Sean McDermott may be out of the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching job, but he’s still watching the team closely - and he’s not shy about where he thinks they stand heading into 2026.
Appearing Friday on Rich Eisen’s show, McDermott was asked about the Bills’ offseason, including the trade for wide receiver DJ Moore. His answer was emphatic. He pointed to the work Brandon Beane has done and said the roster movement over the past several months matters.
“The moves that Brandon Beane has made, and the activity they’ve had on the roster just so over the last ‘X’ amount of months (have), I think, been very important. And so I think if you’re betting on a Super Bowl contender, they’re certainly one of them.
I don’t see why you wouldn’t bet on them. ... It’s one thing on paper, but another to play the game.”
McDermott also went a step further and named the Super Bowl LXI matchup he thinks could happen.
“It'll be Bills-Rams. It’d be a great Super Bowl.
Those Rams. Listen, people ask me all the time, ‘Hey, do you still root for your old team?’
And I said, ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ Right?
Of course I do.”
The former Bills coach also made clear he wants back on a sideline. After nine years in Buffalo, he left behind a résumé that includes eight playoff appearances, five straight AFC East titles and two AFC Championship Game trips. Josh Allen blossomed into an MVP under his watch, and the defense - especially the secondary - was a constant strength.
His firing at the end of 2025 caught plenty of fans off guard, especially those who felt Buffalo just needed a few more roster tweaks to break through.
Still, McDermott said on the show that he’s hungry to coach again.
“Look, I want to coach again. I want to be a head coach in the NFL, and I’ve got this burning desire in my heart to win a world championship, and to take that to an organization and a fan base. And so I owe that to myself, but I also owe it to the next organization that I work for, because I want to build on the success that we had in Buffalo.”
The Bills are now led by McDermott’s former offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and they open their 2026 season at the Houston Texans on September 13. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on CBS.
In Other News...
Bills Workouts Hint At A Week 1 Defensive Line Concern
With an opening game against the Texans looming, the Bills spent part of their Week 1 ramp-up taking a closer look at defensive help, bringing in seven players for workouts and evaluating six defenders in the process. The group was notable for its focus up front, where Buffalo checked on several defensive tackles and nose tackles who could fit into the teams 3-4 multiple scheme if the need on the line continues to grow.
Among the names examined were Jay Toia, Earnest Brown, Fatorma Mulbah and Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi, a sign that the Bills are at least doing the work on bodies and style fit before the real games begin. No move has been announced yet, but the timing of the workouts suggests Buffalo is keeping a close eye on a position group that could become one of the early concerns of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Bring Back A Fan Favorite For New Stadium Opener
The first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium is shaping up as more than just another early-season date on the calendar. Buffalo will open its new home against the Detroit Lions, and the Bills are also bringing back a familiar look that many fans have missed: red end zones, a design touch that has long carried extra meaning in Orchard Park.
The setting adds even more weight to a night that already feels like a milestone for the franchise. It lands in primetime on Amazon Prime Video as the seasons first Thursday Night Football game, giving the Bills a national stage for their new building and a return to some old-school visual flair. [Read more 🡒]
Former Bills Receiver Finds Himself At Another Career Crossroads
Ray-Ray McClouds latest NFL stop ended quickly in Chicago, where the Bears officially released the former Bills receiver from injured reserve with a settlement. It is the latest turn for a player who has spent much of his career moving from one opportunity to the next since being drafted in 2018, trying to stick long enough to carve out a stable role.
McCloud had appeared in six games for the Falcons in 2025 before joining the Bears in August, giving him another chance to extend a journeyman path that has already taken several twists. For Buffalo fans, it is another reminder of how rarely the leagues fringe wideouts get a clean runway, and how quickly a fresh start can turn into another crossroads. [Read more 🡒]