Damar Hamlin returns for the first time to the stadium where he went into cardiac arrest

Less than a year after the tackle that altered his life, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin returned on Sunday to the field where he went into cardiac arrest during a game.

The 25-year-old Hamlin had not returned to Cincinnati's Paycor Stadium since his near-fatal cardiac arrest in January during a midgame.

On January 2, while watching a game on "Monday Night Football," Hamlin tackled a Bengals receiver and went down on the field. He received CPR on the spot and was transported in critical condition to the hospital.

Even though Hamlin has only appeared in one game for the Bills this season and did not play on Sunday, he said that simply being back at the stadium brought him a sense of closure.

“I think it’s just a direct reflection of being able to get knocked down getting back up. I think that’s the story of life,” he said. “We all go through tough times. We all go through adversity.

“Being able to get knocked down ... in front of the entire world and then come into that same stadium and stand in whatever role that I have and support my team — I think that shows a lot of strength, a lot of courage, a lot of pride, a lot of confidence.”

Although the Bengals defeated the Bills 24–18, Hamlin had other reasons for visiting Ohio than just sports.