Speaking publicly for the first time on Saturday, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support and well wishes he has received since he suffered a cardiac arrest while playing against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2.

Hamlin said now was "the right time" to speak after the Bills' season ended and because he needed time to recover and gather his thoughts.

"It was just a lot to process within my own self – mentally, physically, even spiritually. It's just been a lot to process," he said. "But I can't tell you how appreciative I am of all the love, all the support and everything that's just been coming in my way."

Hamlin then said he has come to peace with what happened on the field when he collapsed after making what appeared to be a routine tackle of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who struck Hamlin squarely in the chest.

"What happened to me on Monday Night Football I feel is a direct example of God using me as a vessel to share my passion and my love directly from my heart with the entire world," he said in a five-and-a-half-minute video posted on his Instagram account.

Hamlin appeared in the video almost a week after he made his first public appearance during the Bills’ playoff loss to the Bengals last Sunday. He was shown on the video board holding up his hands in the shape of a heart, in what has become his signature gesture, while also pumping up the crowd.

Titled 'Thank You: A message from Damar Hamlin' the video opens with Hamlin walking into view, placing down a jacket and taking a seat in a dimly lit room with the word 'Bills' prominently displayed behind him. Hamlin shows no after-effects of the injury while wearing a white T-shirt with the name of his charitable foundation, Chasing Millions, printed on the front and with a gold chain with the initials ''DM'' hanging around his neck.

Hamlin thanked his teammates, training staff, and the medical staff at both the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Buffalo General Medical Center, where he split his recovery. He also thanked those who donated more than $9million to his charity over the past four weeks.

"While I'm so thankful to everybody, I know that it isn't enough just to be thankful. This is just the beginning of the impact that I wanted to have on the world," Hamlin said in closing the video by making a heart sign with his hands.