Bills have an obvious choice to make with Sean McDermott no matter how the season ends
Sean McDermott is entrenched as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. We have heard time and time again that ownership and general manager Brandon Beane alike have the highest regard for McDermott, with there never being so much of a whisper of anything less than total trust.The Bills are on their way to another […]
Sean McDermott is entrenched as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. We have heard time and time again that ownership and general manager Brandon Beane alike have the highest regard for McDermott, with there never being so much of a whisper of anything less than total trust.
The Bills are on their way to another playoffs, which McDermott has led them to each of the last five seasons, with this year marking the sixth, and five consecutive AFC East division titles.
Mike Payton of A to Z sports recently published an article listing three potential head coaching destinations for current Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and the Bills were one of them. Here's what he said about the situation.
Josh Allen is so much like Matthew Stafford to me. Just has unlimited talent, yet you still feel like if someone could harness it in the right way, he'd be a thousand times better. That is also incredibly scary because he's already extremely good. Imagine what Johnson could do with a guy who can throw from anywhere and be mobile.
The Bills are a good team and they're headed to the playoffs, but they might also be in a spot where Buffalo is tired of waiting and if head coach Sean McDermott can't get it done in year seven, then he might not ever get it done.
There's patience and then there's waiting too long. This feels like the latter. This is a good place for Johnson because they can be patient, they have the weapons and they have a good owner.
While I love the idea of Josh Allen running a Ben Johnson offense, this doesn't seem likely. McDermott has the highest winning percentage in team history, and is behind only legendary coach Marv Levy for the most wins as the head coach of the Bills. He and Beane are linked together with contracts through the 2027 season.
The primary reason why I don't see McDermott going anywhere is how crucial it is to have continuity in the NFL. No, the Bills haven't been able to win a Super Bowl, but they've been knocking on the door every season. Just because they haven't been able to get past Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, who are arguably the most dominant dynasty in NFL history, doesn't mean you fire the coaches and start over.
In fact, I think they go the opposite direction. I think the Bills do everything they can to keep McDermott and his two coordinators all together going forward, using this season as a building blocks moment. The first year with Joe Brady as offensive coordinator has been a success, with quarterback Josh Allen long being a supporter of his. Bobby Babich is doing a fantastic job with the defense, and the team has young players that they are looking to compete, and build, with.
Moving on from McDermott and hiring Ben Johnson would then but Brady's role in question. Would Johnson want to serve as the offensive play-caller for the next team that he serves as the head coach of? Would that push Brady to accept a role with another team?
It would have broad-sweeping effects throughout the organization. Firing McDermott would send this team back to the building blocks, not get them closer to their goals.
Follow along all year for more Buffalo Bills coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on Bluesky @jonhelmkamp.bsky.social, and make sure to follow our main page @AtoZSports.bsky.social for all the latest news.
