The Buffalo Bills are now among the NFL teams seeking a new head coach after parting ways with Sean McDermott following nine seasons at the helm. The announcement came Monday morning shortly after the Bills fell to the Denver Broncos in overtime during the divisional round of the playoffs.
The news itself broke during live programming on ESPN and NFL Network as they were both recapping the divisional round of the postseason. With the news breaking in real time, both ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport showcased working the news in real time.
As Get Up was finalizing a conversation on if Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud should have been benched in their loss against the New England Patriots, Schefter’s chair on set was empty.
Instead host Mike Greenberg was the one to deliver the headline, with Schefter returning to the set with additional information and insight.
As for the NFL Network and their morning program Good Morning Football, Rapoport declined to answer a question from co-host Kyle Brandt regarding the process of Bo Nix’s injury on Saturday.
NFL Network moved away from Rapoport to shift to discussions about the emotions following the Bills loss to the Broncos after another postseason exit. Rapoport returned minutes later with the news, which led to continuing discussion of McDermott’s firing.
McDermott’s departure brings the total number of teams with upcoming coaching vacancies to 10. Nine of those openings result from firings, while Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin opted to step down last week. Meanwhile, the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons have already filled their positions, naming John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski, respectively.
“Sean has done an admirable job of leading our football team for the past nine seasons,” Bills owner Terry Pegula said in a statement. “But I feel we are in need of a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level.”
McDermott transformed the Bills into a consistent playoff contender. During his tenure, Buffalo reached the postseason eight times and claimed five AFC East titles. However, the team was unable to advance to the Super Bowl under his guidance. Before McDermott’s arrival, the Bills had not reached the playoffs since the 1999 season.
As the Bills embark on this next chapter, fans and insiders alike will be watching closely to see which direction the organization takes in pursuit of its first championship appearance in decades.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
