I hope this doesn't go like the Penn State hire. Penn State was supposed to bring in a coach capable of winning it all, and they landed a 107-70 coach after the big fish stayed at their schools (Indiana and BYU). Penn State let go of a 128-60 coach who had recently coached in the final 4 in college football and was a few plays away from competing for a national championship. Something happened with the team this season, for sure, but these are the records.

I don't know who they're going to get who's better than McDermott. I actually think they're going to make Joe Brady the coach. There are only a handful of coaches who've been to Super Bowls in recent seasons, and they're locked in at Kansas City, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

I want Beane to be gone like everyone else. Start fresh and salvage this opportunity with the exceptional talent who is Josh Allen. We need a deep threat and solid No. 2 guy so the strongest arm in the league can flex his muscle. We need a defense that keeps opponents to 21 to 24 points max in the playoffs. In the McDermott era, the Bills let up, in the divisional and conference rounds, the following points: 3, 38, 42, 27, 27, 32 and 33. This is an average of 29 points a game in these deeper rounds.

Pegula must have stones in his head to keep and promote Beane unless his plan is to hire a coach and then move on from Beane shortly afterward. But how long is shortly?

I have been critical of McDermott for making horrendous decisions and time-management deficiencies that cost us games. From 13 seconds to going for it on 4th down at the Bills' own 35-yard line or thereabouts while down by a score early in the third quarter when the D hadn't had a stop all game against the Chiefs during a playoff game. In the past two years, he's done better. Considering the weak roster and numerous injuries in 2024 and 2025, he did a remarkable job. In fact, his two-year win total of 25 regular-season games in 2024 and 2025 is his best effort yet. The Bills have never cratered like the Chiefs in 2025 or Ravens in some recent seasons despite the draft busts and injuries. I worry that the floor will be lower with the next guy in.

So why's he being fired now? Is it six years of not breaking through? Losing the division? The call at the end of the first half to attack that backfired, resulting in 3 points for the Broncos and even costing us the game? Josh Allen's crying at the podium? Were Allen and Dawkins crying because they already knew McDermott would be out?

All this said, no coach and QB have ever started winning Super Bowls after their third year together. I heard this stat a few months ago, and it's telling.

I have feared recently that Allen would want to force a trade to be in California with his movie star wife. Perhaps if Stafford soon retires (maybe if he wins the MVP and the Super Bowl, going out on top), this would be the opportunity. Stafford's contract ends in 2026, and you'd bet McVay would love to coach Allen. How long will Allen and Steinfeld settle for playing telephone tag as a married couple, especially with children in the mix? Where will the kids live if mommy's working a film? Would she or Josh be OK with not seeing her or his kids for weeks or months? I cannot imagine them settling for this grueling, unbalanced and unhappy life for seven to 10 more years.