Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin played in an NFL game on Sunday - 9 months after almost dying during a game.

Hamlin, who entered the game against the Miami Dolphins on the opening kickoff (resulting in a touchback), went into cardiac arrest during a Jan. 2 game against the Bengals in Cincinnati after colliding with receiver Tee Higgins. CPR was performed on Hamlin as he lied on the field. He was transported by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati hospital where he was in critical condition for about a week. He later was transported to Buffalo, undergoing more treatment before he was discharged on Jan. 11.

Before the game, Hamlin told CBS that he was blessed to be out there but not wanted to focus on playing football. He later was credited as one of the tacklers on Miami's kickoff return following Buffalo's TD in the second quarter that gave the Bills a 21-14 lead and also played on punt teams.

It was not a surprise to see him on the field on Sunday. Hamlin, 25, played in all three of Buffalo's preseason games and practiced with the team during the preseason, seeing action on the field for 73 defensive snaps and 19 special teams plays. He had been inactive for the first three games of the regular season because of the talent in the Bills secondary, but he was called into duty after starting safety Jordan Poyer was ruled out this week due to a knee injury.

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NFL fans - and sports fans in general - have watched Hamlin's incredible comeback, from the moment he was cleared to take part in football activities in April, participating in June team drills and then entering training camp in late July as a full participant.

"I'm here to announce that I plan on making a comeback to the NFL," he told reporters on the day he was cleared.

Hamlin had a very interesting offseason - including appearing at the ESPYs and NFL awards. He was in tears at the ESPYs in July while presenting the Pat Tillman Service Award to the Bills training staff, who first treated him when he suffered his cardiac arrest. At the NFL Honors ceremony during Super Bowl week, he honored the medical staff who helped him recover. He won this past season's Alan Page Community Award after his GoFundMe charity blew up with nearly $10 million in donations and 2023 George Halas Award, given to a member of the league who overcomes the most adversity to succeed.

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin plays in NFL game against Miami Dolphins