When the Buffalo Bills made the decision to part ways with head coach Sean McDermott, it wasn’t about one game or one moment-it was about a pattern. A pattern of coming close, but not close enough.
A pattern of building a contender, but not delivering a champion. McDermott helped raise the floor in Buffalo, but he never pushed the ceiling high enough.
And in a league where windows are short and expectations are sky-high, that ultimately cost him his job.
Let’s be clear: McDermott did a lot right. He arrived in Buffalo and helped turn around a franchise that had been wandering the playoff desert for nearly two decades.
He helped develop Josh Allen into one of the league’s most dynamic quarterbacks. He brought consistency, structure, and a defensive identity.
But in the NFL, the job isn’t just to make the playoffs. It’s to win when it matters most.
And too often, McDermott’s Bills came up short in the biggest moments.
Here’s a closer look at some of the key breakdowns that defined his tenure-and why the Bills ultimately decided it was time to move in a new direction.
The "13 Seconds" That Still Haunt Buffalo
Ask any Bills fan about the 2021 AFC Divisional Round, and you’ll likely get a pained look before they even say a word. Buffalo had a three-point lead over the Chiefs with just 13 seconds left.
Thirteen seconds. That should’ve been enough.
But instead of squibbing the kickoff and forcing Kansas City to burn precious time, the Bills kicked it deep, giving Patrick Mahomes a full field and a clean slate. Then came the prevent defense, the soft coverage, and the quick completions that moved the Chiefs into field goal range.
Harrison Butker drilled the kick. Kansas City won in overtime.
And just like that, one of the most thrilling games in NFL history ended in heartbreak for Buffalo.
It’s the kind of loss that sticks. And while there were breakdowns across the board, it’s the head coach who shoulders the burden of those final 13 seconds. McDermott never fully explained the decision-making, and the moment became symbolic of his struggles in crunch time.
Clock Management Woes
If the "13 seconds" game was the defining moment, it wasn’t the only one. McDermott’s game management-particularly in high-pressure moments-was often a sore spot.
Take the most recent loss to Denver. With the first half winding down, the smart play was to kneel out the clock.
Instead, the Bills got aggressive, and Josh Allen fumbled. Denver turned that into a field goal.
A three-point swing that didn’t need to happen.
Earlier in that same game, Buffalo burned two timeouts in the first half-one on offense just two plays into a drive, and another on defense right after Denver had already called a timeout. The third timeout was lost to injury, but the first two were avoidable. In tight games, that kind of mismanagement adds up.
Then came overtime. The Bills won the toss and chose to kick-an unconventional move that backfired.
Denver ended up with the ball twice in OT. Buffalo got it once.
That’s not how you want to play the percentages, especially in a game with playoff implications.
The 12-Men Penalty That Changed Everything
In a November 2023 rematch with the Broncos, Buffalo looked like it had survived a wild finish. Denver missed a last-second field goal, and it seemed like the Bills had escaped with a win. But then came the flag.
Twelve men on the field.
The penalty gave Denver another shot, five yards closer. This time, they didn’t miss. And Buffalo dropped a game it had all but won.
These are the kinds of mistakes that point back to preparation and sideline organization. Yes, players have to execute.
But the coaching staff is responsible for making sure the right personnel are on the field at the right time. That one stung-and not just because of the result, but because of what it said about the overall operation.
Too Loyal for Too Long: The Ken Dorsey Dilemma
McDermott’s loyalty to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey may have been admirable, but it also proved costly.
Dorsey had a strong rapport with Josh Allen as a quarterbacks coach, but when he stepped into the OC role to replace Brian Daboll, the offense lost its rhythm. The creativity, the balance, the ability to adapt-it all seemed to take a step back.
Despite the struggles, McDermott stuck with Dorsey deep into the 2023 season. The Bills were 5-5 before a change was finally made. That’s a long time to wait in a league where every game can swing a season.
Looking back, the signs were there. In the 2022 playoff loss to the Bengals-a 27-10 drubbing-Buffalo’s offense never found its footing.
Cincinnati dictated the pace, and the Bills never adjusted. That game was a red flag.
But the changes didn’t come soon enough.
Playing It Safe in the Biggest Games
One of the more frustrating aspects of McDermott’s tenure was his occasional tendency to play it safe when aggression was needed.
In the 2020 AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs, the Bills had early opportunities to punch back. Kansas City scored three touchdowns in the first half.
Buffalo? Three field goals.
That’s not how you keep up with a juggernaut like the Chiefs.
It was a moment that revealed McDermott’s conservative streak-a trait that can be valuable in some situations, but not when you’re trying to take down the league’s elite. In the playoffs, especially against teams like Kansas City, you have to be willing to swing big. Settling for three just isn’t enough.
The Final Verdict
Sean McDermott helped bring stability and relevance back to Buffalo. He built a winning culture, developed a franchise quarterback, and made the Bills a perennial playoff team. That’s no small feat.
But in the NFL, it’s not just about building a good team. It’s about winning the games that matter most. And over the years, McDermott’s Bills had too many near-misses, too many what-ifs, and too many moments where the coaching decisions came under the microscope.
In the end, the Bills didn’t just want to be contenders-they wanted to be champions. And after multiple seasons of coming up short, they decided it was time to find someone who could take them the rest of the way.