Sean McDermott still believes in the Buffalo Bills.
The former head coach, dismissed after the 2025 season, said this week that his old team belongs among the Super Bowl favorites. McDermott made the comments during an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” where he discussed Buffalo’s offseason and the roster general manager Brandon Beane has assembled.
McDermott coached the Bills for nine seasons. He compiled a 98-50 regular-season record and an 8-8 mark in the playoffs. Buffalo won multiple AFC East titles under him and reached the AFC championship game twice. The team never reached the Super Bowl.
That gap ultimately ended his tenure. There has been little public bitterness since the split. McDermott has taken time to consider his next move while staying informed about the franchise he helped rebuild.
He praised the work done since he left.
“Now, with what they’ve done, the moves that Brandon Beane has made, and the activity that they’ve had on the roster, just over the x-amount of months, I think has been very important. So I think if you’re betting on a Super Bowl contender, they are certainly one of them. I don’t see why you wouldn’t bet on them because the games, at the end of the day, have to be played…could be Bills-Rams; that would be a great Super Bowl,” McDermott said.
Many analysts already list Buffalo among the top Super Bowl candidates. A new coaching staff is part of the reason. Joe Brady replaced McDermott as head coach and has brought a different voice into the building.
McDermott did not fail in Buffalo. The organization simply decided a change was needed. Brady now has the chance to push the team past the final hurdle. The culture McDermott established remains in place.
If the Bills reach the Super Bowl this season, his influence will still be visible. Before he arrived, Buffalo spent years near the bottom of the standings. Under McDermott, the team made the playoffs in eight of nine seasons.
The front office concluded it was time to try a different approach. Expectations will be high when the regular season begins. The roster looks capable of winning a championship.
Josh Allen is still the quarterback. The dual-threat star wants a Super Bowl title to complete his résumé. Whether Buffalo can finally get there remains an open question.
McDermott figures to be watching closely. People close to the situation say he would be pleased to see the franchise finish the job.
Beane’s recent roster moves drew particular praise from the former coach. McDermott pointed to those additions as a reason outsiders should take Buffalo seriously.
He also noted that games still have to be played. Predictions only go so far. A potential matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, he said, would make for a compelling Super Bowl.
Brady inherits a team that already knows how to win in the regular season. The next step is converting that success into a conference title and a trip to the championship game.
Allen’s supporting cast has been upgraded in several spots. The defense and skill positions both received attention this offseason. Those changes are what McDermott highlighted when he called the Bills a legitimate contender.
For now, McDermott is on the outside looking in. He left behind a program far stronger than the one he inherited. The coming months will show whether a new coach can take that foundation all the way.
