Following another let down of a season for the Buffalo Bills, one that saw them finish third in the AFC East with a record of (7-9) has led to numerous changes throughout the organization. After not even two seasons at the helm Bills, ownership fired former Head Coach Rex Ryan as well as defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Replacing Ryan at the helm of Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills is former Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. McDermott has no previous head coaching experience thus far though he has been a part of many notable teams including the 2015 Carolina Panthers team who lost in the Super Bowl.
Bills owner Terry Pegula introduced the new head coach with praise. “Sean (McDermott) has been from day one in our search the leading candidate. He has a strong passion for the game, and he has been training for this ever since being a young man in Andy Reid’s coaching staff with the Philadelphia Eagles,” explained Pegula. “He has been to two Super Bowls, he has been part of two turnarounds and he has knowledge and vision of what it takes to win.”
The hope with McDermott is that he can end the Bills 17-season playoff drought, the longest such drought in NFL history. McDermott explained how the Bills are much more than the number 17 that is hanging over the heads of this franchise. “When people look at the seventeen years, I understand that. I get that. But I also draw on the tradition in the many great players that have played here. That’s going to be a big part of us as we move forward. I understand that seventeen years. I understand in working with Bruce DeHaven in Carolina. He shared a lot about that. Like I told you before, in terms of the passionate fan base, I’m from the Northeast so I get it. I understand that it’s part of the draw of coming here – what a passionate fan base is all about. I understand this type of city and town. That’s how I grew up. That’s how I wake up every morning – just like them. I’m hungry. I’m not going to shy away from this challenge. We have to start inside, like I mentioned at the outset, and win inside of the building and it’s got to extend to our community in doing things the right way.”
In a division that sent two teams to the playoffs in 2017, this looks like no easy task for a first-time coach taking over a roster full of question marks. McDermott another branch from the Andy Reid coaching tree aims to take all that he is learned from the NFL and apply it to Buffalo. “Getting in the NFL at an early age around the likes of Andy Reid and the many head coaches that have come from Andy’s tree, Ron Rivera being one of them. In my diligent nature of taking note after note and learned every step of the way, I have been a part of building a defense from the ground up brick by brick, step by step and I had help in that process as well. Within that, I have gone to two Super Bowls. I know what that looks like, smells like and taste likes. So I feel extremely confident in my ability to lead this franchise moving forward,” stated McDermott.
In addition to bringing in McDermott to lead the coaching staff, the Bills also brought in three others. Leslie Frazier, Bob Babich, and Juan Castillo will all reportedly be brought in to join their organization. An 18-year veteran, Frazier will take over as the defensive coordinator, a unit that struggled mightily under the Ryan regime. Most notably Frazier is the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2011-2013. Staying on the defensive side of the ball Babich, a 14-year veteran will take over the linebacking duties for the Bills. Offensively for the Bills, they will be bringing in long-time Eagles coach and 22-year veteran Juan Castillo. Castillo will be the offensive line and run game coordinator. Castillo is returning to where it all begin for him as he got his start in the league with the Bills back in 1992.
In response to the hiring many of the current Bills players have taken to social media to voice their support for their new head coach. Long time Bill Eric Wood tweeted out, “I’ve already got two texts saying that I’ll love McDermott…just saying #Billsmafia.” In addition to receiving support from current Bills, McDermott met with former Bills great Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Steve Tasker. Following the press conference and the forming of the coaching staff the Mcdermott era in Buffalo is officially under way.
