Buffalo Bills fire Sean McDermott: What's next for the team and Josh Allen?
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Jan 20, 2026, 19:58 IST
The Bills and Steelers both consider themselves playoff teams. Time is running out to prove it
In a significant shift for the Buffalo Bills franchise, owner Terry Pegula has decided to part ways with head coach Sean McDermott after a disappointing playoff exit. Over his nine years, McDermott was pivotal in reshaping the Bills into a competitive force, yet the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl appearance eluded him.
Sean McDermott was fired as head coach of the Buffalo Bills on Monday by owner Terry Pegula, ending his nine-year tenure. The decision came two days after a playoff loss and followed a period where McDermott transformed the team into perennial contenders but failed to reach the Super Bowl. General manager Brandon Beane has been promoted to president of football operations and will lead the search for a new, likely offensive-minded, coach.
The move by Pegula signals a need for a new leadership structure to elevate the team. “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.” McDermott's departure follows a 33-30 overtime loss at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs. This playoff shortcoming was a recurring theme during his time with the Bills.
Despite a seven-year playoff run and quarterback Josh Allen setting numerous franchise records and earning MVP honors, the Bills never advanced beyond the AFC championship game. They lost in that round twice to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2020 and 2024 seasons.
Buffalo became the first team in the league to win a playoff round for six consecutive years without reaching the Super Bowl. McDermott was aware of these limitations. “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, however, never arrived for McDermott in Buffalo. The Bills finished the regular season 12-5, ending their five-year run atop the AFC East by finishing second behind the New England Patriots.
McDermott's firing places him among a significant number of head coaches who have lost their jobs this offseason. He is the tenth head coach to be dismissed, joining a group that includes John Harbaugh of Baltimore and Mike Tomlin of Pittsburgh. Harbaugh has since been hired by the New York Giants.
The 51-year-old McDermott concluded his regular-season tenure with a 98-50 record. In the postseason, he held an 8-8 record across eight appearances.
His eight playoff wins rank second in team history behind Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy, who had 112-70 regular-season and 11-8 postseason records. McDermott's eight playoff victories are the most by any NFL coach who did not reach a Super Bowl.
In McDermott's first season, the Bills made the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, ending a 17-year drought that was the longest active streak in North America's four major professional leagues. Josh Allen joined the team a year later as a first-round draft pick, significantly raising the franchise's national profile and establishing them among the NFL's elite.
There is a growing sense of urgency in Buffalo to win with Josh Allen, who will turn 30 in May. The team is also transitioning to a newly built $2.1 billion stadium. Following the playoff loss at Denver, Allen was visibly emotional. He spoke at the podium, choking up and wiping away tears, taking responsibility for the team's defeat.
“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 defended Allen and then showed his own emotions when questioning a crucial officiating call. He expressed frustration with the ruling on Allen's second interception, which ended Buffalo's only possession in overtime.
The play involved receiver Brandin Cooks, who appeared to have caught a deep pass before it was wrestled away by Ja’Quan McMillian. Officials ruled McMillian secured the ball before Cooks was down by contact, resulting in a turnover at Denver's 20-yard line.
“I’m standing up for Buffalo, damn it. I’m standing up for us,” McDermott said, emphasizing his disappointment with the league's swift decision on the review. Each of Buffalo's last three playoff losses have been decided by three points. Three of McDermott's playoff losses concluded in overtime.
This includes the 42-36 loss to Kansas City in the 2021 divisional round, famously known as "13 seconds." In that game, Patrick Mahomes had just 13 seconds to complete two passes for 44 yards, setting up Harrison Butker's game-tying field goal as regulation expired.
Beyond the playoff heartbreaks, McDermott led a team that achieved 10 or more regular-season wins for seven consecutive seasons. He also guided the Bills through significant challenges, most notably the near-fatal collapse of safety Damar Hamlin in January 2023. Hamlin required resuscitation on the field during a game in Cincinnati.
Hamlin was among several current and former players who publicly supported McDermott after his firing. Hamlin posted a message on X calling McDermott “A True Leader of Men.”
Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips described the firing as “stupid honestly sickening.” Former center Eric Wood shared his thoughts, stating, “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 built his NFL career as a defensive specialist. He was hired by Buffalo after six seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, where Brandon Beane also worked in a front office capacity.
Together, McDermott and Beane provided stability for the Bills. However, fractures in their working relationship appeared to surface this past season.
Without specifically naming Beane, McDermott alluded to personnel decisions, referencing the team's depleted secondary and a receiver group lacking a deep threat. Josh Allen's passing statistics for the season, 3,668 yards and 25 touchdowns, were his lowest since 2019.
The defense faced challenges due to a transition to younger players and a significant number of injuries. Although Buffalo's defense ranked seventh in the NFL this season, it struggled to stop the run.
In the playoffs, the defense drew criticism for its tendency to collapse. Buffalo allowed 30 or more points in four of its playoff losses.
The move by Pegula signals a need for a new leadership structure to elevate the team. “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.” McDermott's departure follows a 33-30 overtime loss at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs. This playoff shortcoming was a recurring theme during his time with the Bills.
Despite a seven-year playoff run and quarterback Josh Allen setting numerous franchise records and earning MVP honors, the Bills never advanced beyond the AFC championship game. They lost in that round twice to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2020 and 2024 seasons.
Buffalo became the first team in the league to win a playoff round for six consecutive years without reaching the Super Bowl. McDermott was aware of these limitations. “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, however, never arrived for McDermott in Buffalo. The Bills finished the regular season 12-5, ending their five-year run atop the AFC East by finishing second behind the New England Patriots.
McDermott's firing places him among a significant number of head coaches who have lost their jobs this offseason. He is the tenth head coach to be dismissed, joining a group that includes John Harbaugh of Baltimore and Mike Tomlin of Pittsburgh. Harbaugh has since been hired by the New York Giants.
The 51-year-old McDermott concluded his regular-season tenure with a 98-50 record. In the postseason, he held an 8-8 record across eight appearances.
His eight playoff wins rank second in team history behind Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy, who had 112-70 regular-season and 11-8 postseason records. McDermott's eight playoff victories are the most by any NFL coach who did not reach a Super Bowl.
In McDermott's first season, the Bills made the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, ending a 17-year drought that was the longest active streak in North America's four major professional leagues. Josh Allen joined the team a year later as a first-round draft pick, significantly raising the franchise's national profile and establishing them among the NFL's elite.
There is a growing sense of urgency in Buffalo to win with Josh Allen, who will turn 30 in May. The team is also transitioning to a newly built $2.1 billion stadium. Following the playoff loss at Denver, Allen was visibly emotional. He spoke at the podium, choking up and wiping away tears, taking responsibility for the team's defeat.
“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 defended Allen and then showed his own emotions when questioning a crucial officiating call. He expressed frustration with the ruling on Allen's second interception, which ended Buffalo's only possession in overtime.
The play involved receiver Brandin Cooks, who appeared to have caught a deep pass before it was wrestled away by Ja’Quan McMillian. Officials ruled McMillian secured the ball before Cooks was down by contact, resulting in a turnover at Denver's 20-yard line.
“I’m standing up for Buffalo, damn it. I’m standing up for us,” McDermott said, emphasizing his disappointment with the league's swift decision on the review. Each of Buffalo's last three playoff losses have been decided by three points. Three of McDermott's playoff losses concluded in overtime.
This includes the 42-36 loss to Kansas City in the 2021 divisional round, famously known as "13 seconds." In that game, Patrick Mahomes had just 13 seconds to complete two passes for 44 yards, setting up Harrison Butker's game-tying field goal as regulation expired.
Beyond the playoff heartbreaks, McDermott led a team that achieved 10 or more regular-season wins for seven consecutive seasons. He also guided the Bills through significant challenges, most notably the near-fatal collapse of safety Damar Hamlin in January 2023. Hamlin required resuscitation on the field during a game in Cincinnati.
Hamlin was among several current and former players who publicly supported McDermott after his firing. Hamlin posted a message on X calling McDermott “A True Leader of Men.”
Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips described the firing as “stupid honestly sickening.” Former center Eric Wood shared his thoughts, stating, “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 built his NFL career as a defensive specialist. He was hired by Buffalo after six seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, where Brandon Beane also worked in a front office capacity.
Together, McDermott and Beane provided stability for the Bills. However, fractures in their working relationship appeared to surface this past season.
Without specifically naming Beane, McDermott alluded to personnel decisions, referencing the team's depleted secondary and a receiver group lacking a deep threat. Josh Allen's passing statistics for the season, 3,668 yards and 25 touchdowns, were his lowest since 2019.
The defense faced challenges due to a transition to younger players and a significant number of injuries. Although Buffalo's defense ranked seventh in the NFL this season, it struggled to stop the run.
In the playoffs, the defense drew criticism for its tendency to collapse. Buffalo allowed 30 or more points in four of its playoff losses.