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The Bills have officially interviewed their offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, for their head coach opening after firing Sean McDermott
The Buffalo Bills abruptly cut ties with head coach Sean McDermott after the team’s bitter playoff loss, but the new regime may still be playing the blame game regarding the now-former coach.
Bills co-owner Terry Pegula fired McDermott after the team fell short in the divisional round, losing to the Denver Broncos in overtime after a game filled with mistakes and miscues. Though the team shared praise for McDermott in an initial statement, many believe that he has become the target of some blame for the team’s injury woes.
Sean McDermott a Target for Blame
While new head coach Joe Brady has been rounding out his staff, newly promoted president of football operations Brandon Beane announced that the team’s strength and conditioning staff would return. That group had come under criticism after the Bills suffered a number of costly injuries this season, but Beane appeared to point the finger elsewhere in announcing their return.
“We definitely had more soft tissue things that I would say were self-inflicted,” Beane said, via reporter Matt Parrino in a post on X. “And I think the alignment and the collaboration that Joe and I will have, let’s just say, with Nate Breske, Joe Collins, and Will Greenberg… I think the five of us will get very much get in sync, and I would expect that to improve.”
Many interpreted the “self-inflicted” remark as a dig at McDermott and his coaching decisions. The Bills saw a number of players injured during practice, including star defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who missed the majority of the season after a hot start.
Pegula had already pointed at McDermott during the press conference immediately following his firing, saying it was the coach who pushed for the team to draft wide receiver Keon Coleman.
“The coaching staff pushed for Keon (Coleman),” Pegula said during the press conference. “He was not Brandon’s next choice. Brandon (Beane) was being a team player.”
Coleman struggled with inconsistent play and disciplinary issues this season, with the team benching him twice for missing team meetings and practices.
Others have been more directly critical of McDermott after his firing. Former defensive end Jerry Hughes took to social media to blame the Bills coach for his defensive lapse in the “13 seconds” loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021.
Josh Allen Backs Keon Coleman
While Coleman became a target for criticism following the season, quarterback Josh Allen showed faith in the second-year receiver. Speaking to reporters this week after the hiring of Brady as head coach, Allen said he had faith that Coleman would bounce back and become an important part of the offense in 2026.
“I’m not going to give up on ‘0.’ He’s got too much ability,” Allen said. “I will not give up on him. We’re going to work tirelessly, him and me, and as well as everybody else in this building to make sure that whenever we step foot on the field, that we’re going to find ways to win football games, and he’s going to be a part of that.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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