NFL Coach Avoids Making Airplane Reference After 9/11 Controversy
Around a year ago Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott got into a little bit of controversy through his use of a reference to the September 11 terrorist attacks while trying to give a motivational speech to his players. In a recent interview, he almost made the same mistake.
In a recent media interview, McDermott was asked to talk about the Bills' first-half performance against the New England Patriots from this past Sunday. McDermott said that he thought about using an airplane analogy, but decided to "stay away from that."
"Um, let’s see, I was about to use an airplane flying analogy but I’ll stay away from that," he said.
Fans in the comments have been making jokes about McDermott once again making a plane reference:
"this man has been the head coach of my football team for 8 years and this is the first time he’s ever shown a sense of humor. i’m in awe of what i’m seeing," one user remarked.
"This made me legitimately laugh out loud in the car when I heard it," wrote another.
"Sean is objectively hilarious," a third wrote.
ORCHARD PARK, NY - NOVEMBER 13: Sean McDermott head coach of the Buffalo Bills looks on from the sideline prior to an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium on November 13, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
It was Tyler Dunne who brought the controversy to a head last December in his "Go Long" Substack, revealing what McDermott said all of those months ago:
"He told the entire team they needed to come together," Dunne wrote. "But then, sources on-hand say, he used a strange model: the terrorists on September 11, 2001. He cited the hijackers as a group of people who were all able to get on the same page to orchestrate attacks to perfection.
"One by one, McDermott started asking specific players in the room questions. ‘What tactics do you think they used to come together?’ A young player tried to methodically answer. ‘What do you think their biggest obstacle was?’ A veteran answered, ‘TSA,’ which mercifully lightened the mood."
The 2023 season didn't end so well for the Bills as they lost in the playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Once again, the Bills find themselves neck-and-neck with the Chiefs for the top record in the AFC, and there's every reason to believe that the two teams may square off in the playoffs.
