I do think there is something to the idea that Damar was actually a downer, not an upper for the team. Players have to be constantly optimistic, even when you're down by 40 in the fourth quarter you've got to believe you can come back - and most of these guys actually do feel this way. So with Damar, you're super optimistic - he's gonna be all right, he'll bounce right back and be the same guy he always was. Now, a few weeks after the injury, he's an old man on oxygen. Yes he's alive and thank the Lord for that. But while we didn't get a disastrous ending with Damar, we're not going to get a happy ending either. And when you also add in "that could of been me", it takes a mental toll.
A lot of people are expecting to see a few retirements this year, not necessarily all (or even any) from the Bills, due to what happened to Damar. It has to weigh on you.