The Buffalo Bills have made a major organizational change, parting ways with head coach Sean McDermott. The decision, confirmed to The Associated Press by two sources familiar with the matter, comes after the team's latest playoff disappointment.
End of an Era in Buffalo
The Bills fired McDermott on Monday, just two days after a crushing 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the NFL's divisional playoff round. This defeat marked the latest in a series of postseason heartbreaks that ultimately sealed the coach's fate.
McDermott's nine-year tenure concludes with a legacy of restored respectability but unfulfilled ultimate promise. He transformed the Bills from a perennial also-ran into a consistent winner, yet the franchise could not clear the final hurdle to the Super Bowl. Under his leadership, Buffalo achieved a notable but frustrating distinction: becoming the first NFL team to win a playoff round in six consecutive years without advancing to the championship game.
A Record of Success and Shortfall
The 51-year-old coach compiled an impressive 98-50 regular-season record and led the team to the playoffs in eight of his nine seasons. This run included ending a notorious 17-year playoff drought in 2017, which had been the longest active streak in major North American sports at the time.
Despite securing 10 or more wins in seven straight seasons, including two 13-win campaigns, playoff failures defined the end of McDermott's era. His postseason record finished at an even 8-8. The inability to reach the Super Bowl with star quarterback Josh Allen proved decisive. Although Allen broke numerous franchise records, the Bills advanced to the AFC Championship Game only twice during his tenure, losing both times to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The team's recent playoff exits have been agonizingly close. Buffalo's last three playoff losses were each decided by just three points, with three of McDermott's playoff defeats ending in overtime. The most infamous was the "13 seconds" loss to Kansas City in the 2021 divisional round.
Looking to the Future
With Allen turning 30 in May, the Bills are now expected to seek an offensive-minded head coach to revitalize an attack that often relied too heavily on the quarterback. Allen's production dipped this season to his lowest passing output since 2019, despite running back James Cook winning the NFL rushing title.
The defense, while ranking seventh overall, showed vulnerabilities against the run and in critical playoff moments, allowing 30 or more points in four postseason losses under McDermott.
This firing marks the beginning of the first head coaching search for the Bills since McDermott replaced Rex Ryan in 2017. It ends a period of remarkable stability for the franchise, built alongside General Manager Brandon Beane. The search now focuses on finding the leader who can finally guide Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to the Super Bowl stage that eluded Sean McDermott.
