Football is a heavy team-oriented sport. Suppose one person in the eleven-man unit misses a block, blows his coverage assignment, or is too slow off the snap on offensive or defensive. In that case, the entire play implodes faster than the OceanGate submersible. Coaches use various methods to demonstrate the principle that teamwork is essential. When that is ingrained, the three phases of the game, offense, defense, and special teams, can at least have direction in playing complimentary football.
Citing the 9/11 terrorists as an example of outstanding teamwork and operational soundness shouldn’t be within 5,000 miles of anyone’s coaching philosophy. Still, the Buffalo Bills’ Sean McDermott decided to give a hat tip to al-Qaeda in a team meeting in 2019. What the #$%&, Sean (via The Athletic):
Here’s the instance that @TyDunne reported on that Bills’ HC Sean McDermott addressed this afternoon: pic.twitter.com/PeFDbPLRc7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 7, 2023
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said Thursday that he regretted comments about 9/11 that he made during a team meeting in 2019.
“I’m gonna reference a team meeting that has been brought up. My intent in the meeting that day was to discuss the importance of communication and being on the same page on the team,” McDermott said. “I regretted mentioning 9/11 in my message that day and I immediately apologized to the team that day.
“Not only was 9/11 a horrific event in our country’s history, but a day that I lost a good family friend.”
McDermott was responding to a story from Go Long that was published early Thursday that detailed the speech made by the coach during Buffalo’s training camp in 2019.
The report cited seven sources for that specific part of the story and was explicitly what McDermott addressed with reporters on Thursday. The article referenced the specifics of the event.
“He told the entire team they needed to come together. But then, sources on hand say, he used a strange model: the terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001. He cited the hijackers as a group of people who were all able to get on the same page to orchestrate attacks to perfection. One by one, McDermott started asking specific players in the room questions. ‘What tactics do you think they used to come together?’ A young player tried to methodically answer. ‘What do you think their biggest obstacle was?’ A veteran answered, ‘TSA,’ which mercifully lightened the mood.”
The report went on to mention that McDermott apologized to his team later that morning in 2019, to which the coach referenced on Thursday as well.
“One player didn’t seem – that I didn’t make my point clear enough. So right then and there I said we’re getting together as a team and I’m going to address this with everyone. That was before practice,” McDermott said Thursday. “I brought everybody together and said this was the goal, this was the intent, and I apologize if anyone whatsoever felt a certain type of way coming out of that meeting. If anyone misinterpreted or didn’t understand my message, I apologize.
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Sean McDermott’s season should end like his al Qaeda heroes. Huge loss at the hands of real Americans. #BillsMafia
— Robert J. O'Neill (@mchooyah) December 9, 2023
Wait a minute, a family friend was killed on that day, Sean? McDermott won't be fired, though he will be dragged over this incident. I’m sure AFC East rivals will incorporate this into their trash talk. Bills fans need to shut up about how their team is the ‘only one that plays in New York’ vis-à-vis the Jets and Giants. Your coach thought al-Qaeda executed plays well or something. Sit down.
Are we shocked? Probably not; nothing fazes anymore. Will I stop watching the NFL? No, but we have something else to make to mock Bills fans with; Orchard Park is the new training ground, it would seem.
For every 30 minutes that someone watches the Buffalo Bills play, they become 17% more antisemitic, more pro-Hamas.
— Jarvis (@jarvis_best) December 7, 2023
Sean McDermott's next film session - "So here's Bin Laden's Letter to America.." https://t.co/Gh97cSUw5k
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) December 8, 2023
BREAKING: Sean McDermott has ordered new training equipment to be constructed at the Bills practice facility pic.twitter.com/gSapQhAZXY
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 8, 2023
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