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ORCHARD PARK, NY – Buffalo Bills players and general manager Brandon Beane offered their support for coach Sean McDermott on Friday, one day after the coach held a conference call. the team to speak on 9/11 that he did in training in 2019 and became public this week.
“Obviously when you’re in leadership positions, a lot of people look up to you, and none of us are perfect, okay,” said Beane, who is in his seventh season in Buffalo and McDermott after working together. for the Carolina Panthers.
“I think Sean acknowledged that. I went to the team meeting yesterday, I think he talked to (the media) before, went to the team meeting and I thought it was very true. and know Sean for who he is. I think those of you who have been here a few years know who Sean is. I’ll stand by him any day of the week.”
McDermott, who held a meeting with the team late Thursday, described the past day by saying, “It definitely blows your mind, right. It’s just the truth. And he’s upset. he’s hurt.”
“At the end of the day, I know who I am, at the end of the day, I know how I handle myself. Like I said, humbly, I’m not without with a handicap, I wake up every morning and try. and do the best job I can to win games for Buffalo Bills fans and do it the right way. And that’s my main goal every day. “
As previously reported by Go Long, McDermott told the players in a 2019 speech to come together and used the 9/11 terrorists as an example, asking the players in the room questions about how it made the attacks and pointed the pirates on the same page. Several players who were with the team at the time confirmed the story to ESPN, but others who were there told ESPN they don’t remember.
McDermott said he’s heard from people in the building, in addition to players on the team and others with different teams offering support.
“It was clear to me that it was an attack on my personality, and it was important to me, it was as important, as or more, very clear than wins and losses,” McDermott said. “Winning and losing are important, but what’s more important to me from Day 1 is how you handle yourself. It doesn’t mean I’m perfect, no one is perfect, it does not mean that I am not perfect. But for me, it is most important for me and my family, my children, that I handle this job correctly.”
McDermott said Thursday’s team meeting went as well as he hoped and it was important to him to talk to the players who will not be on the team in 2019, to make sure they understand the situation.
“Honestly, I don’t really know what happened,” said wide receiver Trent Sherfield, who signed with the team in free agency this year. “I only know that we had a team meeting and had a discussion. He did not elaborate on what he said, but at the end of the day, what Personally, I know who Sean is. It was said that no matter what he was told in detail, I don’t believe one ounce that he supported what happened on 9/11.”
Safety and captain Mike Hyde first spoke in support of McDermott during a team meeting when the coach asked if there were any questions.
“Mike broke the silence,” Sherfield said. “He was just like, ‘Sean, like, we know who you are,’ and everybody agreed, and that was that.”
The safety is in his seventh season in Buffalo and said he didn’t think about the statement between when it happened and when he was asked Thursday. He said, no one has lost sleep over it until it comes up again.
“But to me, I think it’s a low bar to question Sean’s character. And I don’t think anything good comes from that,” Hyde said. “I think a lot of us, not to knock you, but the media is reporting the story, but I think in the locker room and stuff, we’re all here to lift each other up. to do that, it’s like a bad thing in my eyes. You know me, I’m Sean McDermott. I trust everything he’s done here, and things he will continue to do it, and I will. give it back to him any day of the week, twice on Sunday.”
The stress in the locker room on Friday wasn’t a distraction ahead of a big game for the Bills, as the team currently sits at 6-6 and 11 in the AFC has five games left, starting on Sunday against the Chiefs.
“Everyone is 100 percent behind Sean,” Beane said. “… Everyone is really focused; It’s been a good week of practice, I know there’s been a couple of setbacks here that we’ve had to deal with off the field, but off the field, you not knowing. I was out there for every part of that trial. And just watch that and see. The boys will be together. There are two things you can do. You can be divided, or you can be together. And I hope the team is together. .”
Beane spoke to reporters for the second time this week as the team responded to the fallout from pass-rusher Von Miller who turned himself in for a warrant on assault charges. to a pregnant woman. Miller is still with the team after being given the nod and is available for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs.