Getty Former Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in Orchard Park on August 05, 2022.
After a strong start to the 2023 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills started to flounder. Bills quarterback Josh Allen looked like he lost his explosive spark. Sitting at 5-5, the Bills fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey.
The move wasn’t a huge surprise considering the Bills offense was a disjointed mess for most of the season. While no one knew what to expect after the Bills promoted Joe Brady as interim offensive coordinator, the Bills started to thrive. Under Brady, Buffalo finished the year 7-2.
While addressing reporters as the Cleveland Browns’ new offensive coordinator on Monday, February 5, he opened up about his exit for the first time. While not specifically naming Sean McDermott, he placed the firing squarely on his shoulders.
“Look, at the end of the day, the head coach decided to make a change and that’s something I have to turn the page on,” Dorsey said. “I’m really excited to be here and more focused on this opportunity than what happened there.” This tracks with what McDermott told reporters the day Dorsey was fired on November 14. “This decision was made by me and me alone,” McDermott said.
Dorsey, who was hired by the Browns on January 28, said he spent the remainder of the NFL season reflecting on his work in Buffalo. “One of the big things is, it gave me time to kind of go back and look at it like, ‘OK, here’s what we were doing schematically and how we were utilizing our personnel,’ and really evaluate what we were doing,” Dorsey said.
“When I did, I felt like there were a lot of great things that we were doing. There are always things that, ‘Hey, maybe I would do this a little bit different moving forward.'”
Bills QB Josh Allen Felt Responsible for Ken Dorsey Getting Fired
Josh Allen: “I love Dorsey. As a human being, he’s one of the good ones”
Allen said that if they play better, this probably doesn’t happen, but he spoke with Sean McDermott and understands the thought process.
Speaking to reporters one day after Dorsey was fired, Allen appeared heartbroken. “I love Dorsey. As a human being, he’s one of the good ones.” Allen also admitted that he felt guilty about the coordinator getting fired.
When asked if Dorsey would still have his job if the offense played better, “Without a doubt,” Allen said. “I take that very personally. It hurts. It hurts a lot to see someone you care about go through a situation like that.”
“I feel like I owe him a lot of the success I’ve had in my career. He’s been a huge part of that. Sad to see him go. The fact is if we play better as a team, we probably don’t have to make a move like that.”
“He’s a big part of what we’ve been doing here in the last few years. I talked with Coach McDermott, and I understand the thought process of why we’re doing it. It’s unfortunate. But at the same time, we’ve got a game against a division rival on Sunday and we still have time to turn this thing around.”
Ken Dorsey Called Browns Star Deshaun Watson ‘One of the Top Quarterbacks’ in the NFL
GettyBrowns quarterback Deshaun Watson on December 28, 2023.
Overall, the 42-year-old offensive coordinator looks back at his tenure in Buffalo as glass half-full. “When you look back and say, ‘Were we on the right track? Were we doing the things I felt like, at the end of the day, as the leader of the offense and play-caller were giving us the best chance to win?’
“In a lot of cases, there were a lot of ‘Yeses,’ and sometimes, in certain situations, I would maybe do something a little different,” Dorsey said.
Dorsey is looking forward to fresh start with Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. Before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in November, the Brown were 5-1. During those six starts, Watson completed 61% of his throws for 1,115 yards with seven touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He also rushed for 142 yards and a score.
“I’m extremely excited to work with this offense, especially Deshaun and him being one of the top quarterbacks in this league, the opportunity to really go out there this season and help him prove that he really is that — a top quarterback in this league that can operate and help us win a bunch of football games,” Dorsey said. “So, I’m super excited about that opportunity and really looking forward to this challenge.”