Monday night's marquee matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills was attractive for millions of football fans throughout the country. But for Terry Totten, it was simply another chance to watch one of his former players shine on the game's biggest stage.
The recently retired Pittsburgh Central Catholic head coach has seen a handful of his guys make it to the NFL, one of the most recent being Bills safety Damar Hamlin. After earning his spot on the roster in 2021, Hamlin continued to make the most of his opportunities and became a starter in the Buffalo secondary this season.
On Monday evening, the McKees Rocks native looked to lead his secondary in battle against Joe Burrow and Cincinnati's high-powered offense, with the top seed in the AFC on the line. Totten tuned in at the start of the contest to see what his former star could do. Early in the first quarter, the 65-year-old walked away from his television for a few minutes. Upon return, he noticed his phone was flooded with text messages and missed calls. That's when he had learned the tragic news.
