The Buffalo Bills have fired Sean McDermott following their overtime AFC Divisional Round playoff loss to the Denver Broncos, ending a nine-year tenure defined by sustained regular-season success and lingering postseason disappointment.
Multiple reports confirmed the decision Monday, just days after Buffalo’s 33–30 overtime defeat in Denver: a game overshadowed by a controversial interception on the Bills’ opening possession of extra time. Quarterback Josh Allen’s pass to Brandin Cooks was ruled an interception after Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian ripped the ball free, despite questions over whether Cooks was already down.
McDermott did not hide his frustration afterward, publicly defending his team and the fan base.
“I’m saying it because I’m standing up for Buffalo. I’m standing up for us,” McDermott said. “What went on is not how it should go down.”
The loss proved to be the final blow in McDermott’s tenure, which began in 2017 after six seasons as the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator. He leaves the Bills with a 98–50 regular-season record and an 8–8 mark in the playoffs, guiding Buffalo to postseason appearances in eight of his nine seasons. Under his leadership, the Bills reached the AFC Championship Game twice — in 2020 and 2024 — but never advanced to the Super Bowl.
McDermott’s era will forever be linked with Josh Allen, whom the Bills selected seventh overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. The pairing helped transform Buffalo into a perennial contender and long-standing power in the AFC East. Allen, now 29, won league MVP honors last season and remained in the conversation again this year.
Expectations were high entering the 2025 season, particularly after Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was lost for the year with a knee injury. Many believed the window was wide open for Buffalo to finally break through. Instead, the Bills endured a shifting AFC East landscape, finishing 12–5 and second in the division behind a resurgent New England Patriots team led by first-year head coach Mike Vrabel.
Buffalo reached the playoffs as a wild card and edged the Jacksonville Jaguars before falling in overtime to Denver, a defeat that ultimately sealed McDermott’s fate.
General manager Brandon Beane will remain with the organization and is expected to lead the search for the franchise’s next head coach. That hire will be tasked with maximizing the prime years of Allen’s career while addressing clear roster needs, including the pursuit of a true No. 1 wide receiver this offseason.
The Bills now join a growing list of teams seeking new leadership, including the Ravens, Steelers, Dolphins, Browns, Titans, Cardinals and Raiders, as the league enters one of the most active coaching cycles in recent memory.
For Buffalo, the move signals both the end of an era and a pivotal crossroads: one where championship expectations remain unchanged, even as the path forward becomes uncertain.
