Former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott broke his silence after his surprising termination on Monday, January 19.
“For nearly a decade, I have had the opportunity to wake up every morning as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, which has truly been a gift,” McDermott, 51, wrote on Monday. “I want to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Pegula family, the Buffalo Bills organization, and the fans for allowing me to live out the dream of being a head coach in the NFL in this incredibly special place.”
He continued, “I am proud and humbled to have worked alongside amazing staff and players as we shared life together and poured our hearts and souls into both winning football games and making a positive impact in our community. This community graciously embraced not only me but my family and, in many ways, helped raise our children over the last nine years. For that, I say thank you to all of the teachers, coaches, and friends we met along the way — the City of Good Neighbors. We love you. We will miss Buffalo.”
McDermott spent the last nine seasons as the head coach of the Bills before he was abruptly fired.
He and his wife, Jamie McDermott, share three children: daughters Maddie, 17, and Kelly, 9, and son Gavin, 15.
“Bills Mafia, you are one of one!” McDermott said of the team’s dedicated fan base. “It has been a joy and inspiration to witness your passion and commitment firsthand. I always wanted our teams to play with the same level of toughness and grit that is true to Buffalo and that you demonstrate every day.”
He concluded, “God gave me and my family an incredible opportunity, one that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Yet we know that HE has a plan. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your head coach. God Bless.”
McDermott’s firing came on the heels of the team’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round on Saturday, January 17.
Despite five AFC East titles and two appearances in the AFC Championship game, McDermott’s teams never advanced to a Super Bowl during his tenure.
Bills owner Terry Pegula said in a statement, “Sean has done an admirable job of leading our football team for the past 9 seasons. But I feel we are in need of a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level.”
McDermott’s firing came as a surprise to many, including Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.
“This s*** here is so stupid honestly sickening,” Phillips, 33, wrote via his Instagram Story on Monday. “The best coach I’ve ever been around.”
Phillips also posted a graphic touting McDermott’s success in Buffalo, which read, “Record: 106-58. Net points: +795. 5th most points scored. 3rd fewest points allowed.”
Bills safety Damar Hamlin also reacted to McDermott’s firing on social media, calling him “a true leader of men.”
“Thank You For Everything! On & Beyond The Field,” Hamlin, 27, wrote via X on Monday. “We Love You Coach.”
