NFL Rumors: Bills' Sean McDermott Not Expected to Be Fired Despite 2023 Struggles

The Buffalo Bills are reportedly not expected to fire head coach Sean McDermott despite a disappointing 6-6 start to the 2023 season.

According to Tim Graham of The Athletic, two sources with knowledge of the relationship between McDermott and Bills owner Terry Pegula said there is "zero" chance that McDermott gets fired. Two other sources said they would be "shocked" if a firing occurs.

While Buffalo doesn't currently hold a playoff spot, it has reached the playoffs in four consecutive seasons and won three straight AFC East division titles under McDermott.

Per Graham, Pegula continues to hold McDermott in "high regard," and he doesn't want to disrupt the synergy between McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane, both of whom were hired away from the Carolina Panthers organization within a few months of each other in 2017.

In their first year together, McDermott and Beane led the Bills to a 9-7 record in 2017, and their first playoff berth since 1999, ending the NFL's longest playoff drought.

They missed the playoffs the following season with a 6-10 record during quarterback Josh Allen's rookie year, but they have since made four straight postseason appearances, including one trip to the AFC Championship Game.

McDermott is already second on the Bills' all-time coaching wins list with 68, placing him behind only Pro Football Hall of Famer Marv Levy. McDermott is also second to Levy with four playoff wins, and he leads all Bills head coaches in career winning percentage at .624.

While the Bills are only a .500 team this season, all of their losses have been by six points or less.

The overall stats suggest that their record is a strange anomaly, as the Bills are fifth in the NFL in scoring offense (27.3 points per game), sixth in scoring defense (18.9 points allowed per game) and have the league's fourth-best point differential at plus-101, behind only the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens.

Buffalo's offense has been markedly better and more consistent over the past two weeks since the firing of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey.

With interim OC Joe Brady calling the plays, the Bills are averaging 33 points per game over the past two contests, and Allen has thrown for 615 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, while also rushing for 96 yards and two scores.

The Bills nearly upset the 10-1 Philadelphia Eagles on the road last week, but they fell 37-34 in overtime.

Philly kicked a game-tying 59-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in regulation, and despite having one timeout left, McDermott opted to take a knee and go to overtime.

The Bills kicked a field goal on the first OT possession rather than going for it on fourth down, which allowed the Eagles quarterback to win it on a rushing touchdown.

McDermott, who is calling the defensive plays this year, has been the subject of criticism in the playoffs and during key regular-season games over the past few years, as his conservative approach has perhaps cost the team at times.

With Allen and the offense humming, the Bills have a chance to go 5-0 or 4-1 down the stretch and make the playoffs, although they have a tough schedule with games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Cowboys and Miami Dolphins remaining.

Even if the Bills miss the playoffs, however, it sounds like McDermott will be given an opportunity to right the ship.