Sean McDermott on the Hot Seat as Buffalo Bills Enter Ninth Season—Playoff Consistency Not Enough, Fans Demand Super Bowl Breakthrough

As the Buffalo Bills prepare to kick off their ninth season under head coach Sean McDermott, a wave of tension and expectation hangs over Orchard Park. While McDermott has been widely credited for reviving a dormant franchise, taking the Bills from NFL obscurity to consistent playoff contention, a growing section of the fanbase believes that time—and patience—is running out.

McDermott’s track record is, on paper, impressive. Since taking over in 2017, he has led the Bills to six playoff appearances in seven years, won four consecutive AFC East titles, and turned quarterback Josh Allen into a perennial MVP candidate. But the glaring hole in his résumé is hard to ignore: no Super Bowl appearances, and some crushing postseason exits that continue to haunt the franchise.

The 13-second collapse against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 Divisional Round still lingers like a ghost over the team. Last year’s disappointing home playoff loss to the Chiefs, again, only fueled more anger from fans who feel the team is stuck in a repetitive cycle—good enough to contend, but not great enough to conquer.

The core of Buffalo’s roster—Allen, Stefon Diggs (now departed), Dawson Knox, and key defenders like Matt Milano—is no longer young or cheap. Cap space is tighter. The roster is thinner. And in a league where windows of contention slam shut quickly, the Bills’ faithful are wondering whether McDermott has already missed his chance.

That sentiment isn’t rare. It’s been echoing louder on sports talk radio, message boards, and social media. While ownership has remained supportive publicly, insiders say that pressure is mounting behind the scenes. McDermott signed a multi-year extension through 2027, but in the NFL, contracts rarely provide true job security if results falter.

To be fair, McDermott inherited a franchise in disarray. The Bills hadn’t made the playoffs in 17 years when he arrived. Under his leadership, they’ve become a perennial AFC power, with a top-10 defense, improved player development, and a culture of accountability that hadn’t existed in Buffalo for decades.

But the limitations are becoming increasingly glaring. In eight postseason games under McDermott, the Bills are 4–5. In the last three seasons, they’ve been eliminated by Kansas City twice and Cincinnati once—each time in painful, dispiriting fashion.

And while Allen’s numbers have remained stellar, critics argue that the offense has lacked adaptability and creativity under McDermott’s overall philosophy. Former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s departure to the New York Giants in 2022 only heightened those concerns, as play-calling grew more conservative and one-dimensional.

There’s a sense that McDermott is a great builder, a great culture guy—but maybe not the guy to take you to the mountaintop,” said NFL analyst Kyle Brandt on a recent podcast. “At some point, consistent playoff appearances start to feel like Groundhog Day.”

As the 2025 season approaches, the Bills face one of the most challenging years in the McDermott era. The AFC is stacked with elite quarterback play—Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, C.J. Stroud, and now Aaron Rodgers returning with the Jets. Buffalo’s schedule is brutal, and its roster has undergone significant changes, including the trade of Diggs to Houston.

If the Bills fail to reach at least the AFC Championship Game this season, the cries for change may become too loud to ignore. Josh Allen is entering his prime, and wasting those years with playoff near-misses is not something fans—or ownership—want to risk.

Several big-name coaches, both current and retired, have already been whispered in speculation. But for now, all eyes are on McDermott to deliver the kind of breakthrough that has eluded this franchise since the early 1990s.

Sean McDermott deserves immense credit for rescuing the Bills from mediocrity. But in today’s NFL, even success has a shelf life. With Super Bowl expectations hanging over his head and the pressure of a fanbase desperate for glory, McDermott enters his ninth season not just as a head coach—but as a man under a spotlight brighter than ever.