Marine Corporal McDermott is a bilateral below-knee amputee after being injured by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Afghanistan in June 2010 – second tour with the 1st Battalion 6th Marines. He was introduced to sled hockey in 2010 while rehabbing at the Center for the Intrepid when his physical therapist asked if he was interested in playing. He joined the San Antonio Rampage in 2010. He made his U.S. National Team debut in 2015