To get the most out of your team in motivating their full potential, coaches tend to use movie references, pop culture events, however it may be. The heated training camps NFL players endure with positional competition, coaches chirping with one another. All the testosterone moving through, and lack of focus can wear on players. Tense moments bring out the most in everyone; but for Buffalo Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott… This had to be the CLASSLESS AND DISTASTEFUL motivation to reference.
The question I have is: why are we hearing about this now four years later? For context, Coach McDermott in 2019 used the 9/11 attacks to motivate his players. How the hijackers were on the same page and accomplished their mission. Now…we all know this was the worst day in American history. Our lives were changed, families and loved ones lost their lives. For Coach McDermott to EVEN UTTER this gave me a sick feeling. How in the name of Jim Kelly wasn’t this reported soon as it happened? Where was the outrage from the media??
If I were a player in the locker room and heard this, the hair on my neck would’ve stood up. Anxiety through the roof trying to keep my composure; looking at my guys as to say: “Is he really using this as a motivational tactic?” How can those players at the time look at their head coach and have trust in him? For this to be used and it being in New York, a bad apple fell off the tree and more kept following.
Sean McDermott called the players and apologized for using this reference. To say it was sincere, I’ve yet to believe it was. Using 9/11 to motivate your team is the last thing you mention. This was egregious and disheartening to many families who lost their loved ones. How can the Buffalo Bills move forward with Sean McDermott? This has become a distraction as they head into a final push for the postseason. In hindsight, McDermott is out after 2023. There’s no way he’s coaching Buffalo in 2024.
We all have family and friends who served in the military. I could only imagine how they felt hearing this from a head coach who’s supposed to be a leader of men. This won’t go away and only grow louder as to how General Manager Brandon Beane will handle this matter. Players have shown support, but deep in their hearts there’s no way they can focus knowing Coach McDermott is under pressure. With a showdown with Kansas City in Arrowhead, Buffalo can’t afford a blunder.
With the playoffs lingering, Coach McDermott has doomed his team and nobody to blame but himself. Being sensitive and knowing what/how to say to get your team motivated. This was wrong and being tone deaf in the overall context. You knew better but refused to think before speaking. Apologizing doesn’t move the needle for America; let alone New Yorkers who still have nightmares about the whole day. There’s no room for insensitive comments and poor choice of motivational speeches.
Stai tuned…
