Buffalo Bills Owner Terry Pegula and newly promoted President of Football Operations Brandon Beane are launching into the search for their next coach, two days after firing Sean McDermott.
The decision to fire McDermott was made because of the team's playoff loss Saturday in Denver, Pegula said, though he also cited the team's playoff seeding and results in previous years.
"If I can take you into that locker room, I felt like we hit the proverbial playoff wall. year after year, 13 seconds, missed field goals, the catch," he said. "So, I, I just sensed in that locker room like, where do we go from here with what we have?"
Pegula described walking into the locker room after Saturday's loss to the Denver Broncos, seeing players dejected and crying, including quarterback Josh Allen.
Beane, who has been the general manager since 2017, pushed back on whether there was discord between himself in the front office and the coaching staff. It's normal to have disagreements over decisions, he said.
"For somebody to question my character like that, it is BS, and I've never done that," Beane said. "If you'll remember, in 2023 there was an article written on Sean, accusing things. Who stood up in front of every one of you guys and defended him and his family, and everything he's done here?"
Despite denying any falling out, Beane also said that players were not informed of the firing ahead of time, and the first time hearing about it could have been when the news was released Monday.
"We had an exit team meeting, like we do every season the day after. So, that was Sunday," he said. "Terry's decision came on Monday, or that's when we were informed of his decision, so the players were, had already left. (They first found out, possibly) through the media, yeah."
The team has a list of coaching candidates, including some that were leaked to media, but the process remains "100% an open search," Beane said. He added that the search could include candidates who are coaching on the four remaining playoff teams, which would require the Bills to wait until those teams are eliminated.
"It's an open process. There is no front runner, old, young, former coach, first-time coach," he said. "We're opening every door. We've got to find the right guy for this team to help get us over the hump."
Wide receiver Keon Coleman, who suffered through an inconsistent first two seasons, was not Beane's preferred draft pick in 2024, Pegula said.
Coleman has been benched multiple times for actions like missing or being late to meetings, and has fluctuated greatly between promising flashes and a lack of production.
"The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon (Coleman). I'm not saying Brandon (Beane) wouldn't have drafted him, but he wasn't (Beane's) next choice," Pegula said. "That was Brandon being a team player and taking advice of his coaching staff, who felt strongly about the player."
Despite favoring other players, the draft pick was ultimately his decision, Beane said, and reiterated confidence in Coleman but a need to improve actions off the field.
