Damar Hamlin attends Bills-Bengals game, waves to fans

Damar Hamlin attends Bills-Bengals game, waves to fans

Damar Hamlin made his first public appearance since going into cardiac arrest after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals three weeks ago, waving to fans from a stadium suite on Sunday as the two teams met again for an AFC divisional playoff game.

The crowd at Highmark Stadium reacted when an image of the recovering Buffalo Bills safety filled the screens at the end zones near the end of the game’s first half.

Fans turned toward the glass-enclosed suite and cheered.

Hamlin, wearing a hooded jacket, stood in front of the windows and raised his arms. He ended by forming a heart sign with his hands, his signature gesture.

Earlier Sunday, the Bills posted a video to social media showing Hamlin arriving at the team’s locker room and the message “Welcome home, Damar.” The video showed Hamlin arriving in a golf cart about an hour before kickoff, wearing sunglasses and a face covering, the hood of his jacket pulled up. He was accompanied by his 7-year-old brother, Damir, and mother, Nina.

He was not seen on the field before the game got underway in snowy conditions.

Hamlin, 24, had not been seen in public since the Bills and Bengals last met on Jan. 2 in a game that came to an abrupt halt and was eventually canceled after Hamlin’s collapse on the field in the first quarter.

A family spokesman for Hamlin said this week that he still faces a lengthy rehabilitation.

“Damar still requires oxygen and is having his heart monitored regularly to ensure there are no setbacks or aftereffects,” Jordon Rooney told The Associated Press.

The Bills have not disclosed the results of tests Hamlin has undergone to determine why his heart stopped after he was struck in the chest while making what appeared to be a routine tackle.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.