Bills Central

Controversial general manager escapes blame in Bills' firing of Sean McDermott

Despite numerous personnel mistakes, the Bills are keeping general manager Brandon Beane.
Richie Whitt|
Brandon Beane
Brandon Beane | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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On a dark Monday in Orchard Park, we were reminded why Sean McDermott reacted so angrily to the dramatic and controversial end of Saturday's playoff loss in Denver.

It not only ended the Buffalo Bills' season, it got him fired.

MORE: Bills' Brandon Beane reveals how Super Bowl LIX validated defensive philosophy

McDermott has been let go after a nine-year career of regular-season success muted by dramatic post-season failure. Despite having an MVP quarterback in Josh Allen, the Bills only made it to two AFC Championship Games.

The message from Bills' ownership is loud and clear: The lack of success is squarely on McDermott. Because general manager Brandon Beane is keeping his job, and helping the team search for its next head coach.

Beane, who has worked arm-in-arm with McDermott since 2017, gets a stay of execution despite obvious whiffs on personnel decisions.

Trying to add weapons around Allen, his 2024 top draft pick Keon Coleman hasn't panned out. Neither did the offseason signings of receivers Joshua Palmer or Elijah Moore. On defense, star acquisition Joey Bosa was a bust.

After rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston was injured in a meaningless Week 18, McDermott bemoaned the team's roster construction. It was clearly a shot at Beane.

When the Bills suffered injuries to two receivers in the Wild Card win at Jacksonville, their lack of depth was exposed in Denver. Veteran Brandin Cooks was a good signing, but it was his catch-turned-interception that overturned this entire apple cart. Against the Broncos, the Bills needed a receiver and help on defense at end, cornerback and safety.

MORE: 7 costly reasons Bills were doomed in excruciating playoff loss to Broncos

Obviously, McDermott made mistakes this season. He scored too soon at Jacksonville to put that win at risk. And in Denver he was unfathomably too aggressive at the end of the first half, costing Buffalo a field goal in a game it lost in overtime.

But this isn't solely on the head coach. Beane has played a part in the decade-long problem. Now, surprisingly, he gets to be a part of the future solution.

Brandon Beane
Brandon Beane | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

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