Ex-Bills' QB Ryan Fitzpatrick Issues Warning About Josh Allen and Next Head Coach

As the Buffalo Bills commence their first head coaching search in 10 years in the wake of the Monday firing of Sean McDermott and Tuesday's messy explanation by owner Terry Pegula, there is controversy in not only the candidates but also the philosophy.

Should the Bills hire a head coach with a hard nose, or a soft touch?

Coming off seven consecutive years of playoff disappointment - highlighted by last weekend's heartbreaking, overtime loss in Denver - the Bills will get a fresh start in their new stadium in 2026. But who will lead them into the next era?

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As the candidates and official interviews begin to be revealed, the opinions are also trickling in. Earlier this week, ESPN analyst and former NFL head coach Rex Ryan said the Bills should strongly consider six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick. Now another league veteran is echoing the sentiment about the Bills going old-school.

On this week's episode of his the Fitz & Whit podcast, Ryan Fitzpatrick — who played four of his 17 NFL seasons in Buffalo — offered a stern warning to Bills ownership.

"They need a veteran coach, someone with a little more of an iron fist," Fitzpatrick said. "If you bring in a young, cool, hip head coach, he's gonna be buddies with Josh and suck up to Josh and go golfing with Josh. But it's not what he needs. What's best for his career is someone comes in and pushes him every single day. There's another level Josh can get to, especially mentally, but he has to be coached hard. And if you bring in a young guy I just don't see it happening."

MORE: ESPN analyst makes crazy suggestion for Bills to hire Bill Belichick

In other words, Fitzpatrick would ruled younger, more inexperienced candidates such as the Broncos' Davis Webb (31), Jacksonville's Grant Udinski (30) and Nate Scheelhaase (35), and favor the likes of Belichick (74), Brian Daboll (50), Mike Tomlin (53) and former Bills' assistant Anthony Lynn (57).

Anthony Lynn | Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

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