Bills Central

Did Terry Pegula’s Press Conference Make Bills’ Head Coaching Job Less Appealing?

A bizarre press conference from Terry Pegula might have done more harm than good for the Buffalo Bills as they search for a new head coach.
Randy Gurzi|
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula attends the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula attends the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For the first time since firing head coach Sean McDermott earlier this week, Buffalo Bills owner and general manager Brandon Beane met with the press.

The goal was to explain their decision-making process when it came to moving on from McDermott, while also detailing their plans for their next head coach. What happened, however, was something far more bizarre.

MORE: Terry Pegula Interrupts Bills GM to Blame Officials For Postseason Loss

Pegula went into a mode rarely seen as he interrupted reporters to bash Keon Coleman and blame his selection on the coaching staff. He also said the officials were the reason the Bills lost to the Denver Broncos, while also claiming the loss was to blame for McDermott being fired.

So he essentially blamed the coach for failing to identify and develop talent publicly, while also essentially saying a bad call cost him his job. Sure, he tried to backtrack on that, but the insinuation was strong.

While Pegula might have thought he was defending his decisions, the real question is whether this will hurt their chances of landing a premier head coach. There are only 32 of these openings, which sometimes helps the franchise, but an up-and-coming coach might not want to take a job where he fears he could be put on blast publicly.

The good news for the Bills is the presence of Josh Allen could offset this, but Pegula did himself no favors on Wednesday. Instead, he did the impossible according to ESPN’s Mike Greenberg and made coaching Allen seem less appealing.

Buffalo Bills beginning interviews, focus appears to be on offensive candidates

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady keeps an eye on drills during day three of the Buffalo Bills training camp.
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady keeps an eye on drills during day three of the Buffalo Bills training camp. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bills are already searching for their next head coach, with multiple candidates being set up for interviews. While defensive-minded coaches such as Lou Anarumo are on the radar, Buffalo is zeroing in on offensive coaches.

MORE: Bills to Interview Rising In-House Candidate for Head Coaching Vacancy

Buffalo is set to interview their current offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, as well as a former OC, Brian Daboll. Longtime coach and former Bills' assistant, Anthony Lynn, is also going to meet with the team. Throw in Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and it's easy to see the Bills want someone who can help Allen and the offense reach new heights.

Let's just hope the best candidates weren't turned off by Wednesday's events.

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Randy Gurzi
RANDY GURZI

Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.