Damar Hamlin was cleared to resume playing football after suffering cardiac arrest last season

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been medically cleared to play football again after suffering cardiac arrest during a game last season, the NFL announced.

Brandon Beane, team general manager, filed a report on Tuesday said the second-year player met with three specialists during the offseason and they agreed he would clear the necessary protocols.

“They’re all stuck on what this was and that he’s been able to get back on track, just like anybody else who was coming back from an injury or whatever,” Beane said at a news conference.

“So he’s…he’s totally made it. He’s here and he’s got the mindset, he’s got a great space to come back in and come back,” Beane added.

Hamlin also spoke on Tuesday and expressed his enthusiasm for the return.

“This event changed my life. But that’s not the end of my story,” he said. “So I’m here to announce that I’m going to make a return to the NFL.”

The news comes after the former University of Pittsburgh player had to be resuscitated by medical officials twice on the field and once in a medical facility last season after suffering cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. When he stood up after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, he collapsed soon after.

Hamlin, 25, was released from a Cincinnati medical facility a week after going into cardiac arrest.

The NFL was forced to cancel the Bills-Bengals Monday Night Football contest and change its playoff series because of the incident.

In responsefans have raised more than $9.1 million for Hamlin’s charity, the Chasing M’s Foundation Community Toy Drive, through the foundation’s GoFundMe page, far surpassing the original goal of $2,500.

He also visited Capitol Hill last month to push for the passage of the AED Access Act. It is a bipartisan bill that would provide grants to elementary and middle schools for the purchase of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training.

Hamlin also visited the White House with President Biden.

“Damar Hamlin’s courage, tenacity and spirit inspire Americans. And best of all: he turned recovery into action – and our country is better for it,” Biden said in a tweet at the moment. “It was an honor to have him and his family here today.”