Jan 19, 2026
3 min read
The Bills are making a significant change after their recent playoff disappointment.They fired Sean McDermott after nine seasons.
The Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott after the loss to the Broncos
The Buffalo Bills are making big changes after their last playoff exit.
Sean McDermott has been fired as head coach after nine seasons, the team announced Monday.The Bulls will also retain and promote general manager Brandon Beane to president of football operations, the team also announced.
"I think we need a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level," Bills owner Terry Pegula said.“We owe it to our players and the Bills Mafia.
"Sean helped change the mindset of this organization and helped make the Bills a perennial playoff team. I respect all the work, loyalty and attention to detail he has shown for this team and community. I wish Sean, Jamie and his family the best."
McDermott was Buffalo's most successful coach since Marv Levy led the bulls to four straight appearances in the Super Bowl in the early 1990s, going 105-58 (including the postseason) during his time with the bulls.
McDermott led the Bills to the postseason in eight of his nine seasons.However, despite Josh Allen emerging as one of the best quarterbacks in the game, Buffalo did not make it to the Super Bowl under McDermott, losing twice to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
The playoff disappointment came on Saturday, when they lost to the Denver Broncos 33-30.Pulling Denver to kick an easy field goal.Allen flinches.Allen flinches.Allen flinches.Denver was allowed an easy field goal.Allen flinches.Denver was allowed an easy field goal.Allen's finger sums up the 20-10 easy pitch.
[5 taken from Broncos win over Bill]
Buffalo's last three playoff losses have come by three points.And McDermott's three playoff losses have ended in overtime.
That included a 42–36 loss to Kansas City in the 2021 divisional round that was called "13 seconds" — the time it took Patrick Mahomes to complete two 44-yard passes and set up Harrison Butker's 49-yard field goal.
Despite Buffalo's playoff failure, McDermott oversaw a team that won 10 or more regular season games in seven seasons, including two team-record 13-win seasons in 2022 and '24.
However, the Bills' decision to cut McDermott was not welcomed by everyone in the organization.Defensive end Jordan Phillips posted this on social media on Monday.
"This s--- so stupid here is honestly sick," Phillips wrote in a message to her Instagram Story.
Bills defensive back Taron Johnson also appeared to rip off the move, writing "smh" in a post on his Instagram story.An unnamed Bills player told WGRZ in Buffalo that he thought McDermott's firing was "bull----."
Since the Bills fired McDermott, there have been 10 NFL head coaching changes this offseason.The New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons have hired new coaches.
McDermott could be a candidate for one of the seven open coaching positions.He told his staff he plans to continue coaching, ESPN reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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