The Denver Broncos’ biggest playoff win in years didn’t just send them to the AFC Championship Game, it also triggered a major shake-up in Buffalo.
The Buffalo Bills are moving on from head coach Sean McDermott after their Divisional Round loss to Denver, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, citing “The Insiders.”
UPDATE 10:24 a.m. ET, Jan. 21: Bills owner Terry Pegula confirmed that the Bills loss to the Broncos was the final straw that led to McDermott being fired.
Denver beat Buffalo 33-30 in overtime on Saturday, Jan. 17, at Empower Field at Mile High. The win ended the Bills’ season and immediately put the franchise’s direction under a brighter spotlight, with the head coach now becoming the headline.
The Bills did reportedly keep general manager Brandon Beane, who will help find the next coach of the franchise.
He will lead the search for Buffalo’s next head coach.
Broncos’ Divisional Win Immediately Shakes Up Buffalo
McDermott had been Buffalo’s head coach since 2017 and helped lift the Bills from a long playoff drought into annual contention, including multiple division titles and repeated postseason trips.
But the Broncos’ overtime victory became the breaking point, per the NFL Network report.
Saturday’s finish was as dramatic as it gets. Denver forced five turnovers and got a pivotal overtime interception by cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian on a deep shot from Josh Allen that became the game’s defining — and heavily debated — moment. The defining moment was McMillian’s overtime interception on a deep ball, a play Buffalo contested afterward as Bills coach Sean McDermott questioned the ruling publicly. NFL.com noted the call stood, and the debate exploded across the league as replay angles circulated. A referee later addressed the decision, explaining the crew’s view of who maintained control as the players went to the ground.
McDermott was visibly frustrated afterward, questioning the process and ruling on the play, with the “catch” definition becoming a major postgame talking point across the league.
Denver’s Divisional Round win wasn’t just a bracket-buster, it landed with enough force to help change the direction of the Bills’ franchise. Buffalo’s loss came in a chaotic, high-drama overtime that featured multiple officiating flashpoints, a disputed takeaway and, ultimately, the kind of gut-punch finish that tends to accelerate big organizational decisions.
What It Means for the Broncos
From a Denver perspective, this is another reminder of how quickly the AFC landscape can change, and how much pressure the Broncos can apply when they’re forcing turnovers and winning late.
The Broncos now move on to the AFC Championship Game, while Buffalo enters a high-stakes coaching search with Josh Allen still in his prime, and a fanbase that has watched too many seasons end before the Super Bowl.
Denver, meanwhile, has its own immediate challenge: quarterback Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury late in the win, and reports and local coverage indicated the Broncos were bracing for a major absence moving forward. The Broncos have named Jarrett Stidham their starter going forward.
Key details to know fast
- Final score: Broncos 33, Bills 30 (OT)
- Date/location: Jan. 17, 2026 — Empower Field at Mile High
- Ending sequence: Denver sealed it after an OT interception swung possession
- Aftermath: Bills move on from McDermott, per NFL Network’s Insiders
If Buffalo’s change becomes official through team channels, the next wave will be obvious: who replaces McDermott, whether the Bills keep key staff, and how quickly Denver could see the ripple effects around the conference, especially with the Broncos still playing for a Super Bowl berth.
Broncos Win Over Bills Leads to Sean McDermott Being Fired