Bills Release Statement on Decision to Fire Sean McDermott

Sean McDermott was fired on Monday after nine seasons as head coach of the Bills. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Bills fired Sean McDermott on Monday following another season ending in playoff disappointment. The move wasn’t expected but it wasn’t necessarily surprising, either. McDermott was undeniably one of the NFL’s better coaches during his nine seasons in Buffalo and returned the franchise to heights not seen since the 1990s. But expectations are extremely high for teams featuring superstar talents like Josh Allen and McDermott’s inability to get the Bills over the playoff hump proved his undoing.

A short while after the news broke of McDermott’s dismissal the Bills released an official statement about the news. Owner Terry Pegula said he felt the team needed “new structure” amongst leadership. He also revealed general manager Brandon Beane had been promoted to president of football operations and would oversee the franchise’s search for McDermott’s replacement.

“Sean has done an admirable job of leading our football team for the past nine seasons,” Pegula’s statement read. “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. We owe that to our players and to Bills Mafia.

“Sean helped change the mindset of this organization and was instrumental in the Bills becoming a perennial playoff team. I respect all the work, loyalty and attention to detail he showed for this team and the community. I wish Sean, Jamie and his family all the best.

“Moving forward, Brandon Beane will now serve as the President of Football operations / General Manager of the Buffalo Bills. Brandon will oversee all facets of our football operation, including the oversight of our coaching staff. I have full faith in and have witnessed Brandon’s outstanding leadership stylue and have confidence in his abilities to lead our orgnaiztion.

“Beane will be leading the search for a new head coach and will be working directly with Pegula and Pete Guelli, who will now serve as President of Business operations, during the interview and hiring process.”

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— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 19, 2026

It’s the start of a new era in Buffalo, obviously. Beane’s promotion is a not-insignificant power structure shakeup and it’s a move that will garner a lot of attention given the holes in the roster Beane put together this season, particularly at wide receiver. It’s also a sign to any potential candidates that they’ll be reporting to Beane, which may not be an ideal setup for some coaches.

A fascinating development in the NFL head coaching cycle no matter which way you slice it, though. The Bills have a lot to offer interested coaches, from the talents of Allen to a brand new stadium on the way. Who they choose to helm the franchise next will be a big part of how this offseason plays out.

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