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The Bills have fired Sean McDermott after seven straight playoff appearances failed to produce a Super Bowl trip, while giving GM Brandon Beane a promotion to president of football operations.
“Sean has done an admirable job leading our football team for the past 9 seasons,” owner Terry Pegula said in a statement. “But we need a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level. We owe that to our players and to Bills Mafia.”
Buffalo’s season ended Saturday with a gut-wrenching 33-30 overtime loss to the Broncos in the divisional round. It’s the fourth time in five years the Bills have been knocked out at this stage of the playoffs.
McDermott leaves with a 98-50 regular season record and went 8-8 in the postseason. His teams claimed five straight AFC East titles from 2020-2024, though they finished behind the Patriots this year despite a 12-5 mark.
The fired coach thanked the organization in a statement to NFL Network.
“For nearly a decade I have had the opportunity to wake up every morning as the Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills, which has truly been a gift,” McDermott said. “I’m proud and humbled to have worked alongside amazing staff and players as we shared life together and poured out our hearts and souls into both winning football games and making a positive impact in our community.”
Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that McDermott plans to continue coaching, potentially making him a candidate for one of the seven other NFL coaching vacancies currently available.
Beane, who’ll keep his GM title while taking on expanded responsibilities, will lead the search for McDermott’s replacement as the team prepares to open a new stadium next season.
“Brandon will oversee all facets of our football operation,” Pegula said. “I have full faith in and have witnessed Brandon’s outstanding leadership style and have confidence in his abilities to lead our organization.”
The McDermott Era: So Close, Yet So Far
The loss to Denver extended the Bills’ remarkable but frustrating streak of playoff near-misses. Buffalo hasn’t reached the Super Bowl since their four straight losses from 1990-93, and their 91 wins over the past seven seasons are the most in NFL history without a championship appearance.
McDermott’s teams consistently won in the regular season – only Kansas City posted a better record during his tenure – but playoff success proved elusive. His 0-3 record in postseason overtime games became a painful footnote to his Buffalo career.
The coaching change means Josh Allen will work under a new head coach for the first time in his NFL career. The 29-year-old QB has more playoff wins (8) and starts (15) than any quarterback in the Super Bowl era without a Super Bowl appearance.
Allen was visibly emotional after Saturday’s loss, tearing up during his postgame press conference.
Some players expressed frustration with McDermott’s firing on social media.
“This s— here is so stupid honestly sickening,” defensive tackle Jordan Phillips posted on Instagram. “The best coach I’ve ever been around.”
Teammate DaQuan Jones added: “Don’t make sense but ya got what ya wanted.”
McDermott broke the Bills’ infamous 18-year playoff drought in his first season (2017), establishing himself as a passionate defender of Buffalo and western New York.
“Bills Mafia, you are one of one!” McDermott said in his statement. “It has been a joy and inspiration to witness your passion and commitment first hand. I always wanted our teams to play with the same level of toughness and grit that is true to Buffalo and that you demonstrate every day!”
The Bills have won at least 10 games for seven straight seasons – the fifth-longest such streak in the Super Bowl era – but they’re the only team among those six not to reach a Super Bowl.
What’s Next for Buffalo?
The Bills’ top priority remains maximizing their championship window with Allen, who turns 30 this May. The star QB had a somewhat down year statistically, throwing for just 25 TDs (his lowest since 2019) while taking a career-high 40 sacks. He did add 14 rushing touchdowns, showcasing his dual-threat abilities.
Buffalo’s offense featured the NFL’s leading rusher in James Cook – the team’s first rushing champion since O.J. Simpson in 1976. The ground game was designed by offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, who announced his retirement Sunday.
McDermott’s defense allowed the third-fewest points per game (20.2) during his regular-season tenure but struggled in road playoff games, surrendering 28.7 points per game while going just 1-7 away from Buffalo.
This season’s defense ranked 12th in efficiency and led the NFL in pass defense (156.9 yards per game) but struggled consistently against the run, giving up 136.2 rushing yards per game (fifth-most in the league).
Buffalo was McDermott’s first head coaching job after serving as defensive coordinator for both Carolina and Philadelphia.
Beane and the Bills now face the crucial task of finding a coach who can finally get them over the playoff hump and deliver the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.
