The Buffalo Bills barely had time to recover from the heartbreak of Saturday’s playoff loss to the Denver Broncos before they announced the firing of head coach Sean McDermott, a move that has garnered increasing criticism from across the NFL world.
The Bills announced McDermott’s ouster on Monday, hours after news of his firing first broke, releasing a statement that drew criticism for both its tone and typos. The team continued to take heat as more details emerged, with a former NFL Coach of the Year joining in to express his amazement of how poorly the team handled the decision.
Bruce Arians Blasts Bills Over Sean McDermott, Brandon Beane Decisions
While the decision to fire McDermott was not totally unexpected — as many pundits suggested he could be on the hot seat if the Bills fell short of the Super Bowl once again during Josh Allen’s prime — many criticized the team’s decision to promote general manager Brandon Beane at the same time.
Beane had been criticized for his roster decisions, which left the Bills lacking in several key areas and saddled to some large contracts that failed to pan out. Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, longtime NFL coach Bruce Arians called out the Bills for the decision to fire McDermott and promote Beane.
âThis one baffles me,â Arians said. âHow Brandon Beane got elevated, and Sean McDermott got fired, that just blows my mind because they didnât have any damn players. The guy is one of the best coaches in the league [ . . . ] and Brandon Beane gets a [expletive] raise?â
Sean McDermott Lost Internal Power Struggle
WGRZ reporter Vic Carucci, a longtime Bills beat reporter with deep connections to the team, reported on Tuesday that McDermott likely fell victim to an internal power struggle.
“What sped up the clock [on McDermott’s firing]? Logic points to a philosophical split between McDermott and Beane, leading to a power struggle from which Beane emerged as the winner,” Carucci reported. “Despite the common outside view that Josh Allenâs supporting cast was what has mainly held the Bills back in their Super Bowl quest, Beane managed to convince Pegula that coaching was the primary culprit.”
Carucci questioned whether that was correct, noting that McDermott managed to succeed no matter the makeup of the roster. The team had double-digit wins in each of the last seven seasons, a stretch that included five straight AFC East titles before the New England Patriots took the crown this year.
“How [Beane] pulled that off is hard to understand, considering McDermott might very well have done the best work of his career in leading the Bills to a 12-5 record with glaring weaknesses at wide receiver and on the defensive line,” Carucci wrote.
The decision leaves the Bills without a head coach at a difficult time, when many other top candidates have already landed jobs that opened up when the regular seasons ended. The Bills announced that Beane, in his new role as president of football operations, will lead the search for the next head coach.
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