For the first time since the 2019 season, the Buffalo Bills will be participating in the playoffs as a Wild Card team. It's a frustrating situation to be in, given that the two teams that have knocked the Bills out of the playoffs in recent years aren't even in the dance this year, but that still means the pressure on Sean McDermott is dialed up to 100.
McDermott has helped lead the Bills to the playoffs every year since 2019, but it's led to zero Super Bowl appearances. If that doesn't change this year, his time in Buffalo might finally run out, especially with the Ravens making the aggressive decision to can John Harbaugh after another disappointing season.
Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky was asked by Dan Patrick if McDermott was coaching for his job in the playoffs. While he didn't like having to say "yes" to the question, he still did.
"I hate answering this question [with] yes, but my job is to be honest. Yes. And I think the world of Coach McDermott, I think he's a great football coach, but what we're watching in the NFL right now is these organizations that have high expectations. If those expectations are not met, these people move off from it," Orlovsky said on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday. "I just watched the Ravens move off from one of the great coaches in the last two decades. And if Buffalo falls flat and does not win this weekend, is it outrageous to think that they decided to move on from Sean McDermott?... I think so because just the expectations are high."
Dan Orlovsky definitely thinks Sean McDermott is coaching for his job in playoffs
This isn't necessarily news to Bills fans, as McDermott's seat has been warm for quite some time. Yes, Buffalo continues to win games and get into the playoffs each year, but with every playoff loss, McDermott's seat only grows hotter.
The fact that the Bills have arguably the best quarterback in the league but have yet to even sniff a Super Bowl ultimately falls on McDermott. This is the year that he needs to be able to win playoff games and get his team to a Super Bowl, especially with the Chiefs and Bengals not qualifying this year.
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If the Bills get bounced by Jacksonville in the first round, it does feel as though McDermott's time with the team could finally come to an end. Orlovsky mentioned how the Ravens' firing Harbaugh could play into their decision, too, as it could push them to be more aggressive this offseason.
We'll have to see if the Bills finally have what it takes to make it to a Super Bowl or if this will end up being it for McDermott in Buffalo.