The Buffalo Bills’ search for a new head coach took an interesting turn Friday morning, with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers added to the list of prospective candidates.
Those two being added to the list feels like a sharp left turn from owner Terry Pegula and general manager Brandon Beane, who both have their work cut out for them in saving face after Wednesday’s chaotic press conference.
On the surface, neither McDaniel nor Rivers is unworthy of getting interviews for head coaching positions, though it was Rivers’s first. Still, Bills Mafia can’t help but feel as though the front office is operating with the typically avoided “no plan” plan to begin the offseason.
Bills' front office shows lacking plan for head coach replacements, adding Rivers and McDaniel to the list
It’s hard to formulate an effective strategy in a week, sure, but the Bills are already feeling the effects of hastily firing Sean McDermott after the second round of the playoffs. They were noticeably behind the 8-ball in beginning their search, and now have begun to see the candidacy pool shrink before they even get a shot at the top coaches.
Robert Saleh didn’t make the Tennessee Titans wait any longer. Kevin Minter didn’t turn away from the Baltimore Ravens. Jeff Hafley didn’t spurn the Miami Dolphins. Those were three of the top names when McDermott was fired, but none had the chance to truly consider Buffalo, nor did Pegula and Beane truly have the chance to consider them as options.
More coaches will come off the board soon, with the Steelers, Raiders and Cardinals closing in on their targets. The Bills will be left with options, but to be one of the more appealing jobs when Sean McDermott was fired, to becoming the team that is scraping the barrel is a tough look. Understandably, though, the Bills couldn’t just limit their search to the first six names on their board, those being the most obvious names to consider no less, and leave it at that.
Of course, the wild card here is Philip Rivers. It’s easy to see where Pegula and Beane might be coming from in giving him an interview, though it’s hard to picture Rivers being the head coach when he was playing on an NFL field just last month, and coaching from high school sidelines before that.
But pairing the previous era’s No. 17 with Josh Allen might be the match that readjusts the Bills offense for the better. Still, it’s a massive risk if that’s the direction the franchise goes, and even still, much more so than hiring your rival’s ex-coach who the Bills bullied for four years in McDaniel.
While there’s intrigue with considering Rivers, hopefully, any further interview candidates for the Bills' open head coach position don’t feel so reactionary and made for a headline. This team needs a coach who can build off a run of six-straight seasons with a win in the postseason. Going backwards in any capacity simply isn’t an option.