With the NFL frozen in place as Damar Hamlin continues to fight for his life in the ICU at University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin appeared at his regular weekly press conference on Tuesday, like clockwork.

But Tomlin didn’t talk football initially. Rather, he began the session, unprompted by the assembled media, by speaking very personally – and emotionally -- about his personal connection to the Pittsburgh-born Hamlin. With that, Tomlin showed the rest of the NFL a way forward through the type of tragedy we never thought we would see on a football field. 

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