McDermott Prediction Poll

[BigDingus]

Doubt he'll make a SB, but he's not lasting less than 3 years & no playoff game.

 

The miracle he pulled off turning this Bills team around is no joke. He changed the entire culture of an organization that went an entire generation without making the playoffs.

 

I was 13 the last time the Bills had made the playoffs pre-McDermott, and I was 31 when we finally made it again. 

 

He's made the playoffs every season outside Josh's rookie year, so I just can't see him flopping that hard in the future. 

Edited May 3 by BigDingus

[EssexBill]

Unless Andy Reid decides to retire and he somehow gets that job with  Mahomes as his QB, I’d say far more likely to crash out. The amount of games that the bills have won over the last few years purely because of Josh engaging Terminator mode and which had absolutely nothing to do with coaching I’d say has to be a decent sized percentage, only Mahomes and possibly Lamar could do that 

Edited April 30 by EssexBill

[The Frankish Reich]

3 hours ago, The Frankish Reich said:

HOF caliber QB, consistent division winner, never won (got to?) a Super Bowl over the course of 5+ seasons. Who else fits those criteria?

I can't think of anyone.

To answer my own question: Dan Marino/Don Shula. Jim Kelly/Marv Levy. But at least they made it to the SB.

[kitchen sink]

He will win a Superbowl with another team because Ralph is cheap, oh wait...

[chris heff]

McDermott is Dan Reeves.

[The Jokeman]

It depends, I think he'd more likely end up in a place like Cleveland or Jacksonville to help build culture that has been lacking for ages and if so getting to a Super Bowl less likely. That said if he ends up in a place like San Francisco or Dallas there's a chance he could get to/win a Super Bowl. 

[colin]

1 hour ago, The Jokeman said:

It depends, I think he'd more likely end up in a place like Cleveland or Jacksonville to help build culture that has been lacking for ages and if so getting to a Super Bowl less likely. That said if he ends up in a place like San Francisco or Dallas there's a chance he could get to/win a Super Bowl. 

 

while i think your idea of where he ends up most likely is right (in that it would be to a dumpster fire) he's a lesser coach than the jags current rookie HC, and is a lesser coach then stefanski who just left cleveland (who atlanta was happy to hire before even considering mcd).  

 

both of those coaches got performance out of qbs who previously had shown lower levels of ability, mcd never won a 1 seed or an afc chip with josh allen.

[Rocky Landing]

I would like to see McD end up in some drainage pond like Cleveland, and see if he can build another winning culture. That is what he’s good at. 

[Jimmy Harris 69]

McDermott is a good coach who knows how to build a program. He does however, have a ceiling. I see him historically as Chuck Knox or Marty Schottenheimer. In this new environment of shorter leashes on coaches it’s hard to know how much time McDermott would have; 3-5 tops. Unless the team made big strides maybe only three. I hope the guy gets another shot. 

[13 Seconds to Mars]

On 4/30/2026 at 7:20 AM, Kirby Jackson said:

There is a lot of reflective McDermott evaluation going on still. While I vowed that I didn’t want to relitigate his tenure, this felt interesting. While it is time for us to all move on, I’m curious to see what the board thinks his future will look like. 
 

We are all aware that the correct answer “depends on where he ends up.” We also know that somewhere in between these 2 ends of the spectrum is most likely. That’s why those aren’t options. No one is asking if he will be okay. This poll is designed to ask, “is he more likely to take the next team to the Super Bowl” or “to flame out?”  

McDermott does a great job getting the most out of 2nd rate starters and is a great defensive coach despite what this board says.  He’s exactly what the Giants thought they were getting when they hired Daboll. A coach who can swiftly rebuild a losing culture. IDK if he’ll ever win a SB, but his skill set is a wanted commodity in today’s NFL. 
 

Edit: I also wanted to add that the jury is still out. It’s not impossible that McDermott ends up winning the SB w/ Buffalo next year if he didn’t get fired along w/ a loaded WR room. The Pegula’s didn’t spend much time thinking it over. FYI I do agree w/ their decision to do so. 

Edited May 3 by 13 Seconds to Mars

[SydneyBillsFan]

On 4/30/2026 at 11:44 PM, QB Bills said:

Man, this McDermott revisionist history really is something. People make it out to be like he took over some bottom feeding team and did a 180.

 

Bills records and point differential the 3 years before he got hired:

 

2014: 9-7 (54)

2015: 8-8 (20)

2016: 7-9 (21)

 

McDermott claps his way to OBD..

 

2017: 9-7 (-57)

 

The guy got lucky with an easy schedule and an unlikely Andy Dalton 4th down completion in a season he actually decided to start Nathan Peterman because he thought he gave them the best chance to win.

 

They crapped the bed the following season (albeit mostly by design) and then Josh Allen started to become Josh Allen and the rest is history. 

 

Unless he gets lucky with a freak show qb again, he will never sniff the super bowl and will never coach a perennial playoff team again. Should have fired him years ago.

 

Agree 100%

 

The Cincy playoff loss should have resulted in a DCM in his pay cheque.

 

(Don't Come Monday)

[SunDSolar]

Question?  Does he fall into another Josh Allen like QB? 

 

Because if not hes going to get blown out a lot in the regular season

[Einstein]

Some people are forgetting he went 9-7 with Tyrod Taylor.

 

That’s not to say he will win a SB, but rather to say him being fired in 3 years or less is unlikely. Especially with his reputation for turning around a team.

[Mr. WEO]

On 4/30/2026 at 8:14 AM, Kirby Jackson said:

 

That’s exactly why it wasn’t a choice. We all would have defaulted to the easy answer.
 

I went back and forth. I went with flame out as more likely. If he didn’t get there with prime Josh Allen, it’ll be tough to get there without him. 
 

Honestly, we could do the exact same poll for Joe Brady. Does he take this team where McDermott couldn’t or is he gone in a couple years? I suspect the fans would be overwhelmingly positive in that though because we are all hoping it.

Brady would have to go—Terry fired McD, blaming him for no SB, essentially.  He then chose not to hire from without, keeping Brady.  
 

If no SB appearance soon after that, how does he justify keeping Brady?

[Ethan in Cleveland]

I don't think he will get a HC job. How many teams are hiring old defensive minded head coaches? Patriots were special case with Vrabel having ties to the team. If McCarthy is one and done in Pittsburgh maybe the Steelers would hire him. They aren't getting rid of McCarthy in one year though. If Browns wanted a defensive HC they could have kept Jim Schwartz. 

[SunDSolar]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

Some people are forgetting he went 9-7 with Tyrod Taylor.

 

That’s not to say he will win a SB, but rather to say him being fired in 3 years or less is unlikely. Especially with his reputation for turning around a team.

 

Stop it

 

Marrone went 9-7 with Orton & EJ as his QBs

 

Mcdermott got lucky with Allen, proved time and time again he wasn't a good head coach.  Painfully average at best. 

 

Always outcoached with his defensive schemes never working in the playoffs 

 

He should have actually been fired after 13 seconds 

[folz]

On 5/1/2026 at 11:13 AM, colin said:

 

while i think your idea of where he ends up most likely is right (in that it would be to a dumpster fire) he's a lesser coach than the jags current rookie HC, and is a lesser coach then stefanski who just left cleveland (who atlanta was happy to hire before even considering mcd).  

 

both of those coaches got performance out of qbs who previously had shown lower levels of ability, mcd never won a 1 seed or an afc chip with josh allen.

 

How can you say that with such confidence?

 

Coen has exactly two years as an offensive coordinator and one year as a head coach. And Stefanski had one year as an OC and then six seasons in Cleveland.

 

McD has had 17 years as a coordinator and head coach. His defensive team rankings across that span are better than even Spagnola's (even if he hasn't had the same post-season success---though he did reach a SB in Carolina as DC, and should have made one or two in Buffalo if not for the NFL/referees). Sean's record is .662 (yes, with Josh). Stefanski was .446 in Cleveland (yes, with QB problems). And let's face it Trevor Lawrence isn't anywhere near Josh's level, but he's not a bad QB by any means (I mean he was a #1 overall selection in the draft and was in his 5th year, not a rookie under Coen). In 2024, the Jags had a down year, but two years prior, they were in the playoffs and won a playoff game. So, the team wasn't a total dumpster fire.

 

But seriously, what proof do you have to be so confident in that statement? Just your eye test, huh? Forgive me if I don't trust your eyes/opinion. You may be right if those other coaches go on to great success and Super Bowls, but there is absolutely nothing to show currently that they are better coaches other than your belief/dislike of McDermott.

 

Also, considering that Stefanski was hired by Atlanta on January 18th and McDermott was fired on January 19th, it stands to reason that they didn't consider McDermott...because they had finished their HC search before Sean was fired.

 

You guys are ridiculous.

[BigAl2526]

Between the two alternatives, I chose the first, not out of disrespect for McDermott.  Reaching the Super Bowl is hard.  I think the most likely path is somewhere between the two. 

[Victory Formation]

Will he take another HC job??? Or will will he work for the media??

[Billsfanatixs]

I don't know why but i can picture him as the dolphins new head coach next year