Hamlin has breathing tube removed, Facetimes with team

Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin continues to make remarkable progress in his recovery just four days after his heart stopped during Monday night’s game against the Bengals.

Hamlin, the secondyear safety, had his breathing tube removed overnight at the

University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the team announced Friday morning.

“He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery,” the Bills said in the statement.

“His neurologic function remains intact and he has been able to talk to his family and care team.”

The Bills also announced that Hamlin was able to Facetime with his teammates during Friday morning’s team meeting.

He told his team: “Love you boys.”

“I probably won’t be able to do it justice,” Bills coach Sean Mcdermott told reporters Friday, “but just to see Damar, No. 1, through my own eyes, it was something I was hoping to see and kind of something I needed to see ... and to see the players’ reaction, they stood up right away and started clapping for him and yelling some things.”

Friday’s positive update comes after doctors revealed Thursday that Hamlin woke up on Wednesday night and wrote out, “Did we win?”

“Yes, Damar, you won. You won the game of life,” the nurse responded, according to the UCMC doctors who spoke with the media on Thursday.

At that point the 24-yearold football star was still listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit with a breathing tube down his throat.

Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after making a firstquarter tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins during Monday Night Football at Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium.

Bills assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington administered CPR on the field and got Hamlin’s heart beating again after “prompt recognition of loss of pulse” before he was rushed to the hospital.