Bills Central

Bills fire Sean McDermott after 9 years, playoff disappointment

Sean McDermott was a consistent playoff performer for the Buffalo Bills, but never got his team over the hump.
Jeremy Brener|
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott during the second quarter of an AFC Divisional Round.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott during the second quarter of an AFC Divisional Round. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills are making a shocking change at the head coaching position following their loss in the Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos.

According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Bills are firing head coach Sean McDermott, who has been with the franchise in the role since 2017.

Bills fire McDermott after playoff loss

The firing makes the Bills the 10th team in this year's cycle to fire their head coach, joining the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans.

The Giants already hired John Harbaugh, who was fired by the Ravens and the Falcons are moving forward with Kevin Stefanski, who was let go by the Browns.

With so many teams needing a head coach in this cycle, the Bills felt it was the right time to join the mix and get a new head coach in the building. Despite McDermott's success, there is an argument to be made that he brought the team as far as he could. The team has made the playoffs in every season since 2019, but has yet to make it to the Super Bowl.

This year's loss against the Broncos, albeit in controversial fashion, was the final straw that broke the camel's back. Now, the team will be looking for its first head coach replacement since drafting Josh Allen with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The team could be looking to hire from within and promote Joe Brady from the offensive coordinator position considering he is someone other squads are looking at as a true head coaching candidate. However, there is also a chance the team could look for a new voice entirely and hire someone like Mike Tomlin, who voluntarily left his position after being with the team since 2007.

Regardless of who the Bills end up adding, the team is entering a new era in 2026 with a state-of-the-art stadium and a head coach that will look to win the franchise its first Super Bowl.

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott talks to one of the assistant coaches during second half action
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott talks to one of the assistant coaches during second half action. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.