How Sean McDermott’s Firing Affects the Coaching Cycle, Plus Bills’ Top Candidates

A 10th—10th—NFL head coaching job opened Monday morning, less than 48 hours after the Bills’ unceremonious exit from the NFL playoffs. Acting with an almost unprecedented urgency, Buffalo cut ties with Sean McDermott after he posted a 98–50 record in nine seasons, the 15th-best win percentage in NFL history and double-digit win totals every season since 2019.

To say that this adds an incredible amount of palace intrigue to this coaching cycle would be putting it lightly. The Giants and Falcons sprinted down the aisle with the consensus top candidates on the market, John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski, removing them from consideration for a job that many would consider to be the best, or a close second best, in this cycle. Only Harbaugh knows whether he’d have been interested in the Buffalo opening.

In a quick survey of league sources connected to the coaching industry, here are some notes on both the Bills’ situation and what we’re hearing leaguewide:

• I think it’s reasonable to assume McDermott was surprised by this, much like the rest of us. And I think the driver behind it was seeing a couple of other teams going deep down the road interviewing some of the younger offensive candidates. This is a five-year decision for the Bills, looking at Josh Allen headed toward his 30th birthday this spring. Jaguars OC Grant Udinski could be getting a serious look in Cleveland and, along with Browns’ DC Jim Schwartz, is a finalist. Rams’ passing-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase has gotten multiple interviews this cycle and wowed teams during the process. And there is a lot of intrigue around Davis Webb, the 30-year-old former quarterback from Prosper, Texas, now passing-game coordinator for the Broncos, who played for two years in Buffalo and beat the Bills on Saturday.

• One name I heard from multiple people in regards to a sea change in Buffalo is Brian Daboll. Maybe as a head coach, but also as a return candidate to coordinate an offense for Allen. This would make a lot of sense if the Bills are indeed looking at younger offensive candidates. Daboll’s head coaching experience and relationship with Allen would be a major boost for a younger coach in a first-time role. Allen also has an alpha mentality, which would mesh perfectly with Daboll.

• Speaking of Daboll, his backup quarterback during his first season as Giants head coach? Davis Webb.

• I wonder what kind of chaos McDermott being on the market will cause. As one industry source noted, how does this impact the Titans search? McDermott comes from the Andy Reid tree, and Tennessee is down the road with Matt Nagy (who, along with Robert Saleh, seem to be the favorites for the job). Will the Titans at least pay McDermott some respect and bring him in?

• Similarly, I think this could have positive ramifications for both the Raiders and, especially, the Cardinals. Arizona seemed to be boxed out of the premium candidate market, but McDermott could be a stabilizing force in Arizona, a team that very much resembles the down-and-out Bills when McDermott took over that job in 2017.

• Per multiple sources, Saleh is in Tennessee interviewing for the Titans’ job. Brian Flores is headed to Pittsburgh on Tuesday. We’ll get to Flores a little bit deeper down below.

You can also refer back to my longer list of future NFL head coaches from December for a wider look at this cycle’s candidate pool.

Candidates for the Bills’ job

Davis Webb, passing-game coordinator, Denver Broncos

Webb is a fiery, 30-year-old former NFL quarterback who has risen swiftly in NFL circles, and interviewed well with the Raiders and Ravens already this cycle. Webb played in Buffalo and has a relationship with Allen, which, while maybe not a driving force behind this hire, could be a critical component of it. Webb is also connected to Daboll and, if the duo was paired with a shutdown, veteran defensive coordinator, you’re looking at an all-star staff for the Bills to open up a new stadium.

Brian Flores, defensive coordinator, Minnesota Vikings

As one league source mentioned to me: Let’s not forget the Bills struggled defensively down the stretch this season and gave up 33 points in a playoff loss to the Broncos. If Flores, another candidate with Daboll ties, jumps into the fray, maybe he’d be the breath of fresh air this building is looking for. While it would be hard to imagine the Bills not going with an offense-focused hire, Flores would bring a very strong coordinator set and be able to establish Allen as a kind of offensive CEO while transforming a defense that has fallen off.

Joe Brady, offensive coordinator, Buffalo Bills

Brady is most certainly a hard name to pin down this cycle, though I would imagine he would at least get the opportunity to make his case for the Bills’ job. Again, the offensive pool this cycle is shallow and every rock needs to be turned over. Brady was a white-hot candidate coming out of LSU and while his offenses in Buffalo have been hit or miss, his ability to create a sustainable running game around Allen has been undeniable.

Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator, Seattle Seahawks

Kubiak’s name has cooled a little bit this cycle, though we could see a resurgence as a lot of teams still in the mix—Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Buffalo—are big-time jobs with the ability to wait out Kubiak’s timeline as the offensive coordinator of the conference championship-bound Seahawks. Kubiak is a candidate with some major future upside, though it may come down to a defensive coordinator pairing. Still, there is no other “untapped” coach in this cycle with as sound of a base in the Kyle Shanahan–Kubiak offense.

Nate Sheelhaase, passing-game coordinator, Los Angeles Rams and Mike LaFleur, offensive coordinator, Los Angeles Rams

Scheelhaase, a former Division I quarterback at Illinois, has been leaving a strong impression throughout this interview cycle, while LaFleur, a 38-year-old former quarterback himself, has also been coming into his own this cycle out of the McVay shadow. Both are integral parts of a juggernaut Rams staff that introduced a new way to look at offensive football in 2025 with a heavier focus on 13-personnel (three tight ends).

Brian Daboll, former head coach, New York Giants

The 2022 NFL Coach of the Year was dealt a difficult hand after difficult hand in New York after his meteoric rise, though that shouldn’t change the fact that he’s a quality candidate who deserves a second look. Daboll has been picking up steam all over the interview circuit this winter as a high-end offensive coordinator candidate, though I think he could be in the mix for either head coach or offensive coordinator with the Bills.

Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers

While Mike Tomlin is out in Pittsburgh and Smith is not expected to be a candidate, the former Falcons head coach operates a gritty, explosive play-hunting offense that was competitive with the likes of Desmond Ridder, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and a near-retirement Aaron Rodgers. Smith is versatile, steeped in the Shanahan system and skilled enough to develop connective tissue to other emerging offenses around the league.