Notable update emerges on Sean McDermott’s future

Sean McDermott will likely be taking a sabbatical after being fired by the Buffalo Bills.

The former Bills head coach McDermott is expected to take a year off from coaching after his dismissal, according to a report on Sunday by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport adds that McDermott has not engaged to this point with any other head coach opening in the NFL.

McDermott, 51, was surprisingly fired by Buffalo earlier this month after nine seasons in charge. The decision came after the Bills lost in the divisional round to the Denver Broncos in an overtime heartbreaker.

When it comes to overall winning percentage, McDermott was one of the best — he was 98-50 (.662), which is the third-highest among active coaches and 15th-highest in NFL history. McDermott also led the Bills to five AFC East division titles and seven different seasons of 10 wins or more.

But despite having reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen at his disposal, McDermott was never able to successfully get Buffalo over the hump during the postseason. While they earned eight total playoff berths under McDermott, the Bills only made it to the AFC Championship Game twice and never once made it to the Super Bowl.

That said, McDermott was a very popular coach in Buffalo, and the news of his sudden firing was met with profane reactions from some Bills players. Thus, McDermott, who was also reportedly critical of Buffalo’s roster before his abrupt dismissal, will likely remain an extremely coveted head coach candidate after his expected gap year in 2026.