Bills Fire McDermott, Oddsmakers Eye Daboll as Top Replacement
Sean McDermott has been dismissed as head coach of the Buffalo Bills after another postseason failure, with Brian Daboll emerging as the frontrunner to succeed him.
Sean McDermott is out after another postseason collapse, bringing an end to a nine-year tenure that delivered steady regular-season success but failed to produce the championship the organization desperately craves.
The veteran head coach was dismissed two days after the Bills lost 30-33 to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, extending Buffalo's Super Bowl drought. Despite an impressive résumé—eight playoff appearances in nine seasons, a 98-50 regular-season record, and five AFC East titles—McDermott couldn't break through when it mattered most.
The Favorites
Brian Daboll commands the shortest odds at -125 to become Buffalo's next head coach. The former Giants coach, fired by New York last November after compiling a dismal 20-40-1 record, previously served as the Bills' offensive coordinator for four seasons and is widely credited with developing Josh Allen out of college.
Following the oddsboard: Klint Kubiak (Seahawks DC) sits at +340, while Joe Brady, the current Bills offensive coordinator, stands at +360. Both represent internal and external options with proven offensive credentials.
Long Shots Worth Watching
Philip Rivers enters at +500 after one of the strangest career pivots in recent memory. The former Chargers quarterback—an eight-time Pro Bowl selection with 425 passing touchdowns and 63,984 passing yards, sixth and eighth in NFL history respectively—went from high school coaching to starting for the Colts in 2025 and is now in the head coaching conversation.
Mike Tomlin, who stepped down after 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, carries +1300 odds. His track record speaks volumes: 193-114-2 overall record with a Super Bowl title in 2008 and another appearance in 2010. Moving from the AFC North to the AFC East would bring proven championship experience to Buffalo.
Other candidates include Mike McCarthy (+1300), Kliff Kingsbury (+900), Anthony Lynn (+900), and Grant Udinski (+750).
