An article from Tyler Dunne that delves deeply into the periodic dysfunction of Sean McDermott’s tenure in Buffalo includes a jarring anecdote regarding McDermott’s use of the 9/11 attack as a lesson in teamwork.
Teamwork among those who committed the attack.
On Thursday, McDermott addressed the situation at the outset of a press conference.
“i want to reference the team meeting that has been brought up,” McDermott said regarding the incident from training camp in 2019. “My intent 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 I immediately apologized to the team. Not only was 9/11 a horrific event in our country’s history, but a day that I lost a good family friend.”
He then opened it up for questions. His first response underscored the connection between the reference to 9/11 and teamwork.
“It was mentioning 9/11 in the context of the team meetings,” McDermott said. “The goal of the team meeting was about communication and being on the same page as a team.”
So why did he use the 9/11 reference at all?
“Just awareness around a horrific event, more than anything,” McDermott said. “And I situation that I lost a family friend. Really, multiple family friends. And that was it.”
If so, why would he apologize for mentioning 9/11?
Obviously, the horrific nature of the attack makes it difficult, to say the least, to point to specific aspects of the attack as honorable or positive. There’s nothing about the attack that should be praised or championed or regarded in a positive light, in any way.
It’s amazing it stayed under wraps as long as it did. And it will be interesting to see whether it makes McDermott’s departure more likely when the 2023 season ends.