Josh Allen and Sean McDermott talked about the recent news about the Bills. There is a time and a place for it.
The past three days have been the worst of Jackson's life.
During the first quarter of the Bills-Bengals game, Hamlin collapsed on the field and was in critical care in the hospital. There was still uncertainty about what the future held for Hamlin, despite the Bills keeping players updated on all the latest.
Jackson wondered if his brother would be all right in the end. When we got feedback and updates, it made us feel better.
Jackson spoke during the team's first public comments since Hamlin was taken off the field. The team spoke to the media during news conferences filled with a variety of emotions and raw feelings about what this week has been like and how they are prepared to play the New England Pats on Sunday. The program is hosted by CBS.
The Bills got an update on Hamlin's condition from the general manager and head athletic trainer. According to doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the safety is showing a lot of improvement in his recovery. According to his doctors, Hamlin's neurological condition appears to be intact, even though he is still considered critically ill.
Allen said they will never forget the feelings of the moment when Hamlin collapsed on the field.
You don't get a good night's sleep. Allen said you're hurting for your brother. A lot of shared grief, but to the question before getting updates and positive updates, eases so much of that pain and that tension that you feel.
After the team left the field, Allen spoke to the locker room. At the time, the coach said it would be difficult to put them back out there, but he gave his players the option to decide. Allen and some of the other team captains didn't want to go back out on the field.
We were able to help each other out in the locker room. "Also had the whole team in a confined space, we could have discussions, conversations not only between ourselves but then coach putting us in a position to make a decision." There was no way we were going to play a game.
You know what I mean, even if there were just a few guys who weren't ready to play. To play this game, where you have to be mentally to be on the field not only for yourself and your well-being but for others around you, it just would've done a disservice for everyone.
The days since the team left Cincinnati on a plane have included members of the organization being together, as well as having the resources to do what is best for each individual and to allow them to handle the situation in their own way. A team meeting with additional counselors was held at noon Tuesday.
The team spoke with Hamlin's father, Mario, from Cincinnati, on Wednesday, and he told them to focus on the goals that they had set for themselves.
Mario was talking to us as a group. He didn't tell us the things that he told us, but he wanted us to. You have to honor his request to go out there and charge forward. We'll be playing with less heavy hearts now that we know the news was good.
The Bills started their week of practice on Wednesday with a walk-through and then held their first practice on Thursday. While practice was closed to the media, the team shared photos ofAllen and White giving thumbs up and various players forming hearts and Hamlin's No. 3 with their hands.
The news of Hamlin's improvement from Thursday was a big boost.
"Just hearing from the family and hearing how he's progressed has really put a smile on our faces, to say a smile on our faces would be an understatement," he said. As a team, we were ecstatic. It was a great moment. Being able to put the pads on was very therapeutic for a lot of men. It is one of those situations that will progress. The person is going to process this in a different way. There isn't anything wrong with that.
What it means for the Bills' playoff future is less important than what happened in the last three days.
The Bills will not be able to play the game again. The owners will meet Friday to discuss the seeding of the playoffs.
The Bills are focused on winning for Hamlin and trying to find a way to see him in the next couple of weeks with his full personality on show.
He always has a joke, no matter how bad the situation is. I know the first thing he will say to me when he gets back is crazy. I cannot wait for it. That's what I want. That's just the kind of person he is. He wants to win and is a true fighter.
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