Damar Hamlin, after being discharged from a Cincinnati hospital, has been cleared to return to Buffalo to continue his recovery, according to a statement from his doctors.

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during the Buffalo Bills' game against the Cincinnati Bengals last Monday and has been in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

In an update provided by Dr. William Knight IV and Dr. Timothy Pritts on Monday, it was confirmed Hamlin had not only been discharged from the hospital after showing sufficient recovery but was also doing physical therapy, walking, and tolerating a regular diet.

The 24-year-old has been moved to a hospital in Buffalo for further steps and tests as part of his recovery.

Knight and Pritts addressed the media from the UC Medical Center, saying: "We are thrilled to share that Damar Hamlin has been released from the hospital and returned to Buffalo.

"He is doing well, and this is the next stage of his recovery.

"Since our last update to you, Damar has met several key milestones – he has been excavated, gone through a weaning of his oxygen, has been up with physical therapy and occupational therapy, walking the unit, tolerating a regular diet, meeting with his family and many members of the care team who wanted to see how he was doing, all so he could return to Buffalo."

Hamlin took to Twitter on Monday to confirm the news, writing: "Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart.

"Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling. The same love you all have shown me is the same one I plan to put back into the world [and] more. Bigger than football!"

It was confirmed by the doctors that Hamlin's next steps would include "an ongoing series of tests and evaluations" to determine the cause of the incident.

The doctors also stated it was too early to determine any conclusions about Hamlin's football career, saying: "It is entirely too premature to discuss his career and his day-to-day recovery. He still has a little way to go regarding his ongoing recovery. We're thrilled with where he is today; he's up, walking around, and has an amazing sense of humor."

Knight and Pritts commented on Hamlin watching the Bills' win against the New England Patriots on Sunday, joking that after a fascinating play, he had "set off all the alarms in the ICU."