Bills head coach Sean McDermott spoke to the media for the first time since the suspension of Monday night’s game against the Bills and Bengals and he shared some details of what went on after Bills safety Damar Hamlin left the field in an ambulance.
McDermott said that teams are conditioned to switch back into game mode after injuries, but that he knew “we’re going to need some time” after Hamlin went into cardiac arrest at the end of a play. He said he then spoke to defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier before telling game officials that the team would need more time to collect themselves
McDermott said he then addressed the team in order to see how the players felt about resuming the game. “I knew it was going to be really hard to put them back out there, but I wanted to give them the option,” McDermott said.
McDermott said that the players’ decision was that they didn’t feel they could continue and he delivered that message to league officials. McDermott also credited Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and Bengals players for their reaction to the Bills’ needs. He called it “an amazing show of compassion, empathy, love” given how the two sides were competing earlier in the evening.
