While all eyes were on the fallout from Monday’s Divisional Round, the Buffalo Bills stole the spotlight when news of Sean McDermott’s dismissal began to dominate discussions. NFL fans noticed the gravity of the moment when Adam Schefter abruptly left ESPN’s Get Up studio and Ian Rapaport indicated urgent business during Good Morning Football.
The most impactful reaction came from Jon Gruden, whose strong response captured the spotlight.
Jon Gruden Is Horrified By Sean McDermott’s Dismissal By The Buffalo Bills
During FS1’s “Wake Up Barstool,” host T-Bob Herbert broke the news, prompting a strong negative reaction from former Super Bowl champion Gruden to the Bills’ decision.
Gruden strongly criticized the Bills’ decision, calling the firing of McDermott a major mistake. He identified issues with the head coach but argued that McDermott was not the main problem holding the team back. Gruden further expressed concern over the broader trend of frequent head coach dismissals in the NFL.
“That makes me sick, that makes me absolutely sick. I mean, I have no idea what the hell’s going on in this league. They fired 10 head coaches this year. Good luck to Buffalo and now I’m really glad they lost the game, personally. I don’t think you can do much better than Sean McDermott…” said Gruden.
The Bills have fired HC Sean McDermott
“That makes me sick, that makes me absolutely sick… I don’t think you can do much better than Sean McDermott…” – @BarstoolGruden pic.twitter.com/AWQ96Ra9Lp
— Wake Up Barstool (@wakeupbarstool) January 19, 2026
The Bills’ postseason ended tragically at home on Saturday after a painful overtime loss to the Broncos, leaving quarterback Josh Allen, who ranks No. 3 in the PFSN QB Impact metric with an A- grade, in tears after the game. Despite this, a change in the head coach position had not been considered since the elimination.
McDermott has spent the last nine seasons in Buffalo and has been a key player in the revolution that has transformed the Bills into one of the most powerful franchises in the league today. The traditional scenario of finishing last in their division has often changed to a constant presence in the playoffs, being one of the best-qualified teams in the AFC.
However, despite frequent playoff appearances and a top-level quarterback, the franchise struggled to win decisive postseason games, and this appears to be the main reason for a drastic change of course starting in 2026.
McDermott has compiled a record of 98 wins and 50 losses in the regular season, with eight seasons ending in the black, in addition to five AFC East titles and two appearances in the AFC Championship, representing one of the most successful periods in history. On the other hand, his 8-8 playoff record shows that he failed to reach the highest level that Buffalo desired.
