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Article: how Sean McDermott ascended to coach of the Bills

BillsFan4

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BillsFan4 All Pro

BillsFan4

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I don't usually start new threads but I felt like we could use a positive thread on this new regime/coach and thought this article was worth sharing. I, for one, really like Sean McDermott. I've been a fan of his since 2012, really. What he did with that Carolina defense was very impressive IMO. They went from 28th ranked in his 1st year, to 10th ranked in his 2nd year (after struggling to start the season). Then they finished the 2013 season as the #2 ranked defense and they were top 2-5 in many defensive categories for much of the season. They were simply dominant that year. McDermott had a top 10 defense 4 of the past 5 years in Carolina and has earned this chance IMO.

 

Anyway here's the article and a few excerpts from it -

 

There's no keeping him down:How Sean McDermott ascended to coach of the Bills.

http://buffalonews.com/2017/08/31/theres-no-keeping-sean-mcdermott-ascended-coach-bills/

Edited by BillsFan4
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klos63 Veteran

klos63

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I don't usually start new threads but I felt like we could use a positive thread on this new regime/coach and thought this article was worth sharing. I, for one, really like Sean McDermott. I've been a fan of his since 2012, really. What he did with that Carolina defense was very impressive IMO. They went from 28th ranked in his 1st year, to 10th ranked in his 2nd year (after struggling to start the season). Then they finished the 2013 season as the #2 ranked defense and they were top 2-5 in many defensive categories for much of the season. They were simply dominant that year. McDermott had a top 10 defense 4 of the past 5 years in Carolina and has earned this chance IMO.

 

Anyway here's the article and a few excerpts from it -

 

There's no keeping him down:How Sean McDermott ascended to coach of the Bills.

http://buffalonews.com/2017/08/31/theres-no-keeping-sean-mcdermott-ascended-coach-bills/

 

'Some made stronger first impressions than others, but those who've worked with McDermott note his striking personality and circuitry that sounds aberrant.

 

Reid, now coach of the Kansas City Chiefs: "You could just tell by how he handled himself that he was destined for great things. I love the kid. I love him to death. He's a great person. I care for him a lot."

 

Jon Gruden, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders coach: "He is special. I know it all comes down to winning and losing, but if you can find a better leader, a better coach/teacher, hire him because I haven't seen many guys come down the pike like McDermott."

 

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers coach and McDermott's teammate at William and Mary: "I've really gotten to appreciate his approach, his commitment to improvement, the professionalism in which he's gone about honing his skills for the opportunity that he has. ... The journey that hes walked is not an easy one."

 

Joe Banner, former Eagles President and Cleveland Browns CEO: "I don't think anybody to this day can meet Sean and not see the presence."

 

Dick Vermeil, former Eagles and St. Louis Rams coach, who met McDermott last summer: "I saw a demeanor about him and a passion in him that would be easily respected by players. I thought I read in him the ability to communicate and connect with people. If you can't do those things, then you can't lead and you can't coach."

 

Vicky Johnson, Jim Johnson's widow: "Sean is a man of his word. He has very strong convictions. I don't think you ever have to wonder where you stand with him."

 

Quintin Mikell, retired safety who played eight years with McDermott in Philadelphia and one in Carolina: "He got scapegoated in Philly for some things not in his control. The way things went down when he got fired, I disagreed with it. He deserved better. The NFL is not fair sometimes, but just look at him now. He took it on the chin. He went back to work. Now he's a head coach."

 

Banner: "I've worked with some really successful people, and there are some I'd put equal. But I can't point to somebody and say I think they know the game or know what leads to winning or know how to evaluate a player or any elements of strategy better than Sean. He's as compelling in those ways as much as anybody I can name."

 

Gruden: "Give him a chance. They have some issues. They've got to find out where they're going on offense and make some transitions on defense. It's not going to happen overnight. But for crying out loud he's going to work like hell to get it done."

 

Vermeil: "Just sit back and watch him grow. I think the seeds have been planted by the right people in the right soil."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"His ability to withstand pain is incredible," said Tim McDermott, who played football at Cornell and is chief business officer for the Philadelphia Union soccer club. Tim also has been a marketing executive with the Eagles and Washington Capitals.

 

"If you would watch his workouts, he would push himself beyond the point you'd think he could go. They were extraordinary. As a little kid, 6 years old, there was a toughness to him and a fierceness that was just steel and iron."

 

No, not 6 years old. Earlier than that, Sean estimated.

 

When did McDermott realize he was unusual?

 

"I don't want to paint a picture I'm not human," McDermott said. "But I don't know, I just ...

 

"You hear about guys who are obsessive. It's more an internal drive to be the best."

 

He explained when he was 4 years old and weighed 38 pounds, he went to a state tournament to watch Tim compete. Sean said to himself, "This is what I want. I can do this."

 

A year later, Sean won his first state tournament. He remembered thinking one championship wasn't enough. He burned to do it again.

 

To repeat: He was 5.

 

"That's when I look back," McDermott said, "at the first moment I thought, 'Hey, something's different.' I wanted it.

 

"Sounds intense, I guess. But that's just how I was born. That's just the way I'm made."

 

McDermott won state titles at 5, 7 and 9 years old.'

 

 

 

 

 

'.... Gruden didn't hold back when asked about McDermott and the Bills.

 

"When you look at the great coaches, No. 1, they're highly motivated people," Gruden said. "They love what they do. He's a grinder. He puts the time in, researches, studies.

 

"No. 2, he's a great teacher. A lot of guys can do the preparation, but they can't present it to the players. This guy has great work ethic and very good presentation skills.

 

"The players appreciate that great combination because everything he says and everything they do from the way they travel to the way they practice to the way they meet, he has a lot of charisma and intelligence and showcases his preparation."

I think this upcoming season will be very trying on everyone. Will be curious to see how he handles some very expected road bumps this season and likely next.

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rpmfla UDFA

rpmfla

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I suspect at least in part Sean was chosen because of his intense Christian faith, which fits in well with the owner's intense Christian faith. No offense at all intended, just seems like devout Christians prefer to be around other devout Christians.

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BillsFan4 All Pro

BillsFan4

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And Watkins, Woods, Goodwin, Hunter, Z brown, Gilmore, Darby, Robey, Ragland, Kujo, etc.

I have seen this going around the boards for a while now. But I just don't get how you can blame McDermott for Gilmore, Woods, Goodwin and other free agents. First, we don't even know if those guys wanted to be here. Gilmore seemed to want to go somewhere where he'd get more national coverage and it was reported Woods wanted to go home to Cali. But assuming they did want to be here -

 

Whaley was still here at the time, but if people want to say McDermott had 100% decision making power, ok fine. I disagree but we have no way of knowing for sure. I think at the very least he had to lean heavily on Whaley and his staff to help evaluate players McDermott had yet to even coach (or maybe even meet in some circumstances) .

 

Either way... Whaley still had 2 years to sign Gilmore and a year to sign Woods, Goodwin etc. but he didn't. He could have given Gilmore a new contract any time in his 4th and 5th year here. Could have given Woods, Goodwin (etc) a contract any time over the last year.

 

It was reported long before McDermott was hired that the Bills were not willing to go above $11.5M on Gilmore and that they weren't even negotiating with Robert Woods.

 

Plus the Bills only had $19M in cap space entering the offseason with something like 26 free agents to sign. If they had signed Gilmore at $13M and Woods at $7M that's $20M in cap space right there...

 

But he allowed us to lose Gillislee!

 

Putting all the blame on him for Gillislee is a stretch IMO. People like to pretend that Whaley had nothing to do with that but Whaley used the same original round tender on Hogan the year before and chose not to match the Pats offer. It was a very similar scenario and you can see how it fit whaley's m.o.

 

Also, the contract and cap hit of McCoy has to be taken into account as well as the overall cap of the team plus how the organization felt about J. Williams (which I would assume Whaley felt strongly about Williams ability to replace Gillislee). I just don't see how you put all the blame on McDermott for this. He had hardly been here a couple months at the time. I doubt he was making every decision all on his own without any input from Whaley or others.

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Ed_Formerly_of_Roch All Pro

Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

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I think the fact that you have a coach and GM who are tied together also is a big plus, (inspite or what some people may argue they aren't in sync) I don't think Whaley was in favor of either Rex or Marrone, but they were brought here. In spite of how much Whaley to his credit tried to sign the guys Rex may want, if he truly doesn't believe in the guy Rex wants he may not go as far to sign him, feels he's just not worth the money he wants, etc and doesn't sign him.

 

I'd be surprised to see much of that going forward between these two.

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rpmfla UDFA

rpmfla

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I think the fact that you have a coach and GM who are tied together also is a big plus, (inspite or what some people may argue they aren't in sync) I don't think Whaley was in favor of either Rex or Marrone, but they were brought here. In spite of how much Whaley to his credit tried to sign the guys Rex may want, if he truly doesn't believe in the guy Rex wants he may not go as far to sign him, feels he's just not worth the money he wants, etc and doesn't sign him.

 

I'd be surprised to see much of that going forward between these two.

Very good point. Hopefully this accelerates the rebuild.

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OldTimeAFLGuy Hall of Famer

OldTimeAFLGuy

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.....pretty interesting tidbit on Beane's start as well.......I think these guys will build a winner........just a hunch......

 

Imagine having this conversation with the woman you’re about to marry.

“Honey, I’m going to turn down a full-time entry-level job in journalism that pays about $30,000 annually to start with benefits, so I can go work a $5-an-hour internship for the Carolina Panthers.”

That happened back in 1998, and new Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane lived to laugh about it.

“My wife didn’t kick me out for that, so that was pretty good,” Beane said recently, recalling that potential deal-breaking moment when the just-out-of-college soon-to-be-newlyweds were preparing to start a life for themselves.

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C.Biscuit97 Hall of Famer

C.Biscuit97

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.....pretty interesting tidbit on Beane's start as well.......I think these guys will build a winner........just a hunch......

 

Imagine having this conversation with the woman youre about to marry.

 

Honey, Im going to turn down a full-time entry-level job in journalism that pays about $30,000 annually to start with benefits, so I can go work a $5-an-hour internship for the Carolina Panthers.

 

That happened back in 1998, and new Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane lived to laugh about it.

 

My wife didnt kick me out for that, so that was pretty good, Beane said recently, recalling that potential deal-breaking moment when the just-out-of-college soon-to-be-newlyweds were preparing to start a life for themselves.

That $30,000 job would always be there.
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