Buffalo Bills: Sean McDermott ranked in the Top 10 among head coaches

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott was recently ranked in the Top 10 by The Ringer.

In 2017, after the Buffalo Bills fired Rex Ryan as head coach during the previous season, the Pegulas were hiring their second head coach since taking over the franchise in 2014. This was going to be a critical decision as the Bills were trying to end the longest playoff drought in the NFL at the time.

They elected to go with Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, who had been a long time coordinator but had yet to be a head coach. There is no question that the decision to hire McDermott has been one of the best moves the Buffalo Bills have made in nearly two decades.

In only three seasons, McDermott has earned two playoff berths and has a 25-20 record. If the Buffalo Bills are able to win 12 games this upcoming season, he will move to third all-time in franchise history in wins.

Sean McDermott is getting recognition, and rightfully so, like from Kevin Clark on The Ringer Podcast. Clark ranked McDermott 10th in his Top 10 ranking of head coaches.

Rightfully so the focus was on McDermott’s strength on the defensive side, and this is where the Buffalo Bills have had the most success. After his first year as head coach when the Buffalo Bills ranked 26th in yards allowed, the Bills have had Top 3 defenses with the team ranking second in 2018 and third in 2019.

However, McDermott’s best achievement, and general manager Brandon Beane deserves some credit as well, is the way they have drastically changed the culture within the franchise as Clark mentions on the podcast. Any fan watching the Bills see a team trying to do things the right way and completely bought in. There is an expectation that no matter the team they are playing, this group is going to be competitive and play hard on every snap.

The next big hurdle for Sean McDermott in his coaching career, and this year looks like his best opportunity, is to win the AFC East division, which the Bills haven’t done since 1995, as well as advance in the playoffs.