Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott apologizes after praising 9/11 hijackers’ teamwork

The head coach of the American football team Buffalo Bills used the 9/11 hijackers as an example of teamwork during an interview with his players.

Sean McDermott publicly apologized for making the reference during training camp four years ago and insisted he “immediately” apologized to his team after making it .

McDermott’s admission followed a report accusing him of “citing the hijackers as a group of people who could all be on the same page to orchestrate attacks to perfection.”

He also reportedly asked his players about the obstacles faced by the attackers during what was the worst terrorist atrocity in the United States, in which 3,000 people were killed when several airliners were hijacked and crashed. on the World Trade Center in New York.

“What tactics do you think they used to set themselves up?” McDermott asked his players, according to American journalist and blogger Tyler Dunne, who said he was stunned by the “strange” comments. one of them being “horrified”.

After being confronted with the allegations, McDermott admitted that he “did not do a good enough job of clearly communicating the intent of my message.”

He said: “My intention in the meeting that day was to discuss the importance of communication and being on the same page with the team.

“I regretted mentioning 9/11 in my message that day and immediately apologized to the team.

“September 11 was not only a horrific event in our country’s history, but also the day I lost a good family friend.”

He added: “If anyone has misinterpreted or misunderstood my message, I apologize.

“It was about the importance of communication and how everyone needs to be on the same page, ironically enough. So it was important to me then and it still is today.

McDermott also reportedly perplexed players during a team chat when he discussed the attempted rescue of a woman who died after driving into the river near Niagara Falls in December 2021.

Dunne wrote: “The coach explained how members of the Coast Guard did everything they could to save the woman. He built the drama. The players held on for an inspiring summit, and… nothing. He said the woman was dead. End of the story.”

The accusations against McDermott were made by Dunne in a long series of blog posts about the Buffalo Bills and their alleged McDermott “problem.”

Dunne said he spoke to several players and anonymous sources, with one saying the coach was “clumsy” and lacked social skills.

McDermott said at a news conference that he did not want to comment on other alleged issues raised in Dunne’s article.

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