After falling to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, the Buffalo Bills decided to move on from head coach Sean McDermott. Now, McDermott is figuring out his next steps.
He would likely be a top head coach candidate for any still in need. However, it’s seeming more likely that McDermott spends the 2026 season away from the sidelines, via Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
“It’s unclear what McDermott will firmly decide to do. But to my knowledge, he has not engaged on any of these openings. Based on the conversations he’s had with people who have taken a year off after a long head coaching stint, all have said it was beneficial and worth it. We’ll see if that is the way Sean McDermott goes. But I believe it is likely that he ends up taking a year off.”
Hired heading into the 2017 season, McDermott spent nine years as head coach of the Bills. Buffalo went 98-50 under his watch. They also reached the playoffs all but one season. However, the Bills never advanced past the the AFC Championship Game under the head coach’s watch, leading to his dismissal.
With his playoff pedigree, many of the teams still in need of a head coach would look McDermott’s way. But with the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns or Las Vegas Raiders as his options, the head coach is deciding to scope out all the possibilities. A year off would also allow McDermott to re-evaluate himself as a head coach and determine what he needs to do better in his next stop.
As long as he is a free agent, McDermott will be linked to any head coach openings. But he is willing to be patient until he finds the perfect fit.
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