Damar Hamlin is back on the field Saturday for his first game since suffering cardiac arrest during a nationally-televised matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals late last season. Buffalo Bills star Stefon Diggs celebrated his teammate's appearance in the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts by giving Hamlin an extended, emotional embrace amid pre-game warmups.

The sports world was rocked when Hamlin underwent cardiac arrest following a hit to his chest early in the Bills' showdown with the Bengals on January 2nd. The 25-year-old's heart briefly stopped beating at Paycor Field, the quick, decisive actions of Bills medical personnel literally saving his life.

Hamlin was cleared to play football again in mid-April. His official diagnosis was commotio cordis, “an extremely rare consequence of blunt force trauma to the heart that happens at exactly the wrong time in the heart rhythm, causing the heart to stop beating effectively” and results no long-term risk factors, according to the American Heart Association.

Despite taking full-contact hits for two weeks at training camp leading up to Saturday's exhibition opener, it's safe to say Damar Hamlin is still getting used to the inevitable “fear” associated with playing football again after his terrifying on-field ordeal eight months ago.

“I made the choice to play. But I’m processing a thousand emotions. I’m not afraid to say that it crosses my mind of being a little scared here and there,” he said early in training camp, per the AP. “My faith is stronger than any fear. That’s what I want to preach up here. And that’s the message I want to spread on to the world that as long as your faith is stronger than your fear, you can get through anything.”