Josh Allen Owns the Moment as Bills Turn the Page on Sean McDermott Era
When a franchise makes a major shift, it’s easy to point fingers. But Josh Allen isn’t taking the easy way out. The Buffalo Bills quarterback stepped up this week and took ownership of his role in the team’s decision to part ways with head coach Sean McDermott, who was dismissed just two days after Buffalo’s heartbreaking 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round.
Allen, speaking candidly on Thursday, didn’t shy away from the emotional weight of the moment-or the history he shares with McDermott.
“I called McDermott immediately,” Allen said. “I’ve got nothing but love and respect for McDermott. The last eight years of my life, he’s been through the ups and downs of me as a player, as a person.”
That relationship between quarterback and coach has been one of the defining partnerships in Buffalo’s recent resurgence. McDermott took over in 2017 and helped guide the franchise out of the wilderness, turning the Bills into perennial contenders. Allen, drafted a year later, blossomed under McDermott’s leadership into one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
But in the NFL, success isn’t just about winning-it’s about winning it all. And while McDermott delivered consistent playoff appearances and five straight AFC East titles from 2020 to 2024, the Super Bowl remained elusive. That missing piece ultimately led to the franchise making a change.
Allen, for his part, didn’t deflect responsibility.
“To know that we’ve had a lot of success here,” he said, “I’d be lying to you if I’m sitting here saying that I don’t feel like I had part in it. Because if I make one more play in that game in Denver, we’re probably not having this press conference right now.
We’re probably not making a change. We’re probably getting ready to play another game.”
That’s the kind of accountability you want from your franchise quarterback. Allen didn’t just reflect on what could’ve been-he acknowledged the razor-thin margins that define postseason football.
One play. One decision.
One moment. That’s often all it takes to swing a season, or a coaching tenure.
“That’s the hard part to take in from my perspective,” Allen added. “But that’s reality. It is what it is now, and I am very fortunate and thankful for coach McDermott and everything that he’s done and the trajectory that he’s set for our players.”
It’s a tough goodbye for a coach who helped reshape the culture in Buffalo. McDermott’s nine-year run included eight playoff appearances, a level of consistency the franchise hadn’t seen in decades. But the NFL is a results-driven business, and the lack of a Super Bowl appearance proved to be the sticking point.
Earlier this week, the Bills officially announced Joe Brady as their new head coach. Brady, who served as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator, now takes the reins with the task of pushing this talented roster over the championship hump.
As for Allen, he’s still very much at the center of the NFL spotlight. Last week, he was named a finalist for the 2025 MVP award, joining Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence, and Christian McCaffrey on the shortlist. Allen won the award last season, and while this year’s race looks like it could go down to the wire-with Maye and Stafford drawing plenty of buzz-Allen’s inclusion is a testament to his continued excellence.
So while the Bills are entering a new chapter, their franchise quarterback remains a constant. And if Thursday’s comments are any indication, he’s not just ready to lead-he’s ready to own everything that comes with it.