BREAKING: Bills Fire Sean McDermott After 9 Seasons

January 19, 2026

Buffalo Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott reacts on the sidelines during 2025 game.

The Buffalo Bills made a franchise shaking move Monday morning, firing head coach Sean McDermott after nine seasons, just two days after Buffalo’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos ended their playoff run. 

McDermott exits with a 98-50 regular season record and an 8-8 postseason mark, a resume that turned the Bills into an annual contender but never produced a Super Bowl trip. 

Reports indicate general manager Brandon Beane is being retained and will lead the search for the next head coach as Buffalo tries to capitalize on Josh Allen’s prime.

Why the Bills pulled the plug now

McDermott’s tenure is going to be remembered for dragging Buffalo out of the wilderness and into the tournament every year, eight playoff appearances in nine seasons, multiple deep runs, and a standard of winning that became routine. 

Still, the ending mattered. That Broncos loss, in overtime, landed like the latest chapter in a story Bills fans are sick of rereading, close, chaotic, and just short of the finish line. 

With another strong regular season in the books and another painful exit on the ledger, Buffalo’s ownership decided “pretty good” was no longer the bar. 

What McDermott leaves behind in Buffalo

McDermott’s best argument is simple. He helped build one of the NFL’s most consistent winners, and his record backs it up. 

His toughest critique is just as blunt, as the Bills never reached the Super Bowl under his watch, finishing 8-8 in the playoffs despite all those trips. 

Now the spotlight swings to Beane and the next hire, because whoever takes over is inheriting a roster with huge expectations, a lot of pressure, and a fanbase that is done accepting “almost” as a destination. 

Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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