After the Buffalo Bills' exit from the playoffs last season, owner Terry Pegula made the call to fire head coach Sean McDermott. The former Bills head coach left the franchise after nine seasons and without a Super Bowl appearance.
Bills superstar quarterback Josh Allen also reflected on his former head coach and Buffalo's Divisional Round loss to the Denver Broncos, the defeat that ultimately brought an end to McDermott's tenure in Buffalo.
"I think about that all the time," Allen told The Athletic. "There are certain plays throughout the game — and that's going to be every game — where you're like, 'I could have done more.' And I always feel like I can do more.'"
McDermott's Bills tenure by the numbers
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
McDermott became the Bills' head coach in 2017 and led them to the playoffs in his first season in charge. The Bills selected Allen with the seventh overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Since then, Allen and McDermott helped lead Buffalo to the playoffs in eight of their eight seasons together, winning the AFC East five times.
Allen also emerged as one of the best players at his position under the guidance of McDermott, winning the league MVP award in 2024. The former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator led the Bills to a 98-50 record while also winning eight playoff games.
McDermott was appointed as the Bills head coach after serving as the Panthers' DC under Ron Rivera. Under his guidance, the Panthers' defense finished in the top from 2012 to 2015. He was part of Carolina's run to the Super Bowl in 2015, which ended in defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos.
Following the 52-year-old coach's departure, the Bills promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the head coaching role. Allen spoke highly of Brady's appointment, saying the former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator had "earned" the opportunity to lead Buffalo.
"I can honestly say, Joe went out there and he earned it," Allen said. "The way that he interviewed, how hard he works as a coach, and the success that we've had as an offense over the last few years — he earned it."
Brady and Allen have developed a strong working relationship over the past few years, making it intriguing to see how the Bills perform in their first season without McDermott at the helm. They will begin their 2026 campaign against the Houston Texans on Sept. 13 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
