The Bills keep running into the same brick wall—four playoff exits to the Chiefs in five years. And the eyes have slowly started glaring at Sean McDermott. The 51-year-old HC sits at No. 12 on CBS Sports’ coach tier list, clinging to elite status by his fingernails. Five straight AFC East titles? Once enough. Now? The Mafia murmurs about wasted prime years with Josh Allen slinging missiles. McDermott’s defense-first identity feels stale in an era where Allen’s heroics paper over cracks. Another offseason, same old questions. At what point does ‘almost’ translate into a Lombardi?
The Bills have shifted their roster dramatically this offseason. The departure of Stefon Diggs leaves a major hole in the O-line. But with new additions like Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, and Mack Hollins, there is potential. And if James Cook can be kept happy or even otherwise motivated to match last season’s league-high rushing TDs, they’ll be there or thereabouts again. The standout name, of course, is Allen himself.
Josh Allen’s 2024 season was nothing short of elite. He dominated the field and earned his place among the league’s top quarterbacks. But success in Buffalo comes with weight. As Athlon Sports put it, “Allen has now officially entered a space where the bar is nothing short of excellence.” That leaves little margin. Anything less than a Super Bowl berth could be viewed as a failure. Ex-linebacker Shawne Merriman echoed the pressure in a recent conversation with New York Post Sports. “They’ve gotten close so many times. Is that window closing for them?” he asked. While no one can argue Allen’s hard-earned spot on the list of elite QBs of 2025, as per ESPN, trailing only Patrick Mahomes, the Bills might be on their way to repeating history.
If we turn the pages of history back to the 80’s the Bills had a franchise QB, the Miami Hurricanes’ 6ft 3′ athlete. Jim Kelly became the face of Buffalo’s golden era in the early ‘90s, leading them to four straight Super Bowl appearances. Between 1988 and 1995, he won six division titles and changed the franchise’s identity. Allen walked into that same locker room 23 years later. His talent reads quite similarly, and he brings Buffalo back into the national spotlight.
But both quarterbacks seem to share one thing. Delivering greatness, yet coming up short when it matters most. Kelly’s legacy is often viewed through the lens of missed opportunities – none of those Super Bowls translating into a ring. Allen, despite his rising stats and Pro Bowl nods, faces the same risk. If McDermott’s system can’t push them over the top, Allen may also watch his prime slip into the shadows.
Sean McDermott has not done a “great job”
Draft analyst at Walter Football, Charlie Campbell’s finger points to HC Sean McDermott as he explains his tumble to the bottom. He credited their AFC East dominance, but with caution. Campbell called the division “generally weak” and pointed to stats to prove it. Since 2020, only two seasons have seen a real title race: 2021 and 2023. “They get to the playoffs and they lose, they don’t get to the Super Bowl,” said Campbell. He praised Allen but questioned the defense. “They have an MVP quarterback… McDermott has done a good job, but not a great job.”
Joe Marino of Locked On Bills echoed similar concerns in his July 13 breakdown. Marino explained how their staff was graded, saying, “You get the most points for your head coach, and then you get half of the points that you get for your head coach for an O.C. and your D.C.” Based on that model, Buffalo’s coaching ranked seventh overall. Marino confirmed, “That’s exactly where I personally ranked Sean McDermott.” Strong, but not elite.
FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 05: Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott during a game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills on January 5, 2025, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA JAN 05 Bills at Patriots EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon482250105182
Together with co-analyst Kyle Krabs, Marino crafted a consensus ranking of overall team strength. Buffalo came in at number four. They considered every part of the team, including coaching, to even out personal bias. Marino noted, “Over 90% of it reflects exactly how I see it… the other 10% is consensus with Kyle.” But that fourth spot carries some weight, especially when others are now ahead.
Marino detailed the top teams clearly. “We do have the Ravens at number one… Philly’s number two… Chiefs go to number three… Bills four.” He explained that the Chiefs ranked fifth in roster talent, but their coaching edge pushed them higher. Buffalo, on the other hand, held steady at four, despite a stronger overall roster.
At the center of all this is Sean McDermott. He has a star quarterback in Josh Allen, who has gone 61-22 since 2020. But Buffalo is only 7-5 in the playoffs during that stretch. That playoff record is shaping the team’s perception more than any other narrative this offseason. Expectations are mounting fast.
With Allen in his prime, many believe the Bills must make the Super Bowl leap in 2025. Or else.
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