Damar Hamlin: Jaguars coach Doug Pederson reveals meeting with players after Bills star's collpase

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said 'coaching went away' for him following Damar Hamlin's collapse during the Buffalo Bills' game on Monday night.  

The Bills safety, 24, suffered a cardiac arrest on the field following a huge hit against the Cincinnati Bengals. He is said to be 'trending upwards', after having to be resuscitated twice but remains sedated in ICU around 36 hours after the incident. 

The NFL was left stunned by the incident with players and coaches offering their prayers and wishes for Hamlin. 

Pederson claimed that his focus switched from being a coach to Hamlin's recovery after witnessing Monday night's tragic events but admitted he had to quickly turn his attention to supporting his players best he could ahead of their AFC South showdown against the Tennessee Titans Saturday. 

'I've never seen a situation like this,' he said on Good Morning Football. 'You knew something more was going on. Everything kind of went away and life became the most important thing.

'Monday night, coaching went away. I was thinking about Damar. Our guys were coming in the next day. What was I going to say? We're playing for the AFC South. You have to be real. I want players to know we're here. I want my guys to speak; to be open.' 

The Jaguars were scheduled to practice the following day and Pederson has since opened up on the emotional meeting with his players. 

'I met with my players council and talked a bit about it first to see where they were and get a bit of a gauge of the headspace of the football team,' he added. 

'I was just honest with them. I shared from my heart. I went through a situation with my brother a year ago and even though it's different, just seeing the struggle and the mental anguish that the players go through, you saw it Monday night from both teams. 

'How can I support my football team? We provide those resources through psychologist, through ministers, through other people even outside of the organization to really help these players speak out. 

'I don't want our guys to harbor any kind of feeling. I want them to speak, I want them to be open because situations like this hit everybody a little bit differently.'

On Tuesday, during his media availability, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin also addressed Hamlin's condition. 

'It's a really personal thing for me, being a Pittsburgher,' he said. 'I've known that guy probably since he was about 12.'

'I just got a lot of love and respect for him as a human being, his commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what it is he's doing right now, which is playing in the NFL.

'We lift him and that organization up in prayer.'