Bills Winning Super Bowl is 'A Matter of When,' Says Coach Sean McDermott
Job security in Western New York sports often comes with an extra helping of heartbreak.
That's done nothing to deter Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott, who made a bold declaration in a lengthy sitdown with Tim Graham of The Athletic.
“It’s not a matter of if. It’s just a matter of when,” McDermott said of the idea of his Bills hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. “That is the relentless pursuit.”
“I believe we’re doing things the right way. You only fail if you quit, and I’ve never done that. I’ve never been about that. Whatever it is, you always figure it out. You always find a way to get there."
When it to the definition of gridiron bittersweetness, look no further than McDermott: since he took over as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills in 2017, the wagon circlers have posted the third-best record in the NFL and McDermott himself has become the fourth-longest tenured head coach on the current landscape.
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But Bills fans, of course, need little reminder that McDermott continues to carry a goose egg in AFC title game wins, much less Super Bowls. True to the Bills' star-crossed nature, the losses have been emotionally cruel, the latest being an AFC Divisional defeat to eventual champion Kansas City that saw a game-extending field goal from Tyler Bass sail wide right in the penultimate minute.
McDermott is heading into his eighth season at the helm and there figures to be more: he and general manager Brandon Beane were recently granted extensions that are set to keep them in Orchard Park through 2027. It's safe to say that there will be a little extra scrutiny this time around, most of it coming from the easy-to-please yet reward-starving fanbase that packs Highmark Stadium every Sunday.
“You want it for them,” McDermott said, referring to the raucous fanbase known as "Bills Mafia," recalling their disappointed faces after the aforementioned Divisional duel with the Kansas City Chiefs. “I want it for the pain of that kick right there, and those faces remind me of what I saw when I got here or what I watched of Buffalo growing up in the early 90s. I want it for the fans as much as I want it for myself and for the organization. That’s what we’re here to do, and the fire burns deep.”
Of course, the only items capable of truly moving the needles of legacy are championship rings, especially for a franchise so bereft of banners like the Bills. McDermott is well aware of the frustration that has surfaced and vowed to combat it head-on come this season.
"I believe we’re doing things the right way. You only fail if you quit, and I’ve never done that. I’ve never been about that. Whatever it is, you always figure it out. You always find a way to get there."
“The only thing left to do for us at this point is win an AFC championship and win a Super Bowl, which is pretty darn good. There’s not too many organizations that can say that over the last seven years. We’ve done everything else you can do, and that is what gets us out of bed in the morning.”
One thing is unanimously true about the McDermott era: what he has accomplished undoubtedly beats the alternative. McDermott's hire after serving six years as the Carolina Panthers' defensive coordinator came at one of the bleakest periods on the Bills' franchise timeline, one that saw them endure 17 consecutive playoff-free seasons to open the new century.
