The Buffalo Bills are set for a Wild Card round clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday. Expectations for the Bills are high, and a loss would not only kick them out but could also put head coach Sean McDermott’s job in jeopardy, as an NFL analyst recently suggested.
Sean McDermott Could Lose His Job if the Bills Lose in the Playoffs
The Bills are entering the playoffs for the seventh straight year, tied with the Texans for the fourth-best record in the conference at 12–5, and are currently the sixth seed in the AFC.
Despite being led by MVP Josh Allen in recent years, the Bills are still searching for their first Super Bowl title. Last season, they lost the AFC Championship Game to Patrick Mahomes–led Kansas City Chiefs. In the years before that, they have lost in the divisional rounds to the Chiefs and Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals.
This year, however, the Chiefs and Bengals are already out. Pointing that out, ESPN analyst Ben Solak recently shared his thoughts about the Bills’ upcoming game while speaking with Adam Schefter on the Up & Adams Show.
He was asked which coach he believes could be on the “hot seat” during the playoffs. Solak noted that in a postseason field lacking Mahomes’, Jackson’s, and Burrow’s teams, a one-and-done loss to the Jaguars would sting even more. As a result, he named McDermott as a coach whose job could come into question if the Bills lose.
“It’s McDermott, because if the Bills make an AFC playoff field that lacks Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson, and then lose one-and-done to the Jaguars, the Jaguars are a very good team, but on the scale of NFL owners being embarrassed, losing to the Jaguars is kind of up there,” Solak said.
If the Bills go one-and-done, is HC Sean McDermott on the hot seat?
ESPN NFL Analyst Ben Solak weighs in 🗣️@BenjaminSolak | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/ZdXpbJM3xr
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 5, 2026
While praising McDermott for being respected and having a strong track record, Schefter also pointed out that if the Bills fail once again to win the Super Bowl, McDermott’s future with the franchise could be questioned.
“He is an accomplished coach, he is someone that is respected, they’ve got a great record… they could win the Super Bowl this year and make it all null and void! But the fact of the matter is, people have brought his name. What would happen with Sean McDermott [if the Bills don’t win the Super Bowl?]’ He’s safe for now, and we’re gonna make him safe, but if Buffalo loses in the playoffs, that would be a situation to watch.”
With Bills fans’ hopes sky-high, it will be interesting to see how Allen’s crew performs at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 11, against the Jaguars. If Buffalo falls short, questions surrounding McDermott’s future could quickly intensify.
