Buffalo Bills Coach Sean McDermott Says Damar Hamlin's Prognosis Is 'Very Encouraging'

Timothy T Ludwig/Getty, Timothy T Ludwig/Getty

Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott spoke to the media on Thursday.

McDermott, 48, said that Damar Hamlin's recovery is looking "very encouraging" after the player suffered cardiac arrest during Monday's game, as the coach along with quarterback Josh Allen spoke to reporters after Thursday's practice.

"Damar's doctors have been giving our doctors updates," McDermott explained. "The news has been very encouraging at this point."

RELATED: Bills' Damar Hamlin Is Awake and 'Has Shown Remarkable Improvement,' but Is 'Still Critically Ill'

McDermott said that Hamlin's father spoke to the team on Wednesday. "His message was: the team needs to get back to focusing on the goals that they had set for themselves," he said. "Damar would have wanted it that way."

He explained that the talk and Hamlin's recent progress were a "huge help" in preparing the team for their Sunday game against the New England Patriots.

Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire/Getty Damar Hamlin

Allen, 26, said that he also spoke to Hamlin's father after Monday's incident, and he said, "My son's gonna be alright."

RELATED: Indianapolis Colts' Rodney Thomas II Has 'No Doubt' Damar Hamlin Will Recover: 'We All Got Him'

"Being on that field... you lose sleep, you hurt for your brother. A lot of shared grief," Allen continued. "But getting updates, and positive updates, eases so much of that pain and that tension that you feel."

For more on Damar Hamlin, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

He added that McDermott "handled it as perfect as anybody could."

McDermott also spoke about the importance of maintaining mental health for himself, his team and his staff during such an intense moment, noting that the Bills have counselors on staff providing support.

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images Josh Allen, Damar Hamlin

"I'm human just like anybody else," he said. "And there's been moments as we just had that it overwhelms you, and it's come up more than a couple of times for me at different points in time.

"Like anybody else, I need to be able to have enough self-awareness to know when I need to break and when I need to seek out a counselor as well. So, I think it's important to know that that's not a sign of weakness. If anything, that's a sign of strength. And people need to know that out there," McDermott added.

McDermott's press conference comes three days after 24-year-old Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest in the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Medical teams resuscitated the second-year player on the field for more than 10 minutes.

As of Thursday morning, Hamlin was reportedly awake and "has shown remarkable improvement," but is "still critically ill," the Bills and Hamlin's agent shared Thursday morning.

RELATED VIDEO: Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin Had to Be Resuscitated a Second Time, Says Uncle

Hamlin's team shared the message of his condition in a tweet posted on Thursday morning.

"Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours," the Bills wrote. "While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress. We are grateful for the love and support we have received."

Shortly after the Bills' statement, Hamlin's agent, Rob Butler, told CNN that the safety is awake and has been holding hands with his family.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Hamlin's teammate, Kaiir Elam, also tweeted the good news, writing: "Our boy is doing better, awake and showing more signs of improvement. Thank you God. Keep the prayers coming please. All love 3!"