The Buffalo Bills made a significant change to their coaching staff on Monday, parting ways with head coach Sean McDermott. This decision was confirmed by two individuals with knowledge of the situation, speaking to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity as the team had not publicly announced the firing.
The move comes just two days after the Bills experienced a heartbreaking 33-30 overtime defeat against the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs. McDermott”s tenure with the team spanned nine seasons, during which he successfully transformed the franchise into a competitive force in the NFL. However, his inability to lead the team to a Super Bowl ultimately led to his dismissal.
During his time as head coach, McDermott compiled a regular-season record of 98 wins and 50 losses. In the playoffs, he held an 8-8 record, which places him second in all-time wins for the Bills, trailing only Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy, who achieved 112 wins over 11 seasons.
Under McDermott, the Bills made history by becoming the first team in the NFL to win a playoff game in seven consecutive years without reaching the Super Bowl. Despite the impressive regular-season records, including two seasons with 13 wins, McDermott”s inability to secure a Super Bowl appearance with quarterback Josh Allen was a significant point of criticism.
Throughout his tenure, the Bills only reached the AFC Championship game twice, both times falling short to the Kansas City Chiefs. Notably, three of the Bills” recent playoff defeats have been decided by just three points, highlighting the narrow margins that have defined their postseason struggles. Additionally, three of McDermott”s playoff losses occurred in overtime, including the infamous “13 seconds” game against the Chiefs in 2021.
Despite the ups and downs, McDermott was at the helm during a period of resurgence for the Bills, guiding them to the playoffs in eight of his nine seasons. His coaching career began with a pivotal moment in 2017 when he led the team to the postseason, ending a 17-year playoff drought, which was the longest active streak in North America”s major professional sports at that time.
As the Bills move forward without McDermott, the organization will be looking to build on the foundation he established while seeking a coach who can finally take them to the Super Bowl.
