Bills Fire HC Sean McDermott
In the wake of another disappointing playoff exit, the Bills are making a change on the sidelines. Sean McDermott is out, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
General manager Brandon Beane will remain in place, Rapoport adds. He will help lead the search for McDermott’s replacement. Buffalo has now become the 10th team in the NFL to make a head coaching change during the 2026 offseason. The rest of the Bills’ staff was being informed of the news when it broke, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.
[RELATED: Bills Promote Beane To President Of Football Ops]
McDermott arrived in Buffalo in 2017. His tenure has been defined in large part by sustained success in the regular season, with the Bills reaching the playoffs all but once and posting double-digit wins in each of the past seven years. Despite the availability and high level of play produced by quarterback Josh Allen, however, McDermott’s teams have yet to break through in the postseason. The franchise will look to do so with a new voice on the sidelines.
Allen and McDermott have won a total of eight playoff games together. That is the most in NFL history by a HC-QB tandem which has failed to reach a Super Bowl (h/t WFAA’s Ed Werder). A path to ending that streak of shortcomings appeared to exist during this year’s playoffs in particular, with Patrick Mahomes‘ Chiefs, Lamar Jackson‘s Ravens and Joe Burrow‘s Bengals all missing the tournament. Nevertheless, an overtime loss in Denver on Saturday marked another loss in the divisional round for the Bills.
A turnover-filled performance on Allen’s part was a major factor in this year’s Buffalo exit. Overall, though, underwhelming showings on defense were seen on multiple postseason occasions over the years during McDermott’s Buffalo tenure. Given his background as a defensive coordinator, that increasingly became a talking point with respect to McDermott’s job security. A firing in this case adds further to the noteworthy changing of the guard when it comes to multiple AFC teams known for stability.
Today’s McDermott news does not entirely come as a surprise, however. Entering the wild-card round, the Bills and Packers were named as potential John Harbaugh suitors. Green Bay wound up reaching an extension agreement with Matt LaFleur recently, but Buffalo has elected to take the alternative route. Harbaugh has already made his decision, officially taking on the Giants’ HC gig this past weekend. Kevin Stefanski is also off the board, since he is now with the Falcons.
Buffalo now joins the list of destinations for HC candidates. With Allen and a core of players attached to long-term extensions (signed, in many cases, last offseason), the Bills will no doubt be seen as one of the more attractive landing spots for staffers. Once a hire is made, Allen will begin the process of adapting to a new head coach for the first time in his career.
After their run of four straight Super Bowl losses under Marv Levy, sustained success proved difficult to attain for the Bills. Seven different full-time head coaches were in place until McDermott’s hire. His arrival helped spark a run which included five consecutive AFC East titles. Overall, McDermott posted a record of 98-50 in the regular season and 8-8 in the playoffs.
Beane, like McDermott, worked with the Panthers before coming to the Bills nine years ago. His tenure has overlapped with many of the team’s best accomplishments in recent memory, sparked of course by the decision to draft Allen in 2018. Beane has drawn criticism for elements of his roster-building approach, though, and in 2025 in particular his actions (or lack thereof) at the receiver position were a main talking point. Nonetheless, Buffalo has opted for stability in the front office moving forward.
Lengthy HC tenures in Baltimore (Harbaugh) and Pittsburgh (Mike Tomlin) recently came to an end. With McDermott now out as well, the AFC will look far different on the sidelines when the 2026 season kicks off. Meanwhile, McDermott’s next move will become one of the top storylines around the league as the coaching landscape takes shape.
Latest On Sean McDermott’s Firing; Ravens, Steelers, Titans Potential Suitors?
The Bills’ 2025 season and Sean McDermott‘s tenure as their head coach ended with a 33-30 divisional round loss to the Broncos on Saturday. McDermott received his walking papers after falling short of a Super Bowl bid for a ninth straight year, but his firing on Monday came as a surprise to him and just about everyone else.
McDermott still believed his job was safe after the Denver game, Tim Graham of The Athletic reports. The 51-year-old continued with business as usual Sunday in conducting exit interviews at One Bills Drive. Owner Terry Pegula canned McDermott a day later and promoted the head coach’s longtime running mate, general manager Brandon Beane, to president of football operations/GM.
Beane will lead the search to replace McDermott, who went an excellent 106-58 (including 8-8 in the playoffs), earned eight playoff berths and won five division titles in his first head coaching stint.
Now one of the most accomplished coaches available, McDermott figures to draw interest from at least some teams with openings. Indeed, there are clubs that “want to move quickly” on McDermott, though some of their key decision-makers were busy conducting in-person meetings with other head coaching candidates on Monday, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
The Dolphins are hiring Jeff Hafley, while the Giants reeled in John Harbaugh and the Falcons brought in Kevin Stefanski. That leaves the Cardinals, Ravens, Browns, Raiders, Steelers and Titans as 2026 possibilities for McDermott. The Ravens, Steelers and Titans may be the most logical fits, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network says.
After eight years with Josh Allen as his quarterback, heading to Baltimore as Harbaugh’s replacement would enable McDermott to work with a second straight MVP-winning signal-caller, Lamar Jackson.
The Steelers don’t have QB figured out for 2026 (Aaron Rodgers‘ return may still be on the table), which could turn off McDermott, but he’d land with a perennial playoff contender. The club didn’t post a sub-.500 record in any of its 19 years under Mike Tomlin, McDermott’s college teammate at William & Mary, and is coming off an AFC North-winning campaign. Hiring McDermott would represent a significant change in course for the Steelers, though. Their only three head coaching choices since 1969 – Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and then Tomlin – were all 30-somethings with no prior experience in the role.
Baltimore and Pittsburgh typically expect to contend each year, but that hasn’t been the case in Tennessee in recent seasons. The Titans have gone an awful 19-49 during their four-year playoff drought, meaning McDermott or any other potential hire will face a tall task in attempting to lead the franchise back to relevance. It wouldn’t be new territory for McDermott, who arrived in Buffalo in 2017 looking to revive an organization that was mired in a 17-year playoff drought. He guided the Bills back to the playoffs in his first season, the beginning of a long run of success.
The cupboard isn’t bare in Tennessee, which drafted QB Cam Ward No. 1 overall in 2025. The next coaching staff will aim to to develop Ward into a franchise passer. The Titans will also enter the offseason with a boatload of cap space and the No. 4 pick in the draft. A quick turnaround could be in store if the Titans make the right head coaching hire, though it’s unknown if the position appeals to McDermott. For now, Matt Nagy is reportedly the leading candidate for the job.
Ravens Plan Second HC Interview With Bills OC Joe Brady
The Ravens are planning to host Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady for a second head coaching interview this week, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Brady, 36, just completed his first interview with the Ravens on Sunday. He must have impressed the team’s decision-makers, as they are already seeking another meeting.
Baltimore may also be moving quickly to evaluate Brady before the Bills get too deep into their search process to replace Sean McDermott. Brady is an obvious candidate to become Buffalo’s next head coach given his familiarity with Josh Allen and role in building their offense.
That success is likely the main reason the Ravens were interested in Brady in the first place. He first arrived in Buffalo as the Bills’ quarterbacks coach in 2022 after a short, unsuccessful stint as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator. During the 2023 season, Brady was promoted to offensive coordinator to replace Ken Dorsey and engineered a stronger, more balanced unit for the rest of the year.
The Bills have continued to operate as one of the best offenses in the league under Brady, which has led to head coaching interest from multiple teams. In addition to the Ravens, he interviewed with the Raiders, Giants, and Dolphins. He is all but certain to land an interview with his current team as well.
Here is a full overview of the Ravens’ head coaching search:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Second interview requested
- Anthony Campanile, defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed 1/19
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/13
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/8
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/12
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/9
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/15
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/14
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/11
- Darren Rizzi, special teams coordinator (Broncos): Interview expected
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/18
- Nate Scheelhaase, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/14
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Kevin Stefanski, former head coach (Browns): Second interview requested for 1/21
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Second interview scheduled for 1/20
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/8
Joe Brady, Brian Daboll, Davis Webb Potential Candidates For Bills’ HC Job
After the shocking firing of Sean McDermott on Monday, the Bills are in the market for a head coach for the first time since 2017. They may not look far for McDermott’s replacement, though, with Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady emerging as an early contender for the position. The 36-year-old “has a lot of fans in that building,” according to Connor Hughes of SNY.
[RELATED: Bills Promote Brandon Beane To President Of Football Ops/GM]
Brady spent four seasons under McDermott, who hired the ex-Panthers offensive coordinator as the Bills’ quarterbacks coach in 2022. While Brady opened 2023 in the same role, he finished the year as interim O-coordinator after the midseason firing of Ken Dorsey.
The Bills, 5-5 when they waved goodbye to Dorsey, reeled off six wins in their last seven after Brady began calling the plays. The team earned an AFC East title and won its first playoff game before falling to the Chiefs in the divisional round. Brady did enough over two-plus months for McDermott to promote him on to the full-time gig.
The Bills finished 10th in total offense and scored the second-most points in the NFL in 2024, Brady’s first year on the job. Quarterback Josh Allen won MVP honors for the first time, but the Chiefs again knocked the Bills out of the playoffs – this time in the AFC Championship Game.
In Year 2 under Brady, Buffalo ranked fourth in both yards and scoring, and running back James Cook led the league in rushing. The Bills’ offense amassed 57 points in two playoff games, but a 33-30 loss to the Broncos in the divisional round cost McDermott his job – a role that could go to Brady.
Although Brady doesn’t have any head coaching experience, he has drawn plenty of interest around the league over the past couple of years. The Bears, Jaguars, Saints and Jets all interviewed him before hiring different head coaches last January. As part of this year’s hiring cycle, Brady has already interviewed with the Falcons, Ravens, Raiders and Dolphins. Atlanta (Kevin Stefanski) and Miami (Jeff Hafley) have since filled their HC positions, but it appears the Bills will seriously consider Brady for another promotion.
A few years before Brady took over the Bills’ offense, Brian Daboll was in charge from 2018-21. The former McDermott sidekick is often credited with helping develop a young Allen into a superstar.
Daboll and Allen, integral parts of a top-tier Buffalo offense from 2020-21, forged a close bond during their time together. They may reunite in the coming weeks, as executives around the league told Dianna Russini of The Athletic that Daboll is a name to watch for in the Bills’ search.
As someone who grew up in the Western New York area, Daboll has close ties to the region. He also carries head coaching experience, though his first try with the Giants yielded uninspiring results.
The Giants went 20-40-1 in three-plus seasons under Daboll, whom they fired in November. After going 9-7-1 and winning a playoff game in 2022, Daboll’s rookie season, the Giants won just 11 of their last 44 games under his leadership. Despite early flashes, Daniel Jones didn’t develop into the answer under center for the Giants, which played a key role in Daboll’s struggles.
Daboll would inherit an elite QB in returning to Buffalo, but it’s debatable whether he’d provide an upgrade over McDermott, owner of a 98-50 regular-season mark and an 8-8 playoff record. At .662, McDermott boasts the 15th-best all-time winning percentage among head coaches. Daboll’s .336 mark is a whopping 326 points worse.
Former Bills signal-caller Davis Webb, who played with Allen from 2019-21 and under Daboll from 2019-22 (including a year with the Giants), is another potential option to replace McDermott, Peter Schrager of ESPN relays. Webb immediately got into coaching in 2023, the first year after his playing career ended, as the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach in 2023. He continues to hold that job, but head coach Sean Payton also promoted Webb to offensive pass game coordinator this season.
Webb, who has helped 2024 first-rounder Bo Nix turn into a quality starter, has already interviewed with the Raiders and Ravens this month. Although he’s just 30 years old (he’ll turn 31 on Thursday), Webb is a strong candidate to earn second interviews with one or both of those teams.
The Broncos will host the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, meaning Webb won’t be available to meet with teams this week. He’s now focused on leading an undermanned Broncos passing attack that lost Nix to a season-ending ankle injury in their win over the Bills. No matter how far they go, the Broncos are likely to ride out the season with career backup Jarrett Stidham replacing Nix. Webb’s surging stock will continue rising if the 29-year-old Stidham performs well in his fifth career start and first since 2023. Regardless, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Bills contact him, especially considering Webb’s close friendship with Allen.
Whether it’s Brady, Daboll, Webb or another candidate, the Bills’ next HC will likely have a say in the fate of their remaining coaches, Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News reports. With the exception of offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, who retired Sunday, all of McDermott’s former assistants are still in place.
The well-regarded Kromer, 58, had two stints running the Bills’ offensive line (the first from 2015-16, the second from 2022-25). He began his NFL coaching career assisting with the Raiders’ O-line in 2001. Kromer later worked with the Buccaneers, Saints, Bears and Rams in various roles. He went 2-4 as the Saints’ interim head coach in 2012, the year of Payton’s BountyGate suspension, and was the Bears’ offensive coordinator from 2013-14.
With Kromer hanging it up, assistant OL coach Austin Gund may be in line as his successor, per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. That’ll be up to the Bills’ next head coach, but it stands to reason a Brady promotion would give Gund a better chance of returning in 2026.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/19/26
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Buffalo Bills
- DT Tommy Akingbesote, LB Jimmy Ciarlo, OL Travis Clayton, DB Te’Cory Couch, CB M.J. Devonshire, RB Frank Gore Jr., WR Stephen Gosnell, WR Mecole Hardman, LB Keonta Jenkins, DE Andre Jones Jr., DT Zion Logue, DB Daryl Porter Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- CB Michael Reid
Pittsburgh Steelers
Bills Promote Brandon Beane To President Of Football Operations/GM
After their latest gut-wrenching postseason loss, the Bills made the eye-opening decision to fire longtime head coach Sean McDermott on Monday. McDermott spent his entire nine-year tenure in Buffalo alongside general manager Brandon Beane, but they’re not walking out the door together. Rather, the Bills promoted Beane to president of football operations/GM on Monday.
As part of a lengthy statement, owner Terry Pegula announced: “Brandon will oversee all facets of our football operation, including the oversight of our coaching staff. I have full faith in and have witnessed Brandon’s outstanding leadership style and have confidence in his abilities to lead our organization.”
Beane will lead the search for McDermott’s successor, though Pegula and president of business operations Pete Guelli will also have input. The Bills’ next head coach will report to Beane. McDermott, on the other hand, reported to Pegula.
This will be the first head coaching hire of Beane’s career. The former Panthers executive took over as the Bills’ GM in May 2017, four months after McDermott joined the organization. The two were familiar with one another after teaming up in Carolina, where McDermott was the defensive coordinator for six years before Buffalo picked him as its sideline leader.
In the first season of the McDermott-Beane era, the Bills unexpectedly finished 9-7 with Tyrod Taylor under center and snapped a 17-year playoff drought. That was the first in a long line of successful seasons for the two.
Before McDermott’s firing, he was at the helm for seven straight seasons of 10-plus wins. The Bills have posted a 98-50 regular-season record with eight playoff berths and five AFC East titles since 2017. However, an inability to get over the hump in the playoffs and capitalize on the presence of superstar quarterback Josh Allen, whom Beane traded up for and drafted seventh overall in 2018, led to McDermott’s ouster.
Allen has generally thrived in the playoffs, but he and the Bills didn’t get past the AFC Championship Game under McDermott. They lost each of their AFC title game appearances to the Chiefs (2020 and ’24). While the Bills won 12 regular-season games in 2025 and beat the Jaguars in the wild-card round to secure McDermott’s eighth playoff victory, their season concluded with a 33-30 overtime loss to the Broncos in the divisional round.
Although McDermott never guided the Bills to the Super Bowl, there’s a strong argument Beane didn’t provide the coach enough talent. An inability to land difference-makers in the draft has been an issue. As Benjamin Solak of ESPN notes, in 56 picks since cashing in big with the Allen choice, Beane has drafted just two players who have gone to the Pro Bowl (running back James Cook and tight end Dawson Knox).
Cook and Knox were important parts of another productive Bills offense in 2025, but Beane’s failure to find a high-end receiver since cutting ties with Stefon Diggs in 2024 continued weighing the team down this season. While the Bills were connected to names such as Jaylen Waddle, Jakobi Meyers and Rashid Shaheed before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, Beane didn’t pull off any deals.
After striking out at the deadline, Beane wound up signing well-traveled wideout Brandin Cooks, whom the Saints released, three weeks later. Cooks made a clutch 36-yard grab on a game-winning drive in Jacksonville, but an inability to secure a deep pass against the Broncos in overtime played a major role in the Bills’ loss. A bang-bang play was ruled an interception for Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, who wrestled the ball from Cooks and prevented the Bills from potentially setting up for the game-winning field goal.
Had the controversial Cooks play been ruled a catch, there’s a good chance McDermott would be preparing for the third AFC title game of his coaching career. He’s out of a job just two days later, though, leaving Beane to search for a worthy successor.
Bills Activate DT Ed Oliver, WR Curtis Samuel From IR
Buffalo is welcoming back a couple of reinforcements in time for Saturday’s divisional round matchup with Denver. The Bills have activated defensive tackle Ed Oliver and wide receiver Curtis Samuel from injured reserve.
Oliver’s seventh NFL season began auspiciously with a standout performance in a win over the Ravens in Week 1. However, after suffering a foot injury in practice, he missed the Bills’ next four games.
Oliver returned to play in two before tearing his biceps, an injury that forced him to IR on Oct. 28. The 28-year-old ended his regular season with 12 tackles, 11 pressures, seven TFL, five QB hits and three sacks in three games.
Although Oliver was only on the field for 108 defensive snaps during the regular season, Pro Football Focus assigned him a 90.4 grade against the run. Despite largely going without Oliver, the Bills’ defense finished with respectable marks in yards and points allowed (seventh and 12th, respectively). They struggled to stop the run without Oliver, though. Only four teams allowed more rushing yards than Buffalo during the regular season.
The Bills’ problems against the run continued in a wild-card round win over the Jaguars last week. The Jags rumbled for 154 yards on 23 attempts. Oliver’s return should give the Bills a better chance of preventing a similar showing from the Broncos’ ground game this week.
It’s unclear how many snaps Oliver will play following a layoff of two-plus months, especially after he underwent a meniscus cleanup in late December. Assuming he plays Saturday, though, Oliver will rejoin an interior group that also relies heavily on fellow veteran DaQuan Jones and a pair of rookies in Deone Walker and T.J. Sanders.
Samuel, who has been out since mid-November with an elbow injury, has disappointed during the first two seasons of a three-year, $24MM contract. The former Panther and Commander played in six regular-season games in 2025 and caught just seven passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. His return is nonetheless welcome for a Buffalo team whose receiving corps has offered lackluster production all year. Adding to the Bills’ problems at receiver, they lost two contributors, Tyrell Shavers and Gabriel Davis, to torn ACLs in Jacksonville.
Along with activating Oliver and Samuel, the Bills have elevated receiver Mecole Hardman and running back Frank Gore Jr. from their practice squad. Hardman will join Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Brandin Cooks as the Bills’ receivers in Denver.
Gore’s elevation suggests the Bills will go a second straight game without third-down back Ty Johnson, who’s questionable with an ankle injury. Working behind James Cook and Ray Davis, Gore caught one pass for six yards against the Jags.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/14/26
Here are today’s midweek minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: WR Tyrell Shavers (story)
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: S D’Anthony Bell
Houston Texans
- Reverted to season-ending IR: CB Ajani Carter
New England Patriots
- Designated for return from IR: RB Terrell Jennings
After tearing his ACL, further thinning out the Bills’ postseason wide receiving corps, Shavers has been placed on injured reserve. Buffalo has an experienced name or two on its practice squad that could end up filling in.
Carter wasn’t able to make it off IR within his 21-day practice window. He’ll revert back to IR without the ability to be activated again this season.
Dolphins Request HC Interviews With Joe Brady, Anthony Campanile
Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile are officially on the list of head coaching candidates for the Dolphins. The Dolphins have requested interviews with Brady and Campanile, according to reports from Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Brady, who’s in his second full season as the Bills’ O-coordinator, initially took the reins on an interim basis in November 2023. Then the Bills’ quarterbacks coach, Brady stepped in when Sean McDermott fired Ken Dorsey. The offense showed enough positives under Brady for the Bills to promote him to the full-time job.
After finishing second in scoring and 10th in total offense in 2024, a year in which quarterback Josh Allen won MVP honors, Brady landed on the head coaching radar last winter. The Bears, Jaguars, Jets and Saints all interviewed him before hiring other candidates.
Despite a lack of high-end receiving talent, Brady coached the Bills’ offense to fourth-place rankings in points and yards during the regular season. Allen’s strong play continued, while James Cook led the league in rushing during a 12-win campaign. Brady and the Bills then knocked off Campanile and the Jaguars in last week’s wild-card round. Buffalo will head to Denver for a divisional round meeting on Saturday.
The Dolphins join the Ravens as teams to request a meeting with the 36-year-old Brady, who was born in nearby Hollywood, Fla. While Miami is coming off a four-year run with an offensive-minded head coach in Mike McDaniel, it has mostly zeroed in on defensive candidates in this search. Brady, Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak and ex-Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski are exceptions, as PFR’s HC Search Tracker shows.
Campanile, 43, is the seventh defensive coordinator to receive an interview request from the Dolphins. After serving as an assistant in various roles at Rutgers, Boston College and Michigan from 2012-19, he got his start in the NFL as the Dolphins’ linebackers coach in 2020. Then-head coach Brian Flores brought in Campanile, who retained his position when McDaniel replaced Flores in 2022.
Campanile assisted McDaniel for two years before a one-season run as the Packers’ LBs coach and running game coordinator. Notably, new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was in Green Bay’s front office then.
Now coming off his first year as a coordinator, Campanile played a key role in helping the Jaguars and rookie head coach Liam Coen to a 13-4 record. While the Jaguars’ defense was among the NFL’s worst in 2024, it turned around its fortunes under Campanile. The unit ranked second in takeaways, eighth in scoring and 11th in yards in 2025. Campanile hasn’t received any other interview requests, but he’ll at least have a chance to convince Sullivan and the Dolphins he’s the right person to take over for McDaniel.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/13/26
The NFL’s latest reserve/futures deals…
Buffalo Bills
- OL Nick Broeker
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Devin Veresuk
Los Angeles Chargers
- LS Peter Bowden, WR Dalevon Campbell, DL TeRah Edwards, WR Luke Grimm, WR JaQuae Jackson, RB Amar Johnson, LB Emany Johnson, C Josh Kaltenberger, TE Tanner McLachlan, OLB Garmon Randolph, G Branson Taylor, QB DJ Uiagalelei, CB Isas Waxter, TE Thomas Yassmin
New York Giants
- DL Marlon Tuipulota
Pittsburgh Steelers