San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters for the first time since Monday night's tragedy at Paycor Stadium when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed to the ground after assisting on a tackle in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after CPR was administered to the defender. He remains in critical condition but has shown signs of improvement, per the Bills.
Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight.
He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 4, 2023
Shanahan didn't address his entire team regarding the situation. Instead, the matter was discussed at the position group meetings. However, the coach noted that he did speak to some players individually on Tuesday.
"We made our doctor, our clinician—he's usually here on Tuesdays for a little bit—we made him available all day," Shanahan told reporters. "Our players used it. I think we found out most of them used it for their wives and people like that. A lot of our players, they were doing all right. I think the wives used it the most."
💙❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/aB0QxN6ZfU
— Tracy Sandler (@49ersfangirl) January 4, 2023
Shanahan admits everyone was emotional about the situation but understood it was uncommon.
"None of the guys expressed any concerns to me about what they do," the coach noted.
When he first saw the injury, Shanahan couldn't help but think of Hamlin's parents.
"That's all I could think of," Shanahan said. "Like, 'Holy cow, I really hope his parents aren't watching this like I am. I hope they're there.' That was my biggest concern. I think I read that his mom was there, but you know somebody that is close to him wasn't, and that's the stuff I couldn't imagine. I could not imagine seeing someone I know, a friend, a kid, sitting there like that, and you not knowing what's going on, and I thought that was the most traumatizing thing, I think, from a [coach's perspective]."
On Tuesday afternoon, the 49ers announced this week's practice schedule. The team is preparing for its regular-season finale at Levi's Stadium against the Arizona Cardinals, a game the coach expects to take place.
"You've got to do your job," Shanahan said. "I think everyone does, whatever that is. That's real rough. That's real sad. But you've got to work too. That's what guys do, and you try to be there for each other, and I really hurt for that team, specifically because of knowing how many guys have such close relationships there. But you just try to be there for everyone."
Shanahan admits that he doesn't know the Bills coaches well, aside from seeing them at league meetings, but wishes he did.
"They did a hell of a job," he added.
