Damar Hamlin out of hospital, Nyheim Hines wins AFC honors: Bills news and notes

ORCHARD PARK - Nine days ago, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s heart stopped on the turf at Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium and the 24-year-old’s life was in grave danger.

Wednesday morning, Hamlin was back in his Buffalo-area home with his parents and younger brother after being discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute.

Hamlin’s journey from his on-field emergency against the Bengals, to his two days of being sedated and intubated while listed in critical condition, to his rapid improvement late last week, to being discharged from University of Cincinnati Medical Center and flown back to Buffalo, to being sent home Wednesday, has captivated the nation, and even the world.

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“Obviously grateful first and foremost that he’s home and with his parents and his brother, which is great,” coach Sean McDermott said. “I’m sure it has felt like a long time since he’s been able to be home. I’m sure it’s a great feeling.”

When asked whether it might be possible that Hamlin would make an appearance at the team facility this week as the Bills prepare to face the Miami Dolphins in an AFC wild-card game Sunday, McDermott wasn’t sure.

“We’ll leave it up to him,” he said. “His health is first and foremost on our mind as far as his situation goes, and then when he feels ready, we’ll welcome him back as he feels ready.”

Upon his release, the team put out a statement that read as follows:

“Hamlin was admitted on Monday and went through a comprehensive medical evaluation as well as a series of cardiac, neurological and vascular testing on Tuesday. Jamie Nadler, MD, critical care physician and Chief Quality Officer at Kaleida Health, and the care team lead for Hamlin said, “We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills.

“Hamlin’s care team was led Dr. Nadler with assistance from Ken Snyder, MD, PhD, FACS, FAANS, Chief Physician Quality Officer at Kaleida Health and Unaffiliated Neurotrauma consultant for the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and the National Football League (NFL), Chee Kim MD, FACC, director, electrophysiology innovation and clinical integration at Gates Vascular Institute and Elad Levy, MD, medical director, neuroendovascular services, Gates Vascular Institute.”

Buffalo Bill injuries: Micah Hyde, Jamison Crowder back practicing

Mike McDaniel made the biggest announcement of the day down in Miami when he ruled out quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but McDermott dropped quite a nugget when he said that both Hyde and Crowder were back on the field and their three-week practice window is now open, with the caveat that, “Neither of those two will play this week so I’m gonna set expectations properly there.”

Still, the possibility that one, or both, could be ready to play in the Bills’ divisional round playoff game should they advance by defeating Miami, came as surprising news.

Hyde suffered a neck injury in Week 2 against Tennessee, underwent surgery, and was thought to be lost for the season. Same for Crowder who suffered a broken ankle in Week 4 against Baltimore and underwent what was believed to be season-ending surgery.

“You never count Micah Hyde out, and I would say the same with JC,” McDermott said. “Those two have just been so positive since they’ve been back in our building and around and the way that they’ve worked to get themselves to have a chance at this point. My hat goes off to those guys, I commend them for their work and their mental toughness.”

If Hyde can return in time for the divisional round, that would be a big boost for a defense that is down to its third-string free safety, Dean Marlowe, now that Hamlin is out for the year.

“I gotta be honest, it’s still not on me,” Hyde said, deferring to the doctors on his case. “I felt good today but it's not my decision, it's my doctors so I'm gonna continue to do what I can do each and every day to put myself in a position to help this team and when the day comes that I get the OK, I'm gonna give it a go.”

Hyde reflected on the the road to recovery that he has traveled.

“Waking up from surgery, like I told you before, I was in a dark place; I've never experienced anything like that,” he said. “And then when I got back to moving around a little bit, the doctor said I’d start feeling really good after a couple of weeks and feeling a lot better after a couple months. And by 3-4 months out, I'm gonna feel amazing.

“Ever since he said that, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I figured give it a shot. I'm gonna work every day to try to get back because I want to be a part of what this team has and what we're about to do.”

Nyheim Hines wins AFC award

The committee that votes on offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week honors in each conference probably spent a millisecond deciding who to give the Week 18 AFC special teams nod to. Hines became the first player since Seattle’s Leon Washington (Week 3, 2010) to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the game game.

It was just the 11th time in NFL history that that has happened, the first in Bills history, and Hines became just the second Bills player to return an opening kickoff the distance, joining Terrence McGee in 2004.

Hines also became the first NFL player to have two kickoff return TDs in one game, and two punt return TDs in another. Prior to this 96- and 101-yard kickoff returns last week against the Patriots, back in 2019 playing for Indianapolis, he had 84- and 71-yard punt return TDs against the Panthers.

For the season, the Bills totaled seven player of the week honors, the most of any team in the AFC. Josh Allen had three on offense, and Jordan Poyer, Matt Milano and Ed Oliver had one each on defense.

Price tag for Tremaine Edmunds went up

On Tuesday, the Ravens signed linebacker Roquan Smith to a five-year contract worth potentially $100 million with $45 million guaranteed. That makes him the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league (linebackers who are primarily edge rushers, such as Buffalo’s Von Miller, usually get paid more).

That has significant impact on the Bills’ roster construction plan in 2023 because Edmunds will be going into unrestricted free agency, perhaps as the best player at his position now that Smith is off the board.

The Bills have upcoming salary cap issues because Allen’s massive contract extension kicks into gear in 2023 and he will count $39.7 million. Stefon Diggs is next at $20.2 million, Miller is $18.7 million, and six other players will cost between $10-16 million. Finding the money to pay Edmunds and Poyer, who can also be an unrestricted free agent, will be difficult.

The Bills have the option of placing the franchise tag on Edmunds for one year, but that will cost around $20 million which would move him into Diggs territory.

The sports contract website Spotrac.com, using projections on what the 2023 cap will be, shows the Bills to be nearly $7 million over that figure factoring in the top 51 returning contracts plus dead cap money already on the books.

Sal Maiorana can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana.To subscribe to Sal's new twice-a-week newsletter, Bills Blast, please follow this link: https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills give Damar Hamlin update after his release from hospital