The Buffalo Bills have relieved head coach Sean McDermott of his duties following the team’s overtime loss to the Denver Broncos on the weekend.
“Sean has done an admirable job of leading our football team for the past 9 seasons,” said Owner Terry Pegula. “But I feel we are in need of 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.”
“Sean helped change the mindset of this organization and was instrumental in the Bills becoming a perennial playoff team. I respect all the work, loyalty and attention to detail he showed for this team and the community. I wish Sean, Jamie and his family all the best.”
“Moving forward, Brandon Beane will now serve as the President of Football Operations / General Manager of the Buffalo Bills. Brandon will oversee all facets of our football operation, including the oversight of our coaching staff. I have full faith in and have witnessed Brandon’s outstanding leadership style and have confidence in his abilities to lead our organization.”
McDermott posted a 98-50 record as head coach in Buffalo, with an 8-8 record in the playoffs. The team won 5 consecutive AFC East titles from 2020-2024, and lost two AFC Championship games during his tenure (both to the Chiefs). He’ll wrap up his time in Buffalo as the team’s 2nd winningest head coach ever, trailing only Marv Levy in wins (112). The one thing the team failed to do, was to reach the Super Bowl, which appears to have ultimately sealed the 51 year old’s fate in upstate New York.
According to initial reports, McDermott plans to continue coaching, and could become a candidate for one of the teams who still have a head coaching vacancy.
Ownership clearly feels that in order to get over the hump, a new voice inside the locker room is needed. It should also be noted, that there’s been much discussion this postseason about how Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Kansas City (and by proxy Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes) had missed the playoffs, presenting perhaps the clearest path to a Super Bowl appearance over the last decade.
However the team’s inability to take advantage of this perceived “easier route” clearly convinced Pegula & Co. that perhaps McDermott wasn’t the one to lead them to the promised land after all.
Sean McDermott Playoff Record:
- 2017: 9-7; lost in wild-card round
- 2018: 6-10; missed playoffs
- 2019: 10-6; lost in wild-card round
- 2020: 13-3; lost in AFC championship game
- 2021: 11-6; lost in divisional round
- 2022: 13-3; lost in divisional round
- 2023: 11-6; lost in divisional round
- 2024: 13-4; lost in AFC championship game
- 2025: 12-5; lost in divisional round
With the team set to move into the New Highmark Stadium this summer, it appears as though Buffalo will truly be entering a new era this offseason both in terms of facilities, and overall organizational philosophy.
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