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“A lot of times we miss that football is entertainment. In short, we are entertainers.”
— Patriots Special Teams Matthew Slater
Slater, who said those words Thursday afternoon during a media address at Gillette Stadium, isn’t the first professional athlete to equate sports with entertainment. Unsurprisingly, he was referring to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who is in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after suffering cardiac arrest against the Bengals on Monday.
But Slater’s point was that athletes are human, and Hamlin’s fight for his life was a reminder that “football is secondary,” but this is a reminder that professional athletes are what we are. Another example of a deft hand in taking the . problem.
To be clear, I’m talking about the people on the field, not the NFL boardroom movers and shakers. No offense in the suit, but his participation in the story wasn’t broadcast on national television. I made it
What we saw was the game-day façade peeling away from these big, tough footballers, revealing faces full of anxiety and worry. of people participated in the game? Once tuned, it could not be tuned. To me, it’s the stunned look of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bills quarterback Josh Allen with his hands in his face, and the two coaches, Bills’ Sean It was McDermott and Zach’s meeting on the field. Bengali Taylor, two men speaking in whispers.
Hamlin’s predicament became a national topic as the match was shown on national television. Thanks to social media, soccer players shared their emotions. With the Patriots scheduled to wrap up his season regular with the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday afternoon, the decision to delay the team’s media availability by a day so everyone can gather themselves. was dropped.
Gillette Stadium reopened on Thursday, linebacker Matt Judon said. Everyone felt the impact, whether in real time or on social media. Your heart just goes to the man.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick put it perfectly: “Everyone is doing the best they can.”
Their vests are phenomenal, so football fans aren’t the only ones flocking around the young man in the intensive care unit…the whole country. That’s a lot of the world. And this is another example of how the modern athlete is much more than an entertainer.
That it was a “Monday Night Football” game had a lot to do with the millions of people who gathered around Damar Hamlin. Of course, social media has played its part. But it all started with the Bills and Bengals players, all playing the role of Damar’s older brother.
Those who watch the game will never forget what they saw.
For some historical background, I reached out to Steve Deocy, 60. He spent his 12 seasons in the NFL from his 1984 to his 1995. He was primarily a long snapper for the Cowboys, Giants, Jets, and Patriots. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Cowboys. His son, Zach, played for the Giants for 13 seasons and won two Super Bowls in his ring. From the days of following Pat as a kid growing up in Boston to following his own child’s achievements, Steve Deocy has a football life.
“What we saw Monday night was a combination of many things,” he said. Players change teams because they have agents and more free agency.
“This is a classic study of how players interact compared to 30 years ago,” he said. “And they know a lot more about what’s going on in the NFL these days. I have.
“That’s what we saw Monday night,” says DeOssie. “And that’s what we’ve seen all over the league this past week. It’s a different NFL, which is good. These guys care about each other.”
See, we all know how to handle football. It’s brutal and barbaric. Players generally agree with this and will say yes. I didn’t have to say anything this time. I could see it with their own eyes. Therefore, everyone, everywhere has this child’s back.
(Photos of AJ Epenesa (57), Boogie Basham (55), Josh Allen (17) and Spencer Brown (79) correspond to Dummer Hamlin on the field: Ian Johnson / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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