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After five years of reaching the playoffs but falling painfully short of the Super Bowl, Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott believes his team’s time is about to come.
Speaking to The Athletic’s Tim Graham at the NFL Scouting Combine, McDermott opened up about his team’s recent playoff stumbles including three years where his team was knocked off by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Despite the difficulties, McDermott said he is confident that the Bills will be Super Bowl champions in the near future.
Sean McDermott’s Super Bowl Prediction
McDermott came under fire during the season, with Go Long’s Tyler Dunne publishing a three-part series that included criticism from several anonymous players and former coaches. The series was published at the same time the Bills fell to 6-6, far outside the playoff picture and three games behind the Miami Dolphins for the lead in the AFC East.
The team’s fortunes changed dramatically from that point on. The Bills ended the regular season with five straight wins, clinching their fourth straight AFC East title and wrapping up the No. 2 overall seed.
But the Bills fell to a familiar rival, losing to the Chiefs in the divisional round after missing a late field goal that would have tied the game. Despite the rough ending to the season, McDermott expressed confidence that his team would finally be able to break through and win a Super Bowl.
“It’s not a matter of if. It’s just a matter of when,” McDermott told Graham in the story published on February 26. “That is the relentless pursuit.”
McDermott added that he tries to drown out criticism, including those calling for him to be fired mid-season amid the team’s slump and the unflattering revelations in the series from Dunne.
“You can’t listen,” McDermott said. “I believe we’re doing things the right way. You only fail if you quit, and I’ve never done that. I’ve never been about that. Whatever it is, you always figure it out. You always find a way to get there.
“The only thing left to do for us at this point is win an AFC championship and win a Super Bowl, which is pretty darn good. There’s not too many organizations that can say that over the last seven years. We’ve done everything else you can do, and that is what gets us out of bed in the morning.”
McDermott has overseen a significant turnaround in Buffalo, helping the team end its 17-year playoff drought in his first season in 2017 and making the playoffs in each of the last five seasons. But the Bills have advanced beyond the divisional round just once during that time, losing to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game following the 2020 season.
Josh Allen Shares Coach’s Enthusiasm
Bills quarterback Josh Allen has preached a similar message to McDermott, saying in an interview this week that he believes the team is just a few minor tweaks away from reaching the Super Bowl.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated in an interview published on February 20, Allen said the recent failures are weighing heavy on him.
“We keep saying we’re close. We’re right there, you know?” Allen said. “It comes down to making one or two more plays. We need to. It’s heavy on my shoulders.”
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