The latest shocking head coach firing in the NFL came in the form of Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott getting his walking papers just 2 days after his team lost to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round and after 9 season as Buffalo’s head coach, including 8 playoff appearances.
The opening for the Bills automatically becomes one of the most attractive head coach openings — only 2 of the 10 NFL head coach jobs have been filled — because they have the NFL’s best player on their roster in quarterback Josh Allen.
The Broncos might have a dark horse candidate to become Buffalo’s next head coach in quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator Davis Webb, who has a unique connection to Allen and the Bills.
“Brian Daboll and Joe Brady are obvious names to watch in Buffalo,” ESPN’s Peter Schrager wrote on his official X account. “A third one that is worth circling — Broncos OC Davis Webb, who was Josh Allen’s teammate for 3 years in Buffalo. 30-year-old has been on Sean Payton’s hip for the last three years. Has already interviewed with Las Vegas and Baltimore.”
Webb, who was Allen’s backup from 2019-2021, will have his hands full this week as he takes on the task of a lifetime — getting backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham prepared to start in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots after starter Bo Nix broke his ankle in the overtime win over the Bills.
Webb On Track to ‘Level Up’ in 2026
One thing is almost for certain when it comes to Webb — he’ll be at least an offensive coordinator in 2026 if he doesn’t land one of the myriad head coach openings in the NFL.
The Athletic’s Diana Russini put Webb on a list of NFL position coaches who could be “Leveling Up’ to become coordinators in 2026.
“Several young coaches around the league are generating real momentum as potential candidates for larger roles,” Russini wrote on Saturday, January 3. “Multiple head coaches and assistants have shared strong reviews and belief in a group that includes Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb.”
Tied to NFL’s Elite Quarterbacks in Crazy Ways
Outside of his connection to Allen, Webb’s history of bumping into the NFL’s best quarterbacks during his lifetime is pretty wild.
In college, Webb went back and forth as the starting quarterback at Texas Tech with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and 2-time Pro Bowler Baker Mayfield and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and 2-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes — all under head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who is also a head coach candidate this offseason.
After 2 years as the starter, Webb found himself replaced by Mahomes, with Webb transferring to Cal for his final college season.
In his one season at Cal, Webb threw for 4,295 yards, 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and was selected in the third round (No. 82 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. He spent 7 seasons as a backup quarterback for the New York Giants, New York Jets and Bills before Payton hired him as the Broncos quarterbacks coach in 2023 — he added the title of pass game coordinator in 2025.
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