At last week’s press conference, Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula outlined the team’s plan for finding a new head coach following the departure of Sean McDermott. Leading that search is newly appointed team president Brandon Beane, who’s stepping into a bigger role as the franchise looks to reset. Beane will be joined by assistant general managers Terrance Gray and Brian Gaine, as well as quarterback Josh Allen, who’s sitting in on the first round of interviews-a rare but telling move that signals how much the organization values its franchise QB’s perspective in shaping the team’s future.
But there was another name on the list that caught some attention: Laura Pegula.
While her role within the organization hasn’t been publicly defined, Laura Pegula has quietly become a more visible presence around the Bills and Sabres in recent years. She’s the eldest daughter of Terry Pegula from his first marriage and has increasingly been seen at major team events. That includes appearances at league meetings, where she’s represented the Bills since 2023 following Kim Pegula’s medical issues, and at public events like the 2024 NFL Draft and Lindy Ruff’s introductory press conference with the Sabres.
Her involvement isn’t just ceremonial. After Kim Pegula was declared legally incapacitated in 2023, a portion of the team’s ownership was transferred to Laura as part of the NFL’s succession planning requirements. That shift, while quiet, signals that she’s not just standing beside her father-she’s playing a part in the future of the franchise.
Still, there’s a lot we don’t know. Laura Pegula doesn’t have a background in sports management.
She holds a geology degree and spent much of her professional career working in the Pegula family’s energy business. But her growing presence at key organizational events suggests she’s becoming more involved in the day-to-day or at least the high-level decision-making that shapes the Bills’ direction.
It’s also worth noting that Jessica Pegula-Terry and Kim’s daughter-had long been seen as the likely successor to Kim in the family’s sports empire. As a top-tier pro tennis player, Jessica understands the demands and nuances of professional sports from the inside.
Her husband, Taylor Gahagen, previously worked in corporate development with the Bills, but he left the organization after Kim’s health issues. Jessica continues to compete on the WTA Tour, and while she remains connected to the family’s sports interests, her focus is still very much on her playing career.
So while Jessica once seemed like the natural heir to the Pegula sports portfolio, it’s Laura who now appears to be stepping into a more active role-at least for the time being.
What exactly that role entails remains unclear. But her inclusion in the head coach search committee suggests that within the walls of One Bills Drive, her voice carries weight. Whether she’s there as a trusted advisor to her father or as someone being groomed for a larger leadership role, it’s evident that Laura Pegula is becoming a more integral part of the Bills’ organizational fabric.
For now, she might just be another respected set of eyes and ears in the room-but in a franchise where ownership stability and vision are crucial, that presence could matter more than we realize.