Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Taylor spoke about the Hamlin medical emergency in his press conference today
The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals spoke to media for the first time since Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed in a medical emergency that has left him in critical condition. Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor spoke to media today, and revealed a lot of the thought process in postponing the game.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Taylor saw how concerned Bills players were in the wake of Hamlin’s medical emergency, and a conversation between he and Bills head coach Sean McDermott provided all the evidence he needed to make sure this game didn’t continue.
Zac Taylor said he could see how concerned the #Bills players were in the moment after Damar Hamlin went down. Says Sean McDermott told him shortly thereafter, “I need to be at the hospital for Damar. I shouldn’t be coaching this game. That, to me, provided all the clarity.”
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 4, 2023
Taylor himself said that he’s never seen anything like what happened on Monday. “It’s different when you’re on the field,” Taylor said (via Buffalo News’ Katherine Fitzgerald). “And you can see the expressions and feel the moment. … That part was hard to process in real time.”
Taylor said continuing the game after Hamlin was taken off the field never crossed the mind of the coaches or players, and that McDermott was the one leading the group to get the game postponed.
More Zac Taylor: “I really felt Sean McDermott led in that moment. He was there for his players. He processed it the right way, which was incredibly difficult, and really helped us get to the solution we needed to get to.”
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 4, 2023
Taylor also went on to praise the medical and training staffs for their response on Monday night.
#Bengals coach Zac Taylor lauds the medical and athletic training staffs for their quick, efficient work Monday night: “They were prepared. They gave Damar the best chance. I was really impressed and thankful for the work they put in to be ready for moments like that.”
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 4, 2023
The coaches being able to move and mobilize so quickly in the face of extreme adversity is so impressive. McDermott and Taylor deserve all the credit that they’re being given, especially when there were reports both broadcasted by Joe Buck during the telecast and reported after the game that officials and the NFL wanted the game to continue after a five minute warmup period.
Per Joe Buck, once officials gave each team 5 minutes to warm up before resuming play, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor walked across the field and consulted Bills HC Sean McDermott. Both coaches then sent their teams to their respective locker rooms. Such a classy move by Taylor.
— Paxton Boyd (@paxton) January 3, 2023
Both coaches were able to read the emotions on their players’ faces and make the correct decision to not continue in this game. Much respect to Taylor, McDermott and both Bills and Bengals players during what had to have been the roughest moments of their entire careers.
