ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills on Monday dismissed head coach Sean McDermott, ending a nine-season tenure that turned the franchise into a regular-season power but repeatedly fell short of a Super Bowl breakthrough. Owner Terry Pegula said the club “need[s] a new structure within our leadership” to take the team “to the next level,” a decision that came less than 48 hours after Buffalo’s 33–30 overtime divisional-round loss to the Denver Broncos.
McDermott, 51, leaves with a 98–50 regular-season record and an 8–8 postseason mark. Under his leadership, the Bills captured five straight AFC East titles (2020–2024) and reached the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons, but never advanced to the Super Bowl — the benchmark that increasingly defined internal and fan expectations around quarterback Josh Allen’s prime years.
Saturday’s defeat in Denver became the tipping point. Buffalo committed five turnovers and still had opportunities to win late, but the game swung on a disputed overtime play in which officials ruled receiver Brandin Cooks did not “complete the process” of a catch before Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian secured the ball for an interception. McDermott publicly questioned the ruling afterward, as the play reignited league-wide debate about catch standards and the limits of review procedures in overtime.
In a farewell statement carried by NFL media, McDermott thanked the Pegula family, the organization and fans, calling his time in Buffalo “a gift” and noting the community embraced his family over nine years.
The move coincided with a notable front-office change: general manager Brandon Beane was promoted to president of football operations, and will oversee the coaching search as Buffalo prepares to open a new stadium in 2026.
The firing also adds Buffalo to a turbulent coaching market. Multiple teams are searching for new head coaches, with recent hires already reshaping the cycle.
For the Bills, the calculus is clear: sustained contention is no longer sufficient. With Allen still central to the club’s competitive window and major infrastructure investment imminent, Buffalo is betting that a different voice — and a different organizational structure — can convert years of near-misses into a championship run
