The NFL coaching carousel is spinning fast this offseason, and it just took a major turn. The Buffalo Bills have reportedly parted ways with head coach Sean McDermott, opening up one of the most attractive jobs on the market-and potentially giving the Cleveland Browns a second chance at a decision they once let slip away.
McDermott’s departure from Buffalo is big news on its own. He helped steer the franchise out of irrelevance and into consistent playoff contention, building a tough, disciplined team around quarterback Josh Allen. But now, with the Bills looking for a new voice and Allen still in his prime, this job instantly becomes one of the most desirable on the board-right up there with Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens, who are also making a change at the top.
Meanwhile, in Cleveland, the Browns are deep into their own coaching search. After moving on from Kevin Stefanski on Black Monday, they’re now entering the second phase of interviews, with in-person meetings lined up this week. But with McDermott suddenly available, there’s an intriguing wrinkle to consider-one that goes back nearly a decade.
Back when Sashi Brown was running the Browns’ front office and a young Andrew Berry was rising through the ranks as VP of player personnel, the team had a real shot at hiring McDermott. He was then the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and had impressed during the interview process-not just with his football acumen, but with his openness to innovation and fresh ideas. When it came time to vote, the Browns’ decision-makers were nearly unanimous: 4-1 in favor of McDermott.
But that wasn’t the vote that ultimately counted.
Despite strong internal support, ownership had other plans. Paul DePodesta, who was also part of the leadership group at the time, made a final push, even sending owner Jimmy Haslam an email outlining how the proposed hire of Hue Jackson didn’t align with the traits they’d agreed were vital for long-term success.
Brown echoed that sentiment in a meeting with Haslam, warning that hiring Jackson could be a misstep. Haslam acknowledged their concerns-but then flew to Cincinnati and hired Jackson anyway, giving him a direct line to ownership.
The rest, as Browns fans know, is history. Jackson’s tenure was short and rocky.
McDermott, meanwhile, went on to prove exactly why the Browns’ brass had been so high on him in the first place. In Buffalo, he built a contender.
He cultivated a culture. He won.
Now, the Browns have a rare chance to revisit that fork in the road. With McDermott back on the market and Cleveland still searching for its next leader, the question becomes: does the interest still go both ways? And could this be the moment the Browns finally make the hire they once believed in?
There’s no guarantee McDermott ends up in Cleveland-or that the Browns are even pursuing him. But the connection is hard to ignore. It’s not every day the NFL gives you a chance to rewrite your own history.