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NFLPA medical director guarantees Damar Hamlin will play professional football again

The question of Damar Hamlin's future in the NFL has loomed since he went into life-threatening cardiac arrest on the field last month, but one notable person is optimistic about the Buffalo Bills safety's chances.

NFL Players Association medical director Dr. Thom Mayer guaranteed Hamlin will see an NFL field again when asked by a caller during an appearance on SiriusXM's Doctor Radio on Wednesday:

"I don't want to get into HIPAA issues, but I guarantee you, I guarantee you Veronica, that Damar Hamlin will play professional football again."

The exact cause of Hamlin's cardiac arrest remains unknown publicly, but the basic facts are Hamlin collapsed on the field on Jan. 2 after tackling Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. During the tackle, Higgins' shoulder made hard contact against Hamlin's chest.

Hamlin stood up after the tackle, then fell to the ground and remained motionless. He received immediate CPR and defibrillation from on-site medical personnel and eventually had his heartbeat restored. He was then rushed to the nearby University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he remained unconscious and on a ventilator for two days.

Hamlin has steadily recovered since that terrifying night. He left Cincinnati on Jan. 9 and was back greeting his teammates within two weeks of his collapse. He has recovered enough that he was able to fly to Phoenix to take part in Super Bowl LVII activities, where he received the NFLPA's Alan Page Community Award.

It has been stressed throughout this process that Hamlin still has a long road to recovery ahead of him, but Mayer's comment may be the first time a person with medical knowledge and a direct connection Hamlin has suggested that road will lead to playing in the NFL games again. It's hard to see Hamlin playing again without significant risks, but that decision would ultimately be up to Hamlin if he is deemed healthy.

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