Bills fire coach Sean McDermott
after 9 seasons of falling short of reaching the Super Bowl
[January 20, 2026]
By JOHN WAWROW
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Sean McDermott arrived in Buffalo in 2017,
envisioning the day of looking out his office window and seeing a
throng of fans celebrating a Super Bowl victory.
That possibility ended on Monday, when McDermott was abruptly fired
by team owner Terry Pegula following a nine-year tenure in which the
coach transformed the Bills into perennial contenders but fell short
of reaching the Super Bowl.
The move came two days after a heart-wrenching 33-30 overtime loss
at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs.
“Sean helped change the mindset of this organization and was
instrumental in the Bills becoming a perennial playoff team,” Pegula
said. ”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.”
The new structure features general manager Brandon Beane being
promoted to president of football operations. Beane will oversee his
first coaching search since arriving in Buffalo five months after
McDermott, who replaced Rex Ryan following two seasons in Buffalo.
Beane is expected to target an offensive-minded coach to spur an
offense in which quarterback Josh Allen was too often asked to carry
the burden.
McDermott issued a statement through the NFL Network, in which he
thanked the Pegula family, the Bills organization and fans, and
referred to Buffalo “as a special place."
“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. “God gave me and my family an incredible
opportunity, one that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Yet
we know that HE has a plan. Thank you for allowing me to serve as
your head coach.”
Playoff shortcomings
Despite a seven-year playoff run and Allen setting many franchise
passing and scoring records and earning AP NFL MVP honors last
season, the Bills advanced no further than the AFC championship
game, which they lost both times to Kansas City in the 2020 and ’24
seasons.
Buffalo became the league’s first team to win a playoff round in six
consecutive years but not reach the Super Bowl.
McDermott was aware of the shortcomings and addressed them in
August.
“We take a lot of pride in what we’ve done here. And nobody has more
internal drive and internal expectations than I do or we do. And
very confident in who we are,” McDermott said. “There’s one thing
that remains. We know what that is. But you can’t get there
tomorrow.”
Tomorrow never came.
The Bills went 12-5 in the regular season and had their five-year
run atop the AFC East end, finishing second behind the New England
Patriots.
Coaching carousel
McDermott’s firing is the latest in what’s become a seismic shift in
the NFL’s coaching ranks this offseason. He became the 10th head
coach to lose or step down from his job, joining a respected group
that includes Baltimore’s John Harbaugh and Pittsburgh’s Mike
Tomlin. Harbaugh has since been hired by the New York Giants.
The 51-year-old McDermott finished with a 98-50 regular-season
record and was 8-8 in eight postseason appearances, ranking second
on the team in wins behind Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy (112-70,
11-8). McDermott’s eight playoff wins are the most by any NFL coach
to not include a Super Bowl berth.
To his credit, in McDermott’s first season, Buffalo sneaked into the
postseason on the final day to end a 17-year drought that stood as
the longest active streak in North America’s four major professional
leagues.
Allen arrived a year later as a first-round draft pick to raise the
franchise’s national profile to among one of the NFL’s elite.
[to top of second column] |
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott responds to questions during
a news conference after an NFL divisional playoff game against the
Denver Broncos, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/RJ
Sangosti)
There is increasing urgency in Buffalo to win with
Allen turning 30 in May, and with the team now moving into a newly
built $2.1 billion stadium across the street from its old home.
Allen was nearly inconsolable following the loss at Denver. Choking
up several times and wiping tears from his eyes, Allen stood at the
podium and took the blame following the loss in which he threw two
interceptions and lost two fumbles.
“I feel like I let my teammates down tonight,” Allen said. “It’s
been a long season. I hate how it ended, and that’s going to stick
with me for a long time.”
McDermott rallied to Allen’s defense. He then let his emotions show
in questioning the officials’ ruling on Allen’s second interception,
which ended Buffalo’s lone possession in overtime.
Receiver Brandin Cooks came down with Allen’s deep pass, but had it
wrestled out of his hands by Ja’Quan McMillian. Officials ruled
McMillian had the ball before Cooks was down by contact, and Denver
was awarded the turnover at its 20.
“I’m standing up for Buffalo, damn it. I’m standing up for us,”
McDermott said, noting he was particularly dismayed by how little
time the league took to review the play.
‘13 seconds’
Each of Buffalo’s past three playoff losses have been decided by
three points. And three of McDermott’s playoff losses ended in
overtime.
That includes a 42-36 loss to Kansas City in the 2021 divisional
round that’s become dubbed “13 seconds” — the amount of time Patrick
Mahomes had to complete two passes for 44 yards and set up Harrison
Butker’s tying, 49-yard field goal on the final play of regulation.
McDermott, otherwise, led a team that won 10 or more regular-season
games over seven straight seasons.
He also was credited with guiding the Bills through some difficult
moments. The worst came in January 2023 when safety Damar Hamlin
nearly died after collapsing and needing to be resuscitated on the
field during a game at Cincinnati.
Hamlin was one of several current and former players to express
their support for McDermott following his firing. He posted a note
on X referring to McDermott as “A True Leader of Men.”
Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips described the firing as “stupid
honestly sickening.” Former center Eric Wood posted a note that
read: “Sean is a great man and will be a great hire for another
organization, and I hate we couldn't get over the hump with him as
HC in Buffalo."
McDermott moved up the NFL ranks as a defensive specialist, and was
hired by Buffalo following six seasons as Carolina’s coordinator,
and where Beane worked in a front office role.
Coach/GM rift?
Together, McDermott and Beane provided the Bills with stability
before fractures began showing this past season.
Without mentioning Beane specifically, McDermott seemed to question
several personnel decisions by referencing Buffalo’s depleted
secondary and a receiver group that lacked a downfield threat.
Allen's 3,668 yards and 25 touchdowns passing were his fewest since
2019.
The defense struggled in part because of a transition to youth and a
rash of injuries. Though Buffalo’s defense finished ranked seventh
in the NFL this season, the unit had difficulty stopping the run.
It’s in the playoffs where the defense was criticized for collapsing
too often. Buffalo allowed 30 or more points in four of its playoff
losses.
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