Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR 550) - It was a long and emotional Thursday at One Bills Drive in Orchard Park.
A day that started with positive updates and news about Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, and ended with an emotional head coach Sean McDermott and quarterback Josh Allen reflecting back upon the events of Monday night, while looking ahead to the next few days and beyond.
McDermott began their press conference by thanking a number of people for their work on Monday night in Cincinnati, as well as their support throughout the last several days.
A very emotional Allen told a packed media room at Highmark Stadium that McDermott was "the perfect man to handle that type of situation."
"I can't say enough about what he did, what he said to us in the locker room," Allen expounded. "Obviously, just a dire circumstance that nobody's expecting, nobody's ready for. You can never put yourself in that situation until it happens. ... Coach handled it as perfect as anybody could."
Hamlin collapsed on the field at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Monday night after suffering cardiac arrest during the first quarter. The game was ultimately suspended, and the NFL has no plans on making up the rest of the contest.
Allen also took the time on Thursday to praise the Bills' training staff for taking quick action to save Hamlin's life.
"Being on that field, you lose sleep, you hurt for your brother. A lot of shared grief, but getting updates, and positive updates eases so much of that pain and that tension that you feel," Allen said.
Center Mitch Morse and cornerback Dane Jackson followed McDermott and Allen at the podium in the media room.
Here are two separate Twitter threads summarizing much of what was said:
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