Does McDermott need to get Bills into the Super Bowl to silence critics?

The Buffalo Bills enter another season with just one goal in mind: to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February as Super Bowl champions.

This is the common viewpoint for many pundits and members of the Bills Mafia, given the team’s generational quarterback in Josh Allen and five straight years of being a true Super Bowl contender.

The 2025-26 campaign could be exceptionally important for veteran head coach Sean McDermott, who is signed through the 2027 season alongside general manager Brandon Beane.

Since McDermott took over head coaching duties in 2017, the Bills have been one of the most consistent and successful franchises in football.

Under McDermott, they own a regular season record of 86-45 and have won five straight AFC East divisional titles, making the playoffs in seven of his eight years on Buffalo’s sidelines. Despite the impressive results, the Bills are just 7-7 in the postseason, including 0-4 against the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs, highlighted by two losses in the AFC Championship Game and two in the divisional round.

With regular-season success contrasted by playoff shortcomings, it starting to become apparent the 51-year-old native of Omaha may need a Super Bowl appearance this year to silence his critics or possibly even keep his job.

McDermott is tied with Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams and Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers as the fourth-longest-tenured active head coaches in the NFL behind Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (18 years), Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh (17 years) and Chiefs coach Andy Reid (12 years).

Every coach on this short list has either won the Super Bowl – multiple Super Bowls for Reid – or qualified for the big game during their tenures expect for McDermott.

It’s been a long time since either Tomlin or Harbaugh were champions, but both won the Lombardi Trophy within their first five years, earning themselves a longer leash going forward.

McDermott’s trophy case remains empty, resulting in backlash over the past few years following Bills’ playoff eliminations, many of which of have been in heartbreaking fashion.

It’s uncommon for head coaches to maintain their jobs for this length of time without any Super Bowl showings. But it does happen.

Marvin Lewis coached the Cincinnati Bengals for 16 seasons and never even won a playoff game. Jim Mora was 0-4 in the playoffs when he resigned in 1996 during his 11th season coaching the New Orleans Saints, while Marty Schottenheimer and Dennis Green each spent 10 years, with the Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings respectively, without capturing a conference title.  

Other examples include Jack Del Rio’s nine years with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jason Garrett’s nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

Some of these coaches had strong quarterbacks during their tenures too: Carson Palmer with the Bengals, Joe Montana in the twilight of his career with the Chiefs, and CFL legend and NFL Pro Bowler Warren Moon with the Vikings, to name a few.

None of them had a MVP QB like Allen in his prime, however.

It’s hard to say whether McDermott has ever truly been on the hot seat in Buffalo, but questions have been mounting about whether he’s the right coach to lead the Bills over the hump and to the promised land for the first time in history.

A major criticism for McDermott has been his play calling and clock management decisions, especially late in close contests.

The most notable instance being the “13 Seconds” game against the Chiefs in the 2022 division round.

After the Bills took a 36-33 lead with just 13 seconds remaining in regulation, McDermott elected to kick long instead of calling a squib kick, which would have taken more time off the clock. The Chiefs would storm up the field on just two plays to get in field-goal range before winning in overtime, preventing the Bills from reaching their second straight AFC title game.

McDermott, who said that loss will be in his ‘gut for years,' pointed to execution when asked about the play during the end-of-season media session.

"It comes down to execution," McDermott said. "[It's] disappointing because we pride ourselves on detail. We pride ourselves on execution and being great in situational football. And we practised that tirelessly here. I mean, nonstop. ... It's even more disappointing knowing that we prepare and practice those situations a ton here in Buffalo. That's where I come back to you gotta face it and we're not gonna run from it. I believe in that."

Last season, McDermott was again criticized for his late game play calling and clock management in losses to the Rams and Houston Texans.

Against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, McDermott and offensive coordinator Joe Brady were questioned for a handful of decisions, including a pair of failed two-point conversions, the lack of carries for running back James Cook late in the fourth quarter, and the reliance on the QB sneak, which turned out to be a pivotal play in the loss.

Bills fans seemed more upset with the referees’ spot on Allen’s fourth-and-one sneak than they were with the coach.

McDermott sounded optimistic and determined during Buffalo’s end-of-season media availability in January.

“I’m confident in who we are,” he said. “I’d rather be in the position we’re in, where we’re continually knocking on the door. If you keep doing the right thing, eventually that door will open.”

“No one in this building, myself included, is comfortable or content with where we’re at. What’s left is to go win a world championship, which is a lofty goal, but one that we pursue relentlessly.”

Josh Allen and Sean McDermott

Despite the playoff losses piling up, Buffalo’s Super Bowl window is still wide open thanks to the man under centre.

At just 29 and coming off his first MVP award, Allen remains in the prime of his career and a top three quarterback in the NFL. Allen further cemented his commitment to the Bills this off-season, signing a six-year, $330 million contract that keeps him in Buffalo through 2030.

Nobody gets unlimited kicks at the can in pro sports, however, and McDermott may need to get the Bills to their first Super Bowl since 1994 if wants to silence those calling for his job.