Just 20 months after nearly dying on the field, Damar Hamlin will be the Buffalo Bills' starting safety against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football.

Hamlin's recovery is among the most remarkable stories in American sports history. The world watched with bated breath as he was resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati and rushed to the hospital, waiting well past midnight for any sign of good news. The NFL turned the following week's games into a Hamlin tribute as he started his road to recovery.

Players have died playing football. Last week, Port St. Joe High School football player Chance Gainer collapsed on the field in Florida's Panhandle and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The NFL has seen tragedy as well, with the Detroit Lions' Chuck Hughes dying near the end of a game in 1971. There have also been several close calls, most notably the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ryan Shazier becoming paralyzed after a hit in 2017 (he has since been able to walk again).

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“Truly a blessing, you know what I mean?” Hamlin said before the season. “I reflect back on the whole process and not knowing if I would even be able to play again. Sitting in that uncertainty was like eating at me because football is truly my passion, it's the thing that I've always been obsessed with my entire life. It just all goes to the power of being process oriented and taking things one day at a time and accepting where you are at each moment of the process truly allows you to conquer anything you’re facing.”

Here's a look back at Hamlin's injury and his path to recovery:

What happened to Damar Hamlin?

The injury happened January 2, 2023, on the national stage of Monday Night Football in a critical Week 17 game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. Near the end of the first quarter, Hamlin tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on what looked like a routine play. Hamlin momentarily got up from the hit, then collapsed on the field.

Medical personnel rushed onto the field. Reports afterward said Hamlin's heart stopped, and medical crews administered CPR to resuscitate him before putting him onto an ambulance. He was taken to the nearby University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

The game was suspended and eventually canceled after coaches Zac Taylor and Sean McDermott agreed after talking with their teams that the players could not continue.

What was the condition that Damar Hamlin had?

Nothing was known until the early-morning hours of January 3, when the Bills announced Hamlin had suffered cardiac arrest and was in critical condition.

Months later, Hamlin would say he was diagnosed with commotio cordis, a rare condition where the heart stops after a sudden, blunt impact to the chest.

How long was Damar Hamlin in a coma?

Damar Hamlin spent two days in a medically induced coma on a ventilator. Doctors said he first woke up the night of January 4 and asked with a pen and paper, "Did we win?" To which doctors responded, "Yes, Damar, you won the game of life."

On January 6, four days after the hit, doctors said Hamlin was able to talk with his family and breathe on his own. He was transferred to Buffalo General Medical Center on January 9 and was discharged altogether two days later. He visited the Bills' facility on January 14 and attended their home playoff game January 22, coincidentally against the Bengals.

When did Damar Hamlin return to playing football?

Hamlin made his intent to play again known early in the recovery process. He was back at offseason workouts in April 2023 and participated in full pads during OTAs in July.

Hamlin's first game action came in the preseason August 12, making three tackles against the Indianapolis Colts. He was inactive for the first three games of the 2023 season before making his first appearance back in a regular-season game October 1 against the Dolphins, only playing on special teams.

He played five regular-season games in 2023 and also played in both the Bills' playoff games. He made two tackles during the season and also ran a fake punt in the fourth quarter of Buffalo's playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

How did Damar Hamlin do?

Coach Sean McDermott named Hamlin one of the Bills' starting safeties before their Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals. He made four tackles and played every defensive snap in Buffalo's 34-28 win.

Damar Hamlin stats

• Born: March 24, 1998

• Age: 26

• College: Pittsburgh

• Drafted: 6th round (212nd overall) in 2021

• Seasons: 4

• Games: 35

• Starts: 14

• Tackles: 99

• Tackles for loss: 6

• Sacks: 1½

• Interceptions: 0

• Pass deflections: 4

• Forced fumbles: 1

• Fumble recoveries: 0

Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills game tonight: Time, TV channel, streaming info

• When: 8:15 p.m. Thursday, September 12

• Where: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)

• TV: WFOR (CBS Channel 4) in Miami

• Streaming: Amazon Prime

The game is streaming exclusively on Prime Video, which offers a 30-day free trial to new subscribers.

Contributing: Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY; Sal Maiorana, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Damar Hamlin injury timeline from cardiac arrest to Bills starter