Bills head coaching rumors center on homegrown candidate Josh Allen loves

Could the Buffalo Bills bring back one of Josh Allen's favorite coaches to replace Sean McDermott?

Josh Allen with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll during a training camp practice. | Jamie Germano via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Sean McDermott was surprisingly fired on Monday after the Buffalo Bills failed to get past the second round of the NFL playoffs.

McDermott had eight winning seasons in nine years and won the AFC East five years in a row before finishing second to the New England Patriots in 2025. He intends to continue coaching, but the Bills are ready for a new leader.

MORE: 7 head coach candidates Bills can target to replace Sean McDermott

While there's no shortage of candidates to consider, one name has been gaining steam that might not be on every team's radar. Brian Daboll, who was fired as the head coach of the New York Giants after a 2-8 start this season, could be in the mix. According to NFL insider Dianna Russini, the reason to keep an eye on Daboll is the fact that Josh Allen loves the former Buffalo offensive coordinator.

Talking to NFL executives around the league about Buffalo’s next head coach options, the name that keeps coming up is a familiar one, a Buffalo native and someone Josh Allen loves: Brian Daboll.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 19, 2026

Daboll has an impressive resume, with five Super Bowl wins during his two separate stints with the Patriots under Bill Belichick. He also won a College Football National Championship in 2017 as the offensive coordinator for the Alabama Crimson Tide under Nick Saban.

Following his one year in Alabama, Daboll took a job as the offensive coordinator under McDermott. The Buffalo native was instrumental in developing Allen as a quarterback, building a strong bond with him during his four seasons with the franchise. He turned that success into an opportunity with the Giants, where he was the head coach for four years.

Brian Daboll started hot with Giants before fading out

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll stands on the field prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Daboll's time with the Giants wasn't all bad. While he went 20-40-1 overall, he initially turned them around quickly. After inheriting a 4-13 franchise, Daboll led the Giants to a record of 9-7-1 and was 1-1 in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, his team regressed each season after that, leading to his departure with seven games to play in 2025.

He hasn't been a hot name in the coaching cycle, but that could change with Buffalo. It's not exactly a hire that will create buzz around the league, but if Allen trusts him, it makes sense for the Bills to at least kick the tires on a reunion.

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