NFL

Taylor praises Bills coach McDermott's leadership and 'clarity' after Hamlin incident

By Sports Desk January 04, 2023

Sean McDermott set the tone for the response to Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest, according to Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor.

Buffalo Bills safety Hamlin collapsed during the first quarter of Monday's game against the Bengals following a collision with wide receiver Tee Higgins.

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field, before being rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he has remained in critical condition.

An unprecedented incident saw the NFL community rally around Hamlin, although the procedure in the immediate aftermath was understandably unclear.

That was where Bills coach McDermott came in, Taylor has revealed, with his focus on supporting Hamlin as the game was suspended.

"I always knew Sean. We've never worked together, never had a meal together, but I had respect for him," Taylor said.

"Seeing the way he led his team deepened that respect for him and verified everything I thought he was about as a man."

He added: "I don't want to disclose any of the private conversations Sean and I had except this.

"When I got over there, the first thing he said was, 'I need to be at the hospital with Damar, I shouldn't be coaching this game'. That to me provides all the clarity.

"'Unprecedented' is the word that gets thrown around a lot in this situation, because that's what it is. In that moment, he really showed who he was.

"All his focus was just on Damar and being there for him, being there for his family, at the hospital.

"At that point, everything trended in the direction it needed to trend. The right decisions were made.

"I really felt Sean McDermott led in that moment. He was there for his players, he processed the right way, which was incredibly difficult, and really helped us get to the solution we needed to get to."

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