Report: How the Bills came to conclusion on Sean McDermott's fate

The Buffalo Bills are well into the Joe Brady era at head coach but an answer as to how the team had gotten there never came about.

A report via Go Long with Ty Dunne on McDermott's dismissal referenced the thoughts candidates for Buffalo's vacant head coach position had on the Bills' defense. This reportedly made team owner Terry Pegula feel as if he made the right decision, too.

With an offense led by quarterback Josh Allen putting up big number regularly, one could easily guess moving on from McDermott had to do with the team's defense. Many speculated that after McDermott was fired.

Per Go Long, the Bills and Pegula reportedly had it confirmed to them via head-coaching interviews that, yes, Buffalo's defense was an issue:

As nine interviews for the HC vacancy raged on, Pegula was likely thinking that he made the right choice. Through those conversations, the Bills learned a lot about themselves. One enlightening tidbit of information? Around the NFL, offenses viewed their defense as elementary by modern standards. Pre-snap, candidates said they knew what McDermott was trying to do and effectively audibled into the correct play.

Architectural design, gameplanning and playcalling were re-confirmed as major problems.

Those revelations are not a good sign for McDermott, but he still has a resume of success in Buffalo and he'll likely get another head coach position in the future. Bare minimum, interviews will come. McDermott has indicated he plans to take the 2026 season off.

The update also indicates that change from McDermott has as much to do with appointing Brady as it does with naming Jim Leonhard the team's defensive coordinator. That changes coming are clearly coming to that side of the ball.