Ex-Bills' starter supports decision to fire Sean McDermott who 'was on borrowed time'

It started out with a tweet, not a kiss and ended like this.

Former Buffalo Bills' defensive end Jerry Hughes has hit ex-head coach Sean McDermott with a stray, so to speak, seemingly endorsing the team's decision to fire him following a divisional round playoff loss to the Denver Broncos.

Hughes actually suggested the dismissal should have happened sooner, like four years sooner.

In an X thread that began when Hughes criticized the lack of official review during overtime of the Bills' loss, the formerly fiery edge rusher subsequently referenced the 2021 divisional round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs as enough of a reason to fire McDermott.

"If the coach can manage to lose a football game in 13 seconds after the QB put together phenomenal play after phenomenal play. That coach should be fired. Seems like someone was on borrowed time," said Hughes in a January 26 reply.

In what was Hughes's last game as a Bill, Josh Allen connected on a touchdown pass to Gabe Davis, giving Buffalo a 36-33 lead with only 00:13 left on the fourth-quarter clock.

If the coach can manage to lose a football game in 13 seconds after the QB put together phenomenal play after phenomenal play. That coach should be fired. Seems like someone was on borrowed time.
— Jerry hughes Jr (@Iam_jerryhughes) January 26, 2026

The Bills made this mistake of taking no time off the clock with the ensuing kickoff going for a touchback. With Buffalo in an ultra soft coverage, the Chiefs gained 44 yards of two quick pass plays to set up Harrison Butker's game-tying 49-yard field goal at the gun.

Multiple late-game defensive failures

Hughes threw another dagger in the fired coach's direction when he replied to a McDermott supporter who opposes the Bills' decision by saying, "If u want to win a SB you should."

It's hard to argue with Hughes, especially when considering the fact that McDermott's heavy defensive background did nothing to help the Bills break through the proverbial playoff wall.

The opponents' point totals in the Bills' last six playoff losses are as follows — 38, 42, 27, 27, 32, 33.

The fact that the Broncos, with an inexperienced quarterback, were able to substantially outperform their regular season scoring average (23.6) against the Bills' was another indictment of McDermott's defensive coaching.

Again, a late-game poor coverage choice allowed the opponent to gain crucial yardage. With the Bills' defensive backs playing noticeably off the opposing receivers, and failing to get a pass rush with four, the Broncos converted a 3rd-and-11 on a 25-yard completion to Courtland Sutton, who slipped into a soft spot inside Buffalo territory.

In the 2024 AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs scored a season-high 32 points against McDermott's defense.

Jan 17, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) is called for pass interference on Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) during overtime of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game at Empower Field at Mile High | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Who is Jerry Hughes?

Hughes, a 2010 first-round draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts, spent nine seasons with the Bills after being acquired in exchange for linebacker Kelvin Sheppard. He played for three different head coaches (technically, four, if one includes Anthony Lynn's one-game interim stint) — Doug Marrone, Rex Ryan and McDermott.

Hughes missed only one game over five seasons under McDermott. He totaled 53.0 sacks over 144 career games with the Bills.

Throughout his Buffalo tenure, Hughes seemed to be a walking personal foul penalty waiting to happen. He memorably committed seven personal fouls in 2015 alone, including two unnecessary roughness and two unsportsmanlike conduct violations.

The Bills let Hughes walk in free agency after the 2021 campaign, and he landed with the Houston Texans for three seasons.

Chiefs Patrick Mahomes runs around Bills Jerry Hughes. | Jamie Germano / USA TODAY NETWORK

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