Once again, the NFL playoffs ended in heartbreak for the Buffalo Bills. They lost 33-30 in OT to the Broncos in a divisional round matchup.Â
There was a controversial turnover in OT that cost Buffalo a spot in the AFC championship game. This was the fourth time in the last five years that the Bills have lost in the divisional round. On Monday morning, the team announced major changes. After nine seasons, the Bills have fired head coach Sean McDermott. He leaves with a 98-5o record in the regular season and 8-8 in the playoffs.
Sean McDermott was let go by Buffalo after nearly a decade
Bills fired HC Sean McDermott, per source. pic.twitter.com/snnTXfzJaD
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 19, 2026
Following a loss to Denver in the AFC playoffs, the Bills have fired head coach Sean McDermott. He was with Buffalo for nine seasons. After John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin were fired, McDermott was the second-longest tenured head coach in the NFL. Regular-season success was not the issue for Sean McDermott in his time with Buffalo. He was 98-50 and had 10+ wins in each year sicne 2019. Additionally, the Bills won the AFC East in five consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2024.
However, playoff success is what held Sean McDermott and the Bills back. In his nine seasons, McDermott led Buffalo to eight playoff runs. Unfortunately, none made it past the AFC championship game. The Bills made two apperances to the AFC championship game under Sean McDermott. They lost to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs both times.
I will NEVER take for granted what Sean McDermott did for this franchise.
106-58 Record
8 Playoff Appearances
5 AFC East Titles
Broke The Drought#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/qZTOs6vfcT— Buffalo Sports Talk (@BUFSportsTalk) January 19, 2026
Sean McDermott helped take Buffalo out of one of their darkest points in franchise history. In his first season as head coach in 2017, McDermott helped end the city’s 18-year playoff drought. The only thing he was unable to do in his time with the Bills was reach the Super Bowl. That’s something the team hasn’t done since 1993. The Bills won an NFL record 91 games over the last seven seasons. That is the most in NFL history without a Super Bowl appearance.
The Bills are now one of eight teams actively searching for their next head coach. There have not been this many head coaching vacancies since the 2022 hiring cycle. Teams in need of a head coach ahead of 2026 include the Bills, Dolphins, Titans, Ravens, Steelers, Raiders, Cardinals, and Browns. Buffalo has a playoff conteding roster built and one of the top QBs in the league. That makes them one of, if not the most highly-coveted opening. Who will be the Bills’ next head coach?
