Sean McDermott’s wrestling background helped shape his life

This weekend’s clash between the Chiefs of Kansas City and the Buffalo Bills it presents itself as one of the most electrifying fights of the postseason. It promises to be a slugfest, a struggle for supremacy, a fork in the road for an evolving rivalry, a battle of wills very evenly matched with perhaps both in common with a wrestling match and a football game.

In that sense, Bills head coach Sean McDermott should feel right at home.

McDermott, for all his efforts to push Buffalo to the long-awaited prominence over the past five seasons, is still a bit under the radar as a National Football League coaching personality. As a result, one of his most impressive non-football successes has largely escaped widespread attention. Bye now.

During his stay at La Salle College High School on the outskirts of Philadelphia, McDermott was a wrestling superstar, racking up consecutive national preparation titles with a 61-0 record while delivering just one loss.

He loves sports so much that he still has a 10 “x 10” mat at home and the lessons offered in grappling have been moved to his life on the sidelines. This week, McDermott used part of his press conference before the divisional round clash with the Chiefs to talk about wrestling.

Just over two years ago, McDermott spent time with wrestling icon Cael Sanderson and his Penn State dynastic program, his visit coinciding with the day before the Nittany Lions won their eighth NCAA title in 10 years. It’s a memory McDermott loves.

“It was fascinating to see the best of the best and how they do it, with the habits they have, the environment around the practice, the environment around the program,” said McDermott, who was amazed at how relaxed the environment was ahead of these. a serious competition, with the wrestlers taking part in a dodgeball competition in their final practice.

“I think that’s really how an elite coach prepares his team to get his players, his fighters in this case, to have the best mental, body and spirit performance, right? Not only the body, but also the physiological one. part of the approach and what it includes “.

The advantages of wrestling for a football player are significant and yet still underestimated. The obvious facets of physicality and body control come into play, but there is also strong evidence that the discipline, teamwork, and adaptability needed in wrestling translate into the grid.

The recently fired Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has admitted to looking for wrestlers in the draft, while former Pitt coach and current FOX Sports football analyst Dave Wannstedt, who recruited the Los Angeles Rams defensive superstar , Aaron Donald, has long believed that the fight offers players a positive. edge.

“Fighters understand and learn leverage and balance, it’s a real benefit,” Wannstedt said. “But mentally, to be a fighter, there are a lot of restrictions on the weight and conditioning and the kind of way you need to be, so all these guys are incredibly tough.

“When I was recruiting, if they said the boy was a fighter, he knew he had a tough mental focus and he knew how to take care of himself.”

Wannstedt believes McDermott’s baggage has an impact on the fire he has instilled in his team.

“I’ve been a fan of these Bills all year,” Wannstedt added. “This win they had last week, it’s not very often that you have Bill Belichick on your heels. They physically went out there. They overcame them.”

McDermott says his training in wrestling has shaped him tremendously, highlighting factors such as the ability to overcome adversity, develop determination, and turn work ethic into recognizable performance.

Surely these lessons will put him in a good position this weekend, in what can be considered just as the most important game of his term in the Bills so far. With Josh Allen’s attack making seven touchdowns on the New England Patriots in a landslide defeat, optimism has never been greater among the Bills loyalists who have suffered for so long.

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Buffalo beat the Chiefs 38-20 in Week 5, but that was before Patrick Mahomes and company tore apart. The Chiefs are currently at +400 to win the Super Bowl, just behind the Green Bay Packers, with the score at +475.

It is very possible that the winner of Sunday’s game will rise to the top of the list. The accounts will go to Arrowhead as a 1.5-point disadvantage, by FOX Bet.

McDermott knows that facing Muhammad and his crew is a different proposition at this time of year compared to the first few weeks of the regular season.

But here’s a chance for the Bills to make great strides, with a talented team eager to prove why he’s one of the best in the entire league. It will be a struggle, for sure, but McDermott’s life experiences, including those on the mat, will have him ready and prepared.

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