When the Buffalo Bills parted ways with head coach Sean McDermott, it sent shockwaves through the NFL world - and not everyone is on board with the decision. One of the most vocal critics?
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who didn’t hold back when reacting to the move.
“I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all,” Smith said on First Take, calling McDermott’s firing a scapegoating move.
But his frustration didn’t stop there - he turned his attention to the man now leading the coaching search: newly promoted team president Brandon Beane. Smith argued that if someone had to go, Beane should’ve been the one packing his bags.
“He’s the one that didn’t have the assets necessary in order for the Buffalo Bills to advance,” Smith said. “If the Bills had pulled the trigger before the trade deadline and landed Jaylen Waddle from Miami - a guy who can flat-out ball - and given Josh Allen that kind of threat, what would’ve happened?”
It’s a fair question. The Bills weren’t getting blown out in the playoffs.
In fact, they were grinding out wins and pushing top seeds to the brink. According to Smith, that speaks more to a roster that overachieved under McDermott than one that underperformed.
Let’s look at the numbers. McDermott’s record in Buffalo?
98-50 overall, with a 73-27 mark over the last six seasons - the best in the NFL over that stretch. That’s not just solid; that’s elite.
Yet, the glaring omission on his résumé is a trip to the Super Bowl. In nine seasons, McDermott led the Bills to the playoffs eight times, but none of those runs ended on the league’s biggest stage.
Still, this wasn’t a coach who consistently underdelivered. This was a coach whose teams often found themselves in the thick of January football, only to fall - more often than not - to the same familiar nemesis: the Kansas City Chiefs.
From 2020 to 2024, the Bills saw their postseason dreams dashed by Patrick Mahomes and company four times. Twice in the AFC Championship Game (2020, 2024), and twice more in agonizing one-score losses in the divisional round (2021, 2023).
One of those games featured a blown late lead. Another ended with a missed game-tying field goal attempt.
These weren’t blowouts - they were heartbreakers.
This year’s playoff exit followed the same painful pattern. Buffalo lost 33-30 in overtime to the Denver Broncos.
A controversial Josh Allen interception and a defensive pass interference penalty set up the Broncos’ game-winning field goal. Just like that, McDermott’s run in Buffalo was over.
And while the Bills didn’t reach the mountaintop under his leadership, McDermott still leaves as the second-winningest coach in franchise history, trailing only Hall of Famer Marv Levy. Levy coached 12 seasons and led the Bills to four straight Super Bowls in the early ’90s - a feat McDermott’s teams could never quite replicate. But Levy also had three more seasons and 14 more wins to his name.
Despite the dismissal, McDermott’s coaching future may not be on hold for long. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, McDermott is expected to be in the mix for several head coaching vacancies around the league. With more than half a dozen teams currently without a head coach - including the Cardinals, Ravens, Browns, Raiders, Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans - there’s no shortage of potential landing spots.
One team that stands out? The Pittsburgh Steelers.
Not only do they have a vacancy, but McDermott shares a long-standing friendship with former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. The two were college teammates at William & Mary, and that connection could open the door for an intriguing next chapter.
For now, though, the story in Buffalo is about a coach who helped turn a once-struggling franchise into a perennial contender - and is now out of a job. Whether or not you agree with the move, it’s clear that McDermott’s legacy in Buffalo is more complex than just wins and losses.
He built a culture, brought stability, and gave Bills fans a reason to believe again. That’s not something that should be forgotten anytime soon.