What Was Your Initial Reaction To Sean McDermott as Bills HC?

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

I didn’t know a thing about him, but I could tell in the video when whales attempted to introduce him at TBD and Sean just dismissively strode right by, Doug was was a dead man walking. There wasn’t going to be any jockeying or power struggle, it was over. 
 

I liked they went with a new young guy over a retread.  The more I learned the more I liked. 
 

He’s now tops on my favorites list.  I didn’t really listen to Many levy pressers.  Chan seemed like a genuine guy, not head coach material. Jauron was just always apologizing.

 

All the rest of them were bums, for sordid reasons.

Edited January 8, 2021 by Over 29 years of fanhood

[78thealltimegreat]

2 hours ago, JohnNord said:

It’s almost 4 years to the day that the Bills announced the hiring on Carolina Panthers DC Sean McDermott.   It’s crazy to think that he’s probably the most successful Bills coach over his first 4 seasons.  
 

What was your initial reaction then to his hiring?

 

I was close to an all-time frustration level with the Bills - specifically with Rex Ryan and Doug Whaley.  I wanted them both fired and for Terry to start a clean.  Actually, I wanted the Pegulas to hire Bill Polian as President to hire his own GM and Coach.  I thought the Pegulas were clueless and that they needed an experienced executive like to Polian to turn the franchise around.  Foolish thinking.  
 

As for the McDermott hiring, I was pretty indifferent.  I didn’t really know much about him from Carolina other than the fact they had a great defense the year that they went to the Super Bowl.  
 

I also knew from the Rex experiment that sometimes hiring a retread coach is not always the best option.  At the time in 2015, I thought the Rex hire was a great move.  Little did I know....

 

So I guess I was sightly cautiously optimistic but was taking a “wait and see” approach.  I felt that the team would suck in 2017 but that a tank year would give them a shot at drafting a legit franchise QB which was what they needed.   I knew that if they found a legit franchise QB it would solve all of their problems and you can argue that’s kind of what happened, though McDermott’s coaching and defense helped a ton as well

I actually liked it a defensive minded coach who actually knew what he was doing unlike the other guy and his wife’s foot photos 

[Freddie's Dead]

Meh.  Never really heard of him, wasn't impressed with the hire.  Wasn't a fan of his game management at first, but he's done better as he's gone on.  We've beaten the crap out of so many teams this year that even when he makes the rare game management error, it doesn't hurt us.  He's gotten a ruthless streak lately, running it up on teams so that they can't come back like Houston did last year in the playoffs.  He seems determined not to repeat that mistake.

 

Where you cannot fault McD is his leadership.  He is a superb leader of men, and his organization this year in the face of Covid was nothing short of astonishing.  He had the Bills ready to play in every game except TEN, but can't blame him for that, the NFL jerked us around mercilessly.  I think we're lucky to have him, and if anyone can overcome the loss of Daboll, McD can.

 

I was wrong about him.  I take my crow medium well.

[billsfan89]

I liked the hire. I always prefer to go after an up and coming coordinator than a tired retread. In my years as a Bills fans I hated when they hired Jauron, Gailey and Rex all tired retreads (Although I liked Rex the most out of those three.) I know retreads like Billy B have done well but I tend to feel like retreads are bad hires more often than not. I liked when they hired Gregg, Mularky and Marrone and my opinion was similar for McD, I didn't know enough about him but it seems like he was a solid up and coming coordinator. I wasn't sure it would be a super successful hire but I thought it was the right type of hire philosophically.

[US Egg]

Sean who?

 

Oh geez, that's the best the Pegulas can find to coach here?

 

.....honestly.

[HappyDays]

I had no positive or negative reaction. Judging if a new head coach will be successful is arguably more difficult than scouting QBs. There's just nothing that compares to being an NFL head coach. I didn't care about anything he had done as a defensive coordinator. That doesn't tell you anything about a man's ability to lead an organization.

 

Knowing what I know now about McDermott I'm sure he blew away the Pegulas in his interview. We are lucky they interviewed him right after Rex Ryan. His personality in the interview room was probably a breath of fresh air.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

3 hours ago, njbuff said:

I thought he was the little in the first RoboCop movie.

 

That actor went on to play a surgeon on ER

[US Egg]

10 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

We are lucky they interviewed him right after Rex Ryan. His personality in the interview room was probably a breath of fresh air.

Rex and Rob had to have stunk up the place, they were always out chowing.

[Bubba Gump]

Who's this God fearing bald nerd.

[MJS]

He seemed smart. He had success as a coordinator. I was a little concerned that he was defensive minded rather than offensive minded, but he seemed like a step above the crappy hires I was used to (I hated the Chan Gailey, Doug Marrone, and Rec Ryan hires, even though I forced myself into hoping for the best with them).

 

The more I read about him the more I liked him. He seemed very hard working, well prepared, and also just seemed like a good, humble guy. His ability to turn around the defense so fast, especially with the Poyer and Hyde signings, had me confident that at least he was a really good defensive mind.

 

All in all, it was not hard for me to jump on board. He is the opposite of a coach like Rex Ryan. Rex is the type of coach I hate. All bluster and buffoonery, no substance, lazy, and too proud and stubborn to change and progress.

 

I love McDemott's approach to building a culture of a loving brotherhood where the guys truly care about each other, but also everyone works hard and prepares themselves well.

[machine gun kelly]

I did some hw. on him when it was reported he was interviewing.  I knew him from Carolina only because I live in one of the NFCS cities so get a lot of news.  He was a solid DC. I honestly didn’t remember him as well in Philly as I could care less about the NFC least.

 

I was very hopeful, but was hoping fir an offensive minded coach.  In the end, he did the right thing in bringing in an experienced OC in Daboll.  FWIW, I don’t remember a previous coach I was excited to see here in two decades.  I thought losing Phillips was a mistake, and hoped Chan would be decent.

[GunnerBill]

I wanted us to Fire Rex and hire Sean a year earlier. I was absolutely elated. I thought he was basically the best Head Coach in waiting in the NFL.

 

Now I don't have the best track record of wanting the right guy for the Bills the previous two hiring rounds (wanted Lovie in 13 and Hue in 15... can't remember who I wanted post Jauron.... just someone with a pulse!) But I was all in on Sean and I am delighted how it has worked out.

[JMF2006]

I hated the Wrex hire

 

I loved the McD hire

[streetkings01]

Definitely didn’t think he’d be the guy to take us to the playoffs 3 out of his 4 seasons while stripping the roster down to the bone year 1. I saw him as a Dick Jauron clone, he’s proven to be one of the top guys in the NFL.

 

The best part about what he’s done in Buffalo is he’s doing it with his guys, not inheriting a good roster from the last guy and living off that for a couple seasons like Rex Ryan did his first 2 seasons with Mangini’s roster.

[oldmanfan]

Guarded.  Looked like he had earned his shot but you never know if a coordinator can take that next step.  And so glad he’s here now.

[billsfan1959]

I was a fan of the hire at the time, and even moreso after they brought Beane on board. We are fortunate.

[HOUSE]

He struck me as a coach that would beat the Colts by 40 points

[eball]

I was so happy the Pegulas had fired Rex that I don’t think I really cared who they hired.  The only thing I recall thinking was that I hoped they would not bring in a retread.  I’m sure a part of me wanted an offensive-minded HC.  McD came across as a serious, well-intentioned guy and as I read more about him I warmed to the hire.  Like most of us I sort of laughed at all of the “respect the process” stuff at first, but as we’ve now seen it was a lot more than just a catch phrase.  At this point in time I believe McD’s greatest qualities are that he is constantly seeking to improve, and he is genuine.

[hemma]

I was hopeful because wrestling, especially at the level he achieved, requires extreme, ongoing discipline.

 

Rex made weight by laying down & having lap surgery. 

McDermott made weight by running 50,000 stairs.  Every week.

[SoTier]

9 hours ago, JohnNord said:

It’s almost 4 years to the day that the Bills announced the hiring on Carolina Panthers DC Sean McDermott.   It’s crazy to think that he’s probably the most successful Bills coach over his first 4 seasons.  
 

What was your initial reaction then to his hiring?

 

I was close to an all-time frustration level with the Bills - specifically with Rex Ryan and Doug Whaley.  I wanted them both fired and for Terry to start a clean.  Actually, I wanted the Pegulas to hire Bill Polian as President to hire his own GM and Coach.  I thought the Pegulas were clueless and that they needed an experienced executive like to Polian to turn the franchise around.  Foolish thinking.  
 

As for the McDermott hiring, I was pretty indifferent.  I didn’t really know much about him from Carolina other than the fact they had a great defense the year that they went to the Super Bowl.  
 

I also knew from the Rex experiment that sometimes hiring a retread coach is not always the best option.  At the time in 2015, I thought the Rex hire was a great move.  Little did I know....

 

So I guess I was sightly cautiously optimistic but was taking a “wait and see” approach.  I felt that the team would suck in 2017 but that a tank year would give them a shot at drafting a legit franchise QB which was what they needed.   I knew that if they found a legit franchise QB it would solve all of their problems and you can argue that’s kind of what happened, though McDermott’s coaching and defense helped a ton as well

 

Your reaction pretty much mirrors mine except that I was less optimistic, primarily because it appeared that the Ryan experiment had resulted in Russ Brandon gaining even more power.   I was a long-time critic of Brandon, and I figured that McDermott was just another mediocre HC in the mode of Brandon's previous hires: Dick Jauron, Chan Gailey, and Doug Marrone. 

[Charles Romes]

I knew we had a coach when he won at the defending NFC champion Falcons early in the year with a bunch of journeyman. That was a massive talent gap that was made up for. 

[BigBuff423]

I recall reading several pieces on McDermott as he made the rounds and thinking that it felt different this time. It was just "a name" or a flash in the pan type of hype, the search conducted felt didactic, truly strategic and with reason and logic to drive their objectives. In other words, to me the emotion and rush to judgment was removed and they utilized the league's resources which evaluate candidates objectively and make recommendations. 

 

Once he took over the role and I started to read and hear more, the more confident I became. Once Beane was brought on and then the talent in the Front Office assembled and read more of their resumes, the more excited I became. After the Draft and into the summer when trades started taking place their identity and values began to take shape and my resolve in my "trust" in them grew. By the time the 2018 Draft came around and decisions were made, I felt confidence in the team and the FO, which was the first time I could say that with conviction since the 90's. 

 

McDermott caught a lot of flak on this board because of his clapping, some panned clichés when he first came on and his general approach in the media. But to me, he was careful to keep issues between him and his players or staff yet honest enough to not feel like listening to him was a waste of time. Beane's transparency from the beginning was remarkable in my mind and to me, he endeared himself to the fan base in those very moments. All in all, once the Bills started playing and players started talking about the team and the difference in culture, I couldn't have constructed a better HC for the Bills. 

[Canadian Bills Fan]

I loved it.

 

Something about him just was different and I mean that in the best possible way

[GunnerBill]

35 minutes ago, Charles Romes said:

I knew we had a coach when he won at the defending NFC champion Falcons early in the year with a bunch of journeyman. That was a massive talent gap that was made up for. 

 

Still to this day one of his best wins. As was the one at KC later in that season.

[JESSEFEFFER]

10 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Struck me as the polar opposite of rex

 

Two thoughts.  I 100% agree with you on this.  I think it is a natural consequence of one failed hiring  to make the next that has strengths that counter the previous one's weaknesses.  In this case, discipline and attention to detail.  The second thought was that he looked like Ron Howard's pumped up twin brother.

[Don Otreply]

I was initially neutral in my feelings about the hire, but soon realized he could coach, and have been pleased with his efforts since.

 

Go Bills!!!

[Ramza86]

I was a little turned off by the religion thing. 

 

My initial reaction was "who?...whatever...its not like i know anything about coaches anyways"

[BillsFan4]

I was thrilled. He was the guy I wanted as soon as I saw his name on the interview list. I pounded the table for him. I’ve been a fan of his since 2013, when his Carolina defense really turned the corner (with a bunch of no name players) in the 2nd half of that season. I remember reading about him as an up&comer when he was in Philly and I followed his defenses in carolina (top 10 almost every year!). That 2015 Carolina defense was amazing! and I loved that guys were having so much fun.

[Success]

I'm always all in, immediately, on every Bills decision.

 

That probably sounds homer, but my reasoning is that I don't know nearly as much as the people who do this stuff for a living, and I have to trust what they do.  Obviously, for 20 years prior to McD, that outlook really didn't pan out. But even during our worst years, the people in charge still knew a lot more than me.

 

[Solomon Grundy]

13 hours ago, JimKellyTryouts said:

I think this photo came out shortly after things he finalized his contract and I was...in awe?

Looked up some of his mic'd ups with Carolina and saw/heard lots of intensity and detail in his approach, and I liked that

 

As for the press conference, I got absolutely nothing out of it, and I was okay with that - polar opposite to Rex like Yolo had mentioned earlier. He seemed polite (asking reporters their names) and too reserved.

So you’re telling me Doug Whaley had something to do with his hiring??

[TheCockSportif]

Rex Ryan was like having norovirus where you purge your guts out, and it sucks, but in the end you're glad that it's finally gone.  Getting that gross analogy out of the way, I admit that I was relieved for a change, but basically indifferent as to the hire itself (Bills have had a lot of terrible coaches over the years plus Whaley and Brandon were still in the building at the time).

 

I'm glad that the team started cutting dead weight early, and it was apparent from early on that the guy could coach.  I didn't know he'd be this good, but not knowing this (and having the team be in a great position now) are good problems to have.

Edited January 8, 2021 by Groin

[RobbRiddick]

 

 

[uticaclub]

Was I the only that was still sad we canned Rex at that point?

[Amaru523]

This was the first Bills coaching hire post Marv that I didn't hate or shake my head at.  I was cautiously optimistic. Prior to this there were some hires (Jauron for starters) that just flat out made me angry.  This one though, didn't make me feel hopeless.

[RobbRiddick]

I've just watched the clip and it's funny that back then the Bills were just so insignificant. They weren't a joke - the Jets are a joke but at least they're entertaining. The Bills were just dull and lifeless, doing the same old things and making the same old moves every year. Jauron, Gailey, Marv as GM, Buddy Nix. 

 

Rex gave us a brief shot in the arm with his "it's waiting to get on" stuff but he just came across as a buffoon. 

 

Seeing the Bills logo behind McD there, I can remember thinking about other fan's perceptions when they saw that during press conferences and stuff, because the team had been so insignificant for so long.

 

It's pretty amazing to see the team now. When you look at that logo you think about a team that's entertaining and together, innovative and tough. You think of Allen and White and Milano and Diggs, all those players other fans would drool over.

 

The transformation has been pretty incredible. 

[Cheektowaga Chad]

Initial reaction was good hire, I liked the coaching tree he was from and who he learned from

 

But when he had the intro press conference I thought he sounded kinda out there and thought maybe thats why he has never had a head coach job for so long. He always seemed to interview each year and never landed any until then

[Mark Vader]

I had mixed feelings.

 

I was glad that Rex was gone and that we weren't hiring another retread.

 

I was hoping for an offensive minded coach, but I did research on McDermott and saw that he was a student of Jim Johnson in Philadelphia, which to me was a big positive.

 

McDermott's first press conference was bland, but I'm more interested in a head coach's actions rather than if they can keep the media entertained.

 

From his first moves in free agency and the draft in 2017, I liked what I was seeing. The addition of Beane only added more.

 

It's amazing what McDermott has accomplished in a rather short time here, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of this journey continues.

[Jumpsuit Jim]

43 minutes ago, uticaclub said:

Was I the only that was still sad we canned Rex at that point?

Yes. 

[BaaadThingsMan]

I liked the hire immediately, felt they got the right guy. 

Edited January 8, 2021 by BaaadThingsMan

[TBBills]