Buffalo Bills players shout “we've got your back” at coach Sean McDermott as he delivers a locker room speech after the Chiefs win… the week it emerged he used the September 11 attacks as an example of teamwork in 2019 motivational speech
The Buffalo Bills locker room rallied behind their head coach Sean McDermott on Sunday night, the week he made headlines for a 2019 speech in which he used the September 11 terror attacks as an example of teamwork.
McDermott has had a tough few days after shocking comments from four years ago made headlines around the world, but following the Bills' big win over Kansas City, it appears he has the full support of his team despite the furor. players and staff.
In a clip posted by the team's official account on
As he takes a break, two players can be heard shouting “we've got your back” – presumably in reference to this week's events – to which the rest of the locker shouts and cheers.
Following the end of McDermott's comments, the team's general manager, Brandon Beane, steps into the shot and doubles down on the players' sentiments, insisting, “Hey, we got this guy back, tough damn week,” before he was entranced. applause.
Sean McDermott spoke to his players in the dressing room at the end of a difficult week
The Bills sealed a huge – and crucial – victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead on Sunday night
McDermott, who has been Bills coach since 2017, was in the news for the wrong reasons when it emerged Thursday that he used the 2001 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers to demonstrate “the importance of communication and being on the same page.” with the team.'
The details were recorded Tyler Dunne's 'Go Long' websiteand in the aftermath McDermott described the report as “disappointing” and “hurtful” and made no apology for the comments.
“To me it was clearly an attack on my character, and that to me is just as important – if not more so – than wins and losses,” he said of the report. 'Winning and losing are important.
'What is important to me from day one is how you treat yourself. It doesn't mean I've been perfect. That doesn't mean I haven't been without flaws. But what is most important for me, my family and my children is that I approach this work in the right way.'
McDermott was then the subject of a skit on Saturday Night Live this week, with Colin Jost joking, “Bills coach Sean McDermott apologized after giving a speech to his players in which he used 9/1 terrorists as a good example of teamwork… which comes full circle… because when Osama Bin Laden gave the terrorists a pep talk, he told them not to be like the Bills.”
The head coach said he used the attacks on the Twin Towers to show the importance of communication and being on the same page with the team'
McDermott discussed the issue at a press conference, but was then mocked on SNL this week
According to the Go Long report, when McDermott realized how his message was being interpreted, he called a second team meeting an hour later that day to apologize to his players.
On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. It was the deadliest terrorist attack on US soil.
Safety Micah Hyde said McDermott's comments to the team on Thursday were sincere and well received.
“We're all sitting there supporting Sean and I don't think anyone felt any different about it,” Hyde said.
Hyde said he and other Bills players accepted McDermott's apology in 2019 and that the resurfaced comments would not be a distraction to the team.
“We all understood where he was coming from and afterwards what he meant,” Hyde said. “He explained that to us, so I didn't even think about that whole situation until I was asked about it yesterday.”
The Bills moved to 7-6 on the year with the win over KC, boosting their playoff hopes
McDermott was also hugged by general manager Brandon Beane during his post-game speech
General manager Brandon Beane said McDermott's team speech Thursday “was very authentic.”
“He was very vulnerable,” Beane said. “And I know the guys, I think it resonated, without talking to every player. And like this team always does, the guys will rally around him.”
Beane supported McDermott's leadership style, saying, “I will support his character any day of the week.”
The Bills players certainly seemed to be on the right page Sunday night as they defeated the Chiefs to push their record for the season to 7-6 and strengthen their playoff chances in the AFC.