Damar Hamlin ‘AWAKE and showing signs of improvement’ says Bills teammate Kaiir Elam

Damar Hamlin is awake and showing signs of improvement after suffering a cardiac arrest and being resuscitated during Monday’s Bills-Bengals game in Cincinnati.

Buffalo cornerback Kaiir Elam made the announcement Thursday on Twitter: ‘Our boy is doing better, awake and showing more signs of improvement. Thank you God. Keep the prayers coming please. All love 3!’

The Bills released their own encouraging statement as well, noting that Hamlin’s lungs are improving and he is neurologically intact as he continues receiving treatment at a Cincinnati hospital: ‘Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has show remarkable improvement over the last 24 hours. While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress.’

Hamlin had been under sedation, but according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, has recently begun gripping the hands of loved ones in the hospital. 

Damar Hamlin is awake and showing signs of improvement after suffering a cardiac arrest and being resuscitated during Monday’s Bills-Bengals game in Cincinnati

On Wednesday, the Bills players had an ’emotional’ phone call with Hamlin’s father, Mario, who had an encouraging update about his son.

‘The team needed it,’ one source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

NFL Network is reporting that the Bills plan to practice Thursday for the first time since Monday’s game was postponed indefinitely. The team did go through a walkthrough at the practice facility in Orchard Park on Wednesday.

Another source told NFL Network’s Mike Giardi that the call was ’emotional,’ but did provide some ‘calm’ for players amid a difficult week.

‘This isn’t easy,’ the source told Giardi, adding they are ‘doing this together.’

The Bills released their own statement on Thursday, saying Hamlin is neurologically intact

Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam updated fans about Hamlin’s improvements on Thursday

Hamlin had been under sedation, but according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, has recently begun gripping the hands of loved ones in the hospital

Bills spokespeople did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for further details about the call.

Hamlin was resuscitated by medics on the Paycor Stadium field, but updates have been positive in the days since, with his ventilator usage reduced from 100 percent to 50 percent late on Tuesday. 

ESPN spoke to Rooney outside the hospital in Cincinnati on Wednesday, and he revealed the positive news that doctors were happy with the progress he has made.

Rooney was also quick to correct ‘misinformation’ being spread about the amount of times Hamlin was resuscitated, in the wake of the player’s uncle telling reporters it had happened twice, once at the stadium and once at the hospital.

It has now been revealed that there was only one resuscitation, on the field at Paycor Stadium. 

The 12-3 Bills host the New England Patriots on Sunday, and conceivably still have a chance to wrestle the top seed in the AFC playoffs away from the 13-3 Kansas City Chiefs, depending on whether or not the NFL orders last week’s game against Cincinnati to be completed.

One option is to cancel the remainder of the Bills-Bengals game, and use winning percentage to determine playoff seeding in the AFC. Such a move would give the Chiefs the edge on securing the first-round bye and home-field advantage in the postseason.  

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott takes a knee is as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) is tended to on the field following a collision in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium