Bills' Damar Hamlin Appreciates Homecoming in Preseason Contest Against Steelers

Damar Hamling grew up just a few blocks away from the Pittsburgh Steelers home stadium.

While the current Buffalo Bills' starting safety has always said he would love to end his career as a Steeler, he has a unique opportunity this year to play in his hometown city.

Joint practices between the Bills and Steelers took place in Pittsburgh and it allowed Hamlin to not only play in the stadium he grew up watching, but also playing in as a Pittsburgh University product and high school champion.

It's why Hamlin of all people was most excited for this week of work.

"Today I really cherished that practice," Hamlin said. "We are so in a rush to get off the field after getting through a practice, but today I really tried to slow myself down and enjoy the moment because this was something special to me."

"The locker room that we're in right now was the locker room that I had when we won championships with Central Catholic," Hamlin said thinking back to high school. "This place is truly a part of my life, a part of my history, a part of my story, and my upbringing. So, there are memories everywhere."

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Hamlin's NFL career has been marked by the scariest of situations and the joy of life after going into cardiac arrest in the middle of a game between the Bills and Bengals.

He was seen as a third safety then. Now, he's expected to start for Buffalo this season and has moved completely past his traumatic experience for good.