Head coach Sean McDermott seemingly doesn’t want to hear any talk about the Buffalo Bills becoming the new “America’s Team” amid the recovery of safety Damar Hamlin.
“This is not a soap opera,” McDermott said of the Bills’ playoff journey that begins with this Sunday’s home wild-card game against the Miami Dolphins, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “We’ve got one game to get ready for and that’s really what we’re focused on.”
Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during Buffalo’s “Monday Night Football” matchup at the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2. He was released from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Monday and discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute on Wednesday.
The Bills did well to keep their emotions in check for this past Sunday’s home clash with the New England Patriots, although Nyheim Hines returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown certainly helped matters. Buffalo won that contest 35-23 to enter the playoffs at 13-3 and as the AFC’s No. 2 seed.
“This is a good football team that we split with this year and we have a lot of respect for them,” McDermott said about the Dolphins. “We’ve got to get ourselves ready to go.”
Buffalo lost 21-19 at Miami in Week 3 but earned a 32-29 victory over the Dolphins at Highmark Stadium on Dec. 17.
Earlier on Wednesday, Miami head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion protocol) has been ruled out of this coming Sunday’s encounter. Rookie Skylar Thompson is on track to start in Tagovailoa’s place.
According to the NFL’s website, McDermott added he’s “grateful” for Hamlin’s continued progress. However, the coach wasn’t ready to say if Hamlin could make an appearance at the Bills’ facility this week or at Sunday’s game.
“His health is first and foremost on our mind as far as his situation goes, and then when he feels ready, we’ll welcome him back,” McDermott explained.
