Ex-Bills HC Sean McDermott Makes Honest Admission About Still Wanting to Coach in NFL

Nearly three months after the Bills laid him off, Sean McDermott expressed desire to returning to the NFL as a head coach.

Ex-Bills HC Sean McDermott Makes Honest Admission About Still Wanting to Coach in NFL

Former Buffalo BIlls head coach Sean McDermott on The Rich Eisen Show (Image via IMAGO/X)

Sean McDermott is open to coaching an NFL team again. McDermott is currently unemployed after the Buffalo Bills fired him in January 2026.

During a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, McDermott made it clear that he loves coaching and misses the everyday grind. He remains for another chance.

I love coaching… I think [I miss] just being a part of something bigger, being a part of a team. I’ve been — we all have been — parts of teams since we were this tall, and you get a chance to do that for a job.

McDermott said

The Bills appointed McDermott as head coach in 2017. He led the Bills to eight postseason appearances, reaching the AFC Championship game twice and a 98-50 regular season record (.662).

In 2025, the Bills finished 12-5, and some believe they overachieved, considering the roster did not boast many star players. The Denver Broncos knocked the Bills out in the AFC Divisional game (McDermott’s fourth elimination in this stage). Shortly after, the Bills laid off McDermott.

Sure, McDermott was on shaky grounds for failing to deliver the Super Bowl, but his track record suggested that he could win a few key signings. The Pegulas, owners of the Bills, run out of patience. McDermott’s departure came as a big shock to quarterback Josh Allen.

I’m sitting in my house, I wake up, [and] I took a call from Mr. Pegula telling me what transpired. I called Coach [Sean] McDermott immediately. I’ve got nothing but love and respect for Coach McDermott. The last eight years of my life, he’s been through the ups and downs of me as a player, as a person. He’s seen me grow up in a sense.

Josh Allen said (HT/Sports Illustrated)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers checked in with McDermott about a role in Todd Bowles’ staff. However, that hit a dead end. And with other teams already locking down their head coach, McDermott could not find a new job. Even though the 52-year-old remains open to continuing his coaching career, he is taking a one-year break from work.

Sean McDermott would love to try his luck in the media

Coaching is definitely McDermot’s first love. But there are other ways to stay connected with football. Media is one of them. NFL coaches switching over to media roles is nothing new. Most recently, Mike Tomlin, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, accepted a position on the NBC Sports broadcasting team.

Ex-Bills HC Sean McDermott Makes Honest Admission About Still Wanting to Coach in NFL
Sean McDermott (Image via IMAGO)

McDermott is open to dabbling in the world of TV if presented with a suitable offer. And judging by his statement, networks have reached out to him.

We’ve got some suitors and kind of trying to schedule it all out and see where it goes.

McDermott said

McDermott got his big break in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles back in 1999 as a scouting coordinator. Two years later, Andy Reid promoted McDermott to the assistant head coach position. In 2002, he took over as the Eagles’ defensive assistant and quality coach. Then a stint as the assistant defensive backs coach followed. Then he became the linebackers coach, the defensive backs coach, and eventually the defensive coordinator for two seasons (2009 and 2010).

Ahead of the 2011 season, Ron Rivera brought in McDermott as the Carolina Panthers‘ new defensive coordinator, a position he held until the end of the 2016 season. A year later, the Bills appointed McDermott as their head coach.

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