Bills General Manager in the spotlight after firing of McDermott
The Buffalo Bills moved to fire coach Sean McDermott, who lasted 9 seasons at the helm.
The Buffalo Bills stunned the NFL world on Monday by relieving Sean McDermott of his duties as head coach, ending a nine-year relationship that brought regular-season success but no elusive Super Bowl trophy.
Sources confirmed the move came in the wake of a 33-30 overtime defeat to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round, a loss that extended Buffalo’s string of early playoff exits.
McDermott’s tenure with the Bills was marked by a remarkable transformation of a franchise that had endured playoff droughts for nearly two decades. His teams compiled a 98-50 regular-season record, claimed multiple AFC East titles and delivered consistent postseason appearances. Yet the absence of a Super Bowl appearance increasingly weighed on the herd.
Bills to retain GM Brandon Beane, per @RapSheet
— SleeperBills (@SleeperBills) January 19, 2026
Massive mistake from the organization he was a bigger problem than Sean was #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/N1BHTn5OBN
Now the spotlight shifts sharply to general manager Brandon Beane, who is set to retain his position will now oversee the search for McDermott’s successor.
In a statement, the Bills confirmed that Beane would in fact change his role ahead of hiring a new coach: “Moving forward, Brandon Beane will now serve as the President of Football Operations/General Manager of the Buffalo Bills. Brandon will oversee all facets of our football operation, including the oversight of our coaching staff,” it read.
Beane’s role in shaping the roster and defining the team’s identity makes him a central figure in the next chapter of Bills football. Hired in 2017 after the dismissal of previous GM Doug Whaley, Beane collaborated closely with McDermott and engineered key roster moves, including drafting quarterback Josh Allen.
However, media opinion is shifting away from Beane: The Sporting News wrote that “the Bills should have fired Brandon Beane,” adding that he “has failed in several senses”.
The report says he “is bad at drafting, he is bad at roster building through free agency” and he survived an “astronomically bad decision by owner Terry Pegula” which will “come back to haunt the Bills.”
Statement from Bills owner Terry Pegula, via @BuffaloBills: pic.twitter.com/j9QWsk9cdL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 19, 2026
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The decision to move on from McDermott also underscores the trembling pressure cookers that are NFL team offices. The GM’s continued presence suggests confidence in his long-term plan, but that confidence will be tested as the Bills open their arms to the coaching market melee and take full advantage of the peak years of Allen’s career.
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