The Buffalo Bills are looking to their past as they search for a coach to replace the recently fired Sean McDermott.
The Bills announced on Monday that they fired the longtime coach, just two days after the team’s heartbreaking loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. McDermott built the team into a perennial Super Bowl contender, but they reached the AFC Championship game just two times and never advanced to the Super Bowl.
The Bills are now starting over, with a report that they are looking at McDermott’s former offensive coordinator among the first group of interview candidates.
Bills Looking to Bring Back Brian Daboll
The Bills are going to work quickly on finding a replacement for McDermott, with Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk reporting that the team already has three candidates — including recently fired New York Giants coach Brian Daboll.
“Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that they have scheduled an interview with Commanders running backs coach/run game coordinator Anthony Lynn for Saturday. Dianna Russini of TheAthletic.com reports that they are also expected to interview their offensive coordinator Joe Brady and multiple reports say they want to interview former Giants head coach Brian Daboll as well,” Alper wrote.
Brady has already interviewed for the head coach opening with the Baltimore Ravens, while Daboll has gotten some looks for an offensive coordinator position, Alper noted.
The Bills found success under Daboll during his tenure from 2018-2021, a period where Josh Allen developed from a talented but raw quarterback into an MVP contender.
Daboll has already gotten the endorsement of one former player. Offensive lineman Jon Feliciano, who played for Daboll with both the Bills and Giants, offered his support for Daboll getting the head coaching job even before any candidates were announced.
“Brian Daboll should be the next HC of the Buffalo Bills!!!” Feliciano shared in a post on X.
Joe Brady Could Have Recency Advantage
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia suggested that Brady could have an advantage in the interview process given his recent success with quarterback Josh Allen.
“One person boasts the advantage of recent history with Allen, and itâs Brady,” Buscaglia wrote. “Brady has been the Billsâ offensive coordinator since taking over for Ken Dorsey near the end of the 2023 season, and he enjoyed a successful 2024 season. During 2025, the offense was not the consistent unit the Bills were hoping for, and Brady took some criticism from the fan base about how he called games. Regardless of how 2025 went, Brady has received interest from other teams looking for a head coach.”
If the Bills are looking to win now, Brady could be the top pick, Buscaglia suggested — though the team could have some reservations due to the struggles of the offense this year.
“The plus side to promoting Brady would be his familiarity with Allen and keeping things somewhat the same, but still different from where they were with McDermott,” Buscaglia wrote. “On the negative side, you have to wonder if Bradyâs performance in 2025 makes him worthy of being a head coach, and whether keeping things too similar to last season isnât just asking for trouble. Either way, Brady will likely be on their list.”
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