Safety Damar Hamlin returns to Buffalo for 6th season after signing a 1-year contract with the Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Safety Damar Hamlin is returning to Buffalo for a sixth season after signing a one-year contract with the team on Friday.

Hamlin was a free agent after his one-year contract expired. And he’s staying in Buffalo where the 28-year-old has served as an inspiration for perseverance following his remarkable comeback after a near-death experience three years ago.

Hamlin has shown no signs of a setback since he went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati in January 2023.

Though he was eased back into action in being limited to playing five games the following season, Hamlin had a career-high 14 starts in 2024. He was relegated to a backup role last season and limited to just five games after landing on injured reserve because of a pectoral injury sustained in practice.

Hamlin is expected to compete for a backup spot on a team and defense in transition. Jim Leonhard takes over as coordinator under new coach Joe Brady, who was promoted in January after Sean McDermott was fired.

The Bills have since signed free-agent safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone, who are anticipated to compete for the starting job opposite Cole Bishop.

Buffalo selected Hamlin in the sixth round of the 2021 draft out of Pittsburgh. He has two interceptions in 53 career games, including 27 starts.