a while.” McDermott said of Hamlin, whom he visited on Monday and updated on his condition.

McDermott said, “I know he’s taking it just one step at a time.”

When can Damar Hamlin be expected to return?

There is no timetable for his return to play. A cardiac arrest usually takes several months to recover from. But it seems the player is making a fast recovery and could be expected for the coming season.