Bills fired Sean McDermott due to Broncos loss, playoff ‘wall,’ owner says

The physique wasn’t even chilly but when the Buffalo Payments determined to launch Sean McDermott.

The Payments fired McDermott on Monday following the workforce’s heartbreaking playoff loss to the Denver Broncos within the AFC divisional spherical.

That loss, workforce proprietor Terry Pegula stated, single-handedly price McDermott his job.

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Buffalo Payments head coach Sean McDermott and proprietor Terry Pegula earlier than the Buccaneers sport at Raymond James Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Photos)

“My choice to rent a brand new coach was based mostly on the outcomes of our sport in Denver,” Pegula, together with common supervisor Brandon Beane, informed reporters on Wednesday.

“I regarded round, the very first thing I seen was our quarterback along with his head down crying. I checked out all the opposite gamers, I checked out their faces and at our coaches, I walked over to Josh. [Allen]he did not even acknowledge I used to be there. The very first thing I stated to him was, ‘That was a catch.’ Everyone knows what I am speaking about. He did not acknowledge me. He simply sat there sobbing. He was listless. He had given every part he needed to win that match. And looking out round, so did all the opposite gamers on the workforce.”

“I did not hearth a coach based mostly on a foul choice by the referee. If I can take you to that locker room, I felt like yr after yr we had been hitting the proverbial playoff wall,” Pegula added.

The proprietor additionally famous that Allen “had no enter by any means” within the choice.

“I did not speak to Josh about this. I talked to him afterwards, however that dialog stays personal,” Pegula stated.

Buffalo Payments proprietor Terry Pegula earlier than the AFC divisional playoff sport towards the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Timothy T. Ludwig/Getty Photos)

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Beane was requested in regards to the lack of success at large receiver in Keon Coleman, however Pegula jumped in and blamed “teaching” on the primary choose of the second spherical in 2024. Ladd McConkey was the subsequent choice.

“The teaching employees put strain on Keon to be drafted,” Pegula stated. “I am not saying Brandon would not have drafted him, however he wasn’t his subsequent alternative. That was that Brandon was a workforce participant and took recommendation from his teaching employees, who had a robust opinion in regards to the participant. He, for some purpose, is happy about it and would not say a phrase about it. However I am right here to let you know the actual story.”

The loss dealt one other crushing blow to McDermott’s tenure as head coach of the Payments. McDermott took the job earlier than the beginning of the 2017 season, and Buffalo has completed under .500 simply as soon as since then. He helped the Payments to the playoffs in eight of his 9 seasons. The workforce reached the convention title sport twice, however by no means returned to the Tremendous Bowl.

Buffalo Payments head coach Sean McDermott speaks at a information convention after the Lions sport, Dec. 15, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Picture/Rey Del Rio)

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Many thought the Payments had been a workforce of future this yr as Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson all did not make the playoffs.

Sadly, Jarrett Stidham and the Broncos will face Drake Maye and the New England Patriots for a visit to the Tremendous Bowl.

Fox Information’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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