Bills owner Terry Pegula and president of football operations/general manager Brandon Beane met with media on Wednesday morning to discuss the decision of relieving Sean McDermott of his head coaching duties.
They also talked about trying to bring a Super Bowl to Buffalo, what the head coaching search will entail and an update on quarterback Josh Allen.
Here are five things to know from the press conference.
Explaining the decision to move on from Sean McDermott
Bills owner Terry Pegula walked into the Bills locker room following the team's crushing overtime defeat to the Broncos in the AFC Divisional. Win or lose, Pegula always makes his way down to Buffalo's locker room to meet with the team.
"The first thing I noticed was our quarterback with his head down, crying. I looked at all the other players. I looked at their faces and our coaches'," Pegula recalled. "(Josh Allen) had given everything he had to try to win that game, and looking around, so did all the other players on the team. I saw the pain in Josh's face at his presser, and I felt his pain."
For the last seven seasons, the Bills' season has ended with the team coming up short of the Super Bowl, often crashing to a halt in a sudden, heartbreaking fashion.
"I felt like we hit the proverbial playoff wall year after year," Pegula said. "13 seconds, missed field goals, 'the catch'."
Pegula said the decision to move on from Sean McDermott was both "based on the results in Denver" and the deepening of a January scar that continued to grow year over year.
"It's been one year after another, and that was the sense of, how do we overcome this? And I just couldn't see us doing that with Sean. That's why I relieved him. It's not an easy decision," Pegula said.
The conclusion to let go of McDermott was Pegula's alone.
"I made the decision, and it is my decision," he said.
Following the playoff loss in Denver, Bills players returned to the team facility the next morning for team exit meetings. Bills quarterback Josh Allen did not have input on Pegula's verdict, nor did any other player.
"Terry's decision came on Monday, or that's when we were informed of his decision. So the players had already left," said general manager Brandon Beane.
However, Pegula and Allen have spoken since the coaching announcement.
"I didn't talk to Josh about this. I talked to him afterwards. That conversation will stay private, but he had no input," the Bills owner said.
Beane also shared that there's responsibility all round for not getting to a Super Bowl.
"I bear guilt, blame, responsibility. There's no finger pointing. I understand there's things I could have done better. And we're always looking to get better and that'll never change. If we don't win the Super Bowl next season and I'm up here explaining where we are and what we have to do," Beane said.
"He gave his heart and soul" | Pegula and Beane thank McDermott for his nine successful seasons
While Terry Pegula and Brandon Beane spent time talking about what's next for Buffalo, they also made sure they thanked Sean McDermott for his nine successful seasons as the Bills head coach and reflected on all their shared achievements.
Among the many things Pegula won't forget, one at the top of the list, is what McDermott did in his first season as the Bills head coach. McDermott quickly implemented an incredible culture, helped make some tough roster decisions that paid off and took the Bills to the playoffs, something they hadn't done in the prior 17 seasons.
"We all remember the playoff drought before Sean got here," Pegula said. "Sean has definitely left the Buffalo Bills in a better place than when he arrived in 2017. He gave his heart and soul to trying to win a championship. I gave Sean his first head coaching job, and I'm proud of that.
"I don't think he's done coaching in this league, and I wish him the best."
McDermott and Beane worked together in Buffalo starting in 2017, but their relationship extends far beyond that. The two overlapped from 2011-2016 when McDermott was the defensive coordinator for the Panthers and Beane was the director of football operations and later the assistant general manager. Beane knows their achievements are shared and believes the two couldn't won five straight AFC East titles without each other.
"That connection and that relationship factored into us building nine seasons here," Beane said. "A lot of accomplishments together. Things that we always worked on, things to get better, but we always did it together. And I'll always appreciate the years.
"You think about the things that you could have done better, but I'll also try to remember all the great times that we've had … Sean is a heck of a football coach, and we'll always root for him and his family."
McDermott finishes with a 98-50 record over his nine seasons in Buffalo, the second-most wins in the league since 2017. He went 8-8 in the playoffs. Those eight wins are also top 5 in the NFL over that span.
Defensively, Buffalo's 314.6 total yards allowed per game (1st), 20.2 points allowed (3rd), 240 takeaways, 172 passing touchdowns allowed (1st) and 199 passing yards allowed per game (1st) since 2017 all rank top three in the league.
On offense, the Bills averaged 27.7 points per game (1st), 373.7 total yards per game (3rd), 132.5 rushing yards per game (3rd), 241.2 passing yards per game (9th) and 63.5% red zone efficiency (1st) all rank top 10 since 2019.
"I would applaud what Sean and I have had here, this has been nine seasons, not something like two or three," Beane said of their success. "This has been nine seasons that we did a lot of good things, brought in a lot of good players, a lot of good coaches and won a ton of football games."
What it will take to bring a Super Bowl to Buffalo
Early in the press conference owner Terry Pegula referenced the numbers 5, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 6 and asked if anyone knew the meaning behind them. Pegula quickly shared those have been Buffalo's playoff seedings since 2019. They were the No. 2 seed in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Pegula said you don't have that type of success without having a great organization and talented players.
"The bottom line is success over a long period of time means we're doing something right," Pegula shared. "We are focused on bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo. We have an MVP quarterback in Josh Allen. I'm looking forward to having a successful coaching search. I know this is a desirable job."
President of Football Operations/General Manager Brandon Beane believes getting over the hump starts with nailing the head coaching search.
"We have to get it over the top, and that starts with finding the right head coach," Beane said.
Beane and Pegula understand the importance of the quarterback they have and how his talent is a big reason why they believe a Super Bowl is achievable.
Allen, who was named the league's MVP after the 2024 season, just completed his eighth NFL season. He saw career-highs in completion percentage (69.3%) and yards per pass attempt (8.0) in 2025. Allen also took a step forward in his decision-making skills and ability to beat even the most talented NFL defenses.
He quarterbacked an offense that was fourth best in points per game average (28.3) and total yards per game (376.3).
"We have got to help him get to the Super Bowl and bring a championship to Buffalo," Beane said of his QB.
Since 2020, the Bills lead the NFL averaging 29 points per game and 380.6 total yards per game. Allen also leads the NFL over that span with 73 wins and 253 offensive touchdowns (190 passing, 62 rushing, 1 receiving). His 28,519 total yards rank second next to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
In terms of building around their quarterback, Beane says it starts up front.
"The number one thing I always want to do with Josh Allen is protect him, okay?" Beane said. "We've had an o-line that's gotten better and better that also helped us have a leading rusher this year. And so, we want to be two dimensional. We want to be balanced …
"I want No. 1 receivers everywhere, I do. But I also want to make sure, there's teams out there with No. 1 receivers that haven't made it as far as we do, maybe because their o-line's not as good, maybe because they made concessions on defense or other areas – you've got to kind of make some concessions. I promise you, we're looking."
Looking back on all their success' but falling short of the ultimate goal, Pegula and Beane agree it's up to them to make right decisions this offseason to help the team and their quarterback.
"We've put ourselves in position each year, a lot of division titles," Beane said. "We didn't win it this year … At the end of the day, I believe in our group and it's up to us this offseason to make the right changes, the right tweaks after we get this head coach and see if we can get this thing over the top. Any issues we have, put it on my shoulders. I own it all."
Bills embark on an open head coach search
While Beane and Co. have already begun the Bills' head coach search, he and Pegula emphasized that it is a collaborative effort.
"We have a group of us that are going to work together to hire the head coach," Beane said. "It'll be [Pegula], myself, [president of business operations] Pete [Guelli], Brian Gaine [and] Terrance Gray – both of our assistant GMs, and Laura Pegula."
Beane also said that Allen will be involved in the coach search.
"The starting quarterback will be part of the team to help select a new coach. He's going to be working with us," Pegula said. "Anything else, his feelings I want to keep that private … This was my decision … his personal opinion, I keep personal."
Pegula acknowledged the risk there is in relieving McDermott of his head coach duties after seven consecutive playoff appearances, but is excited for the next coach to take Buffalo that extra step forwards its missed since 2017.
"I'm looking forward to having a successful coaching search. I know this is a desirable job," Pegula said. "Our phones are ringing and we're going to begin that process."
While those high, Super Bowl expectations lingered for McDermott, Pegula said it is unfair to put that amount of pressure on the future incoming head coach in his first season in 2026. In other words, it won't be a "Super Bowl or bust" season, but he and Beane are focused on finding a coach and leader that can breakthrough the ceiling hanging over the Bills.
"It's 100% an open search. We're still sorting through the names. We're vetting names," Beane said. "There is no front runner – old, young, former coach, first-time coach. We're opening every door. We got to find the right guy for this team to help get us over the hump."
Throughout the head coach search, Beane said there's a lot of characteristics and qualities he's looking for in the candidates. Those with defensive coaching backgrounds, like McDermott, and offensive coaching backgrounds will have a chance – one not being more valuable than or prioritized over another.
"This is a bigger job than just a play caller and a schemer," Beane said. "We've seen where guys have been excellent play callers, but they got to the head coach seat and they couldn't handle the adversity, the conflict management. It's a CEO job, it really is. A lot of your time as a head coach or [general manager] get taken away from me, scouting, watching players; or a coach in there, scheming x's and o's. So, we got to make sure we get the leadership, the CEO part."
Beane confirmed that the new head coach will report to him. He also said that he plans on keeping both roles as general manager and president of football operations, but that the franchise will operate similarly to how it's been.
"At the end of the day we're going to work together. It's a marriage, the same … you have to make a decision at some point. And sometimes I'll lean to their way, and sometimes my gut tells me I want to stick with how I see it," Beane said. "But we'll work together. Nothing is really going to change from that standpoint.
"I believe in collaboration, I do. I think the best, healthiest way to find players is that we are as close to lockstep as we can. Not me only signing or taking players that the coaches think work, or only what the personnel guys think. It's consensus building … I've been around that a number of years, and I've seen it successful. But a decision has to be made, and at the end of the day I still own the decision, right or wrong."
Health update on QB Josh Allen
Quarterback Josh Allen played through injuries late in the season, including foot, knee and right finger injuries ahead of the Divisional Round game.
The offseason will give the QB a chance to heal from his ailments and he could undergo a procedure on his right foot.
"He could have to have something done to his foot potentially here soon," Beane said.
If a procedure is deemed necessary, the Bills are confident Allen will be back to full health when the team reconvenes for offseason workouts.
"It would not impact OTA stuff if he does," Beane said.
