Former Bills head coach Sean McDermott is taking a break this year after parting ways with Buffalo in January. He plans to spend his time in a location he knows well.
Jenna Martin, a reporter for the Charlotte Business Journal, reported on Monday that McDermott purchased a $5 million house in Charlotte this past April.
McDermott is well-acquainted with the Charlotte area, spending six seasons as the Panthers‘ defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2016 before taking on the role of head coach for the Bills.
The Panthers reached the Super Bowl in 2015 with McDermott as their defensive coordinator, but fell short against the Denver Broncos.
The Bills Fired McDermott For Not Making the Super Bowl
McDermott never led the Bills to a Super Bowl during his tenure. Still, he came close on several occasions, appearing in two AFC Championship games and making the playoffs in eight of his nine seasons in Buffalo. One major reason the Bills decided to part ways with McDermott this offseason was their inability to reach the Super Bowl this year, despite being considered a strong contender.
The Bills should have been the team to beat in the AFC this past season, especially after the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, who were preseason favorites, failed to make the playoffs. Buffalo has never beaten the Chiefs in the playoffs, with quarterback Josh Allen losing four times— three on the road and once at home, including twice in the AFC Championship Game.
With the Chiefs excluded from the playoffs last season, it seemed like the Bills finally had a shot at reaching the Super Bowl. However, they lost to the Broncos in the divisional round, a game they should have won. This disappointing outcome was the main reason why McDermott lost his job.
“My decision to bring in a new coach was based on the results of our game in Denver,” owner Terry Pegula explained while speaking with reporters on Jan. 21, via NFL.coms Nick Shook. “I want to take you in the locker room after that game. I looked around. The first thing I noticed was our quarterback, his head down, crying. I looked at all the other players. I looked at their faces and our coaches’. I walked over to Josh (Allen). He didn’t even acknowledge I was there.”
McDermott Could Land a Job Next Season
Often, when a team parts ways with a head coach, the coach takes a break to spend time with their family and reflect on what they can do differently in a new position. This is likely the case for McDermott during this offseason. He remains one of the league’s top head coaches and deserves another chance to lead a team next season. There will likely be several teams vying for his services next winter, and he could even find himself with a franchise better positioned for success, such as if the Philadelphia Eagles were to open their head-coaching position.
It will be interesting to see where McDermott ends up as a coach next season if he’s ready to get back into the game. Every Bills fan will be paying close attention to how that team performs under his leadership.
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