A franchise-defining era in Buffalo came to an abrupt end Monday, as the Bills dismissed head coach Sean McDermott following a season that once again ended just short of the ultimate goal.
According to the New York Post, the decision came two days after Buffalo’s season ended with a 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs, a defeat that proved both painful and controversial.
McDermott leaves the Bills after nine seasons, closing his tenure with a 98-50 regular-season record and an even 8-8 mark in the postseason.
Saturday’s loss loomed large in the organization’s decision-making, particularly a pivotal overtime play that sparked debate across the league.
On Buffalo’s opening possession of extra time, quarterback Josh Allen connected with wide receiver Brandin Cooks before Denver cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian ripped the ball loose. Officials ruled the play an interception, though many questioned whether Cooks was already down.
“It’s hard for me to understand why it was ruled the way it was ruled,” McDermott said afterward, according to NFL.com. “In my eyes, it was [a catch by Cooks], yes. In my eyes, it was. But even if it wasn’t, OK. Let’s just say that, and I’m being objective. Even if it wasn’t, the players are owed, to me, ‘Hey, let’s stop it. Let’s slow it down.’ Let’s put the head referee and give him a chance to look at the monitor just to make sure. Just to make sure.”
McDermott, 51, was hired by Buffalo in 2017 after six seasons as defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers. His arrival helped stabilize a franchise that had struggled for consistency, and one year later, the Bills made a transformational move by selecting Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Together, McDermott and Allen became one of the NFL’s most reliable pairings, reaching the playoffs in seven of their eight seasons together. The closest the duo came to the Super Bowl was during the 2020 and 2024 campaigns, when Buffalo fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
Buffalo’s grip on the AFC East, however, loosened this season. After winning the division five straight times, the Bills finished second at 12-5, overtaken by a resurgent New England Patriots team led by first-year head coach Mike Vrabel. The Patriots went 14-3 and captured their first division title since 2019.
McDermott’s firing comes amid widespread upheaval across the league. The move follows the resignation of longtime Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and the firing of Baltimore’s John Harbaugh, who has since been named head coach of the New York Giants.
With McDermott out, the Bills now join a growing list of teams searching for new leadership. Buffalo becomes one of eight franchises with head coaching vacancies, alongside the Ravens, Steelers, Dolphins, Browns, Titans, Cardinals, and Raiders. The Falcons recently filled their opening by hiring former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski.
For the Bills, the change signals another attempt to turn sustained success into a long-awaited Super Bowl breakthrough.
