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Sean McDermott taking the fall for Josh Allen’s playoff nightmare is deserved
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The Buffalo Bills had a nightmarish end to the 2025 season. Buffalo lost a heartbreaking overtime game against Denver that featured plenty of mistakes on both sides of the football. That crushing playoff loss clearly shook the organization, as the Bills decided to fire head coach Sean McDermott on Monday.
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Buffalo's decision to fire McDermott has already received plenty of backlash . One common argument is that McDermott is being scapegoated despite proving himself as an excellent head coach over the past several seasons.
It does not help the optics that QB Josh Allen had a sloppy game against Denver .
Allen made his fair share of mistakes against the Broncos . He went 25-of-39 for 283 passing yard with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also added 12 carries for 66 rushing yards.
Beyond those two interceptions, Allen was also sacked three times and lost two fumbles.
Allen took full responsibility for Buffalo's loss , citing his turnovers as the main reason why the game got out of hand.
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"I let my teammates down tonight. … It's been a long season. Hate how it ended," Allen said. "This is gonna stick with me for a long time… Can't win with 5 turnovers."
To critics, Saturday's ugly loss probably looks more like a fluke than a fundamental problem with the team as presently constructed.
But did McDermott deserve to be fired? And who will the Bills find to replace him?
Below we will explore why the Bills were right to fire Sean McDermott following Buffalo's playoff exit.
Sean McDermott had plenty of opportunities to get Buffalo to the Super Bowl
Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Let's start by acknowledging that McDermott is a talented head coach.
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He led the Bills to a 98-50 regular-season record in nine seasons. During that stretch, the Bills were the second-winningest team in the NFL. So that should count for something.
Unfortunately, the Bills just could not get the job done in the playoffs under McDermott.
On paper, it looks okay that McDermott is 8-8 during the playoffs. But when you dig into the details, it is easy to see that Buffalo was unable to sustain success in the postseason.
Let's take a look at how the Bills fared in the playoffs after Josh Allen arrived in 2018.
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2019: Lost in Wild Card round to Texans
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2020: Lost in AFC Championship to Chiefs
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2021: Lost in Divisional Round to Chiefs
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2022: Lost in Divisional Round to Bengals
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2023: Lost in Divisional Round to Chiefs
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2024: Lost in AFC Championship to Chiefs
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2025: Lost in Divisional Round to Broncos
McDermott had seven opportunities to make the Super Bowl with Allen. In my opinion, that's more than enough time for ownership to get a little antsy.
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This is a tough situation because solely based on Buffalo's performance on Saturday, I don't actually think firing McDermott makes sense. But when considering the history, I can understand why Buffalo's ownership wanted a change.
If the Bills want to spice things up moving forward, it won't be by getting rid of Allen. That makes the coaching staff the next logical choice.
Could the Bills upgrade at head coach after firing Sean McDermott?
One big reason why I think firing McDermott was a good move is that Buffalo now has the opportunity to upgrade their coaching staff.
I know that sounds like a bold statement, but hear me out.
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The Bills should have one of the most appealing head coach openings in recent memory. By firing McDermott, the Bills could suddenly have their pick of almost any remaining candidate.
This is an opportunity for Buffalo to redefine themselves during what could be the final handful of seasons of Josh Allen's prime. And I find it fascinating thinking about all the different directions they could go in.
Buffalo could add an innovative offensive-minded head coach to try and maximize Allen's strengths. Someone like Mike McDaniel or Kliff Kingsbury could make sense if Buffalo wants an experienced candidate. However, if they're willing to try a first-year head coach then there's even more options.
Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, Rams OC Mike LaFleur, and Jaguars OC Grant Udinski all spring to mind for me.
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However, the Bills could always double down on their defense instead. Pairing Allen with an elite defense could be what Buffalo needs to get over the hump.
Personally, I would love to see Buffalo consider a defensive genius like Brian Flores, Jeff Hafley, or Steve Spagnuolo. Or perhaps a younger candidate like Chargers DC Jesse Minter or Rams DC Chris Shula.
Whatever direction Buffalo heads in, their fans will want to see some urgency this offseason.
Related: Sean McDermott writes classy farewell to Buffalo after firing
Related: NFL Divisional Round Winners and Losers: Seahawks dominate, Bears run out of miracles
