The New McDermott - Great Buscaglia Article

[The Frankish Reich]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6047900/2025/01/10/bills-coach-sean-mcdermott-playoffs/?source=freeweeklyemail&campaign=602288&userId=12924261

 

A really nice deep dive into a reserved man not given to over sharing. And really well-written. We often treat our reporters as scoop-and-tweet machines. When Joe B. gets a chance to stretch out here, he shows he's in the top rank of sports writers. (Sorry, no non-paywall link, but you guys know the workarounds. Better yet, just subscribe!)

 

McDermott insists his “goofy dad” ways have always been in there.

“I was a class clown when I was younger, believe it or not,” McDermott said.

In third grade, teachers would send a note home every Friday, updating his parents on his weekly progress. In sixth grade, for various reasons, including being a class clown, McDermott was held back a year in school.

But that sense of humor, although it wasn’t necessarily dormant during his first seven years as head coach, he wasn’t going out of his way to display it like he has this season. It would come out here or there, like when he winked after using the term “process” in a news conference his first two years, almost in a self-deprecating way. But to a grand degree, McDermott had been buttoned up until now.

Many have voiced a feeling, as unquantifiable as it is, that this year’s Bills team is different than the ones they have had over the last five years of playoff losses. And that very well may be true.

However, NFL teams often channel the energy of the head coach leading them. And if something is different about this year’s Bills team, it might be because something is different about Sean McDermott.

The coach who arrived in 2017 touted process, culture, a growth mindset, a desire to have supreme attention to every detail and a borderline robotic work ethic. In his early years in Buffalo, he ran what some described as a “military-ish” program.

That coach is still in there, carrying all those same beliefs, but perhaps not in the same form. Even in media settings, McDermott appears more relaxed and forthcoming than ever before.

[DrDawkinstein]

2 articles in a row!

 

Looks like Bills PR has been working overtime on this topic this year.

 

But really, the only thing that will change a lot of perceptions and mindsets is simply winning. We all know he's a great guy. That's not what the chatter is about.

 

Dont botch it on coaching decisions in the playoffs, and win a Super Bowl, and then the legacy writes itself.

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by DrDawkinstein

[PBF81]

7 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

2 articles in a row!

 

Looks like Bills PR has been working overtime on this topic this year.

 

But really, the only thing that will change a lot of perceptions and mindsets is simply winning. We all know he's a great guy. That's not what the chatter is about.

 

Dont botch it on coaching decisions in the playoffs, and win a Super Bowl, and then the legacy writes itself.

 

 

 

It's a business, or so we're told when it's convenient, and players and coaches get paid handsomely to win and perform, not drop the ball and screw up.  

 

 

[MPL]

:13 seconds was one hell of a "class-clown prank" you pulled, Sean. 

[GuardianAngel]

Uh oh, McDermott showing human emotions? He's not just a souless football automaton? Clearly he is unfit as a leader, I can't believe a man in his position would ever do this sort of thing, totally unheard of, absolutely weak, Andy Reid would never. /s

Honestly though I think him loosening up has had a very tangible affect on the team, and when you're leader is rocking with the vibes then it's a lot easier for everyone else too and we see that with Allen in spades. Though I'd argue Allen has had more of an affect on McDermott than the other way around in this case, it's still great to see both leaders actually looking like they're having fun.
 

[GoBills808]

We get it already

 

Talk is cheap

[3rdand12]

Just read it. 

 Thanks Bud !

 Great read and a bit inspiring 🙂 

Read it before commenting perhaps

Edited 2 hours ago by 3rdand12

[LABILLBACKER]

He has changed.  Watching him do snow angels with Josh was pretty cool. He doesn't seem to be wound so tight. I may always have my doubts about his game day abilities, but you can never question his character or passion for bringing a championship to Buffalo. 

[SoonerBillsFan]

10 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

We get it already

 

Talk is cheap

If I could thank a post many times over,this would be one of them.

 

No more foo foo crap, win the damn superbowl

[The Frankish Reich]

3 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

He has changed.  Watching him do snow angels with Josh was pretty cool. He doesn't seem to be wound so tight. I may always have my doubts about his game day abilities, but you can never question his character or passion for bringing a championship to Buffalo. 

If you read the article, you'll see that he has come to terms with who he is: an introvert, in a job that is usually the home of extroverts. And he's found a way to be very successful, particularly now that the team seems to understand him and to put in the hard work as a team playing for him.

[3rdand12]

Some of those errors surely are the folks in his headset and he goes with it. He talks about trust  a lot

I have Always thought he was getting bad data , advice etc from the folks hired to to manage analytics. and went with it. If so , he should have fixed that by now.

 I am a big Fan of the Guy though.

 

 

[Mikie2times]

We don’t have to win in the playoffs anymore. I’m good. 

[BeastMaster]

His defense has to show up in these playoffs or nothing has changed

[QB Bills]

The guy failed grade 6??

 

Things make a lot more sense now.

[T.E.]

I'm a big believer in teams taking on the identity of their coach, and it's interesting that the Bills, who seemed tight and embattled over the past few seasons, now seem to be a lot more loose this year.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Good article.

 

one weird thing— why did he interview and get a quote from John Beilein of all people? Different sport and disaster at his last coaching spot.  Does Beilein know McD? Maybe I missed it. 

[The Frankish Reich]

5 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Good article.

 

one weird thing— why did he interview and get a quote from John Beilein of all people? Different sport and disaster at his last coaching spot.  Does Beilein know McD? Maybe I missed it. 

Right. Maybe Beilein was just a guy in his contact list who bothered to respond.

[Success]

I think like most fans, I've gone back & forth on McDermott, and have had my doubts at times.

 

But we're lucky.  No, he isn't the best coach, and I don't think I'd put him top 5. But he's top 10, and knows what he's doing. There is a LOT of bad coaching in the league.  McD has done a fantastic job this year - as good as anyone.

 

The playoff failures are obviously unfortunate - but we almost beat the champs last year with half of our defense hurt or out.  If KC had the same injuries, and we were as healthy as them, we probably win that game by 2+ scores.

 

[Shortchaz]

Great job this season overall but lose Sunday and I’ll want him gone. 

[Kelly to Allen]

1 hour ago, LABILLBACKER said:

He has changed.  Watching him do snow angels with Josh was pretty cool. He doesn't seem to be wound so tight. I may always have my doubts about his game day abilities, but you can never question his character or passion for bringing a championship to Buffalo. 

He's a really good coach.