Jan 20, 2026
3 min read
The Bills should start looking for their next head coach.Here are some possibilities.
The account coaching search is open and these 7 names may rise to the top
Orchard Park - Now what?
That's the biggest question reverberating throughout Western New York and NFL nation following the firing of Sean McDermott as head coach of the Buffalo Bills on Monday.
Owner of Terry Pegula, he releases only one of the headaches of the Kingdom, one of which is the number of three nine tickets in his nine to one count, nine to nine to one count to ninety numbers.
His .662 regular-season hitting percentage trails only the Eagles' Nick Ceriani and the Chargers' Jim Harbob among current coaches, but ranks first in the league among players with at least 100 games played.The game was sent to Bill.
Rumors indicate that Pegula did this simply because, despite McDermott's success, he never led the Bills to a Super Bowl and therefore it was time for a new voice, philosophy and direction.But it also appears that part of that decision was based on the erosion of the once-strong relationship between McDermott and Brandon Beane, and with a much greater connection to the owner, Beane won a perceived power struggle.
Well, let's get back to the burning question, what now?
There will be a lot of pressure on Beane to land the right coach, and then a lot of pressure on that coach to do what McDermott couldn't.The Bulls' job is certainly attractive, as Josh Allen and the winningest team are the only team to make the postseason in each of the last seven years and win at least one playoff game in the last six years.
But the expectations go through the roof for whoever receives the award.Who could it be?Seriously, I have no idea following the available trainers is something I feel is a waste of time when I wake up on Monday morning.Does McDermott get fired?No, I don't expect that.
Here are some names to remember, including the top three associated with bills:
Joe Brady, Bills offensive coordinator
OK, let's start with the building and the only viable candidate is Brady.Then again, how vital is it really?Other teams think he is because he had virtual interviews with the Raiders, Dolphins and Ravens the other day.He was also on the Falcons' request list, but they hired Kevin Stefanski before Brady could sit.
Miami has already moved on and hired Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, but there appears to be real interest in the 36-year-old, who has been in Buffalo since mid-2023, as the Ravens requested a second interview and the Cardinals were also in the mix on Tuesday.
The numbers look good and in both seasons Brady was OC, the Bills finished second in scoring in 2024 (with a record 525) and fourth in 2025, and this year, the Bills were No.1 return (although those points should be received by offensive coordinator/offensive lineman Aaron Kron).
Brady's creativity as a playmaker is obvious, but here's the problem for me: Buffalo has become a place wide receivers go to die since he's been the OC.He hasn't been able to establish any semblance of an effective passing game down the field, and that's a real shame when you have a rocket-armed QB like Allen.I don't see why the trade-chasing Bills would want to bring him back with Brady.
Brian Daboll, unemployed
In fact, the moment McDermott was fired, Daboll's name jumped to the top of the list because, as we all know, Allen loves him.Daboll was the coach who laid the foundation upon which Allen built his stellar legacy, and if Allen had any say in the matter, I think he would support Daboll wholeheartedly, perhaps more so than Brady.
The 50-year-old Daboll, a native of Western New York, is part of the equation, but it can't be ignored that his nearly four years as New York's head coach have been unsuccessful.The Giants made the playoffs in his first season in 2022 and won the wild-card game, going 11-34 before being shut out midway through last season.
Yes, he doesn't have a QB anywhere near Allen, and his draft isn't as good as Buffalo's, probably in 2023 and even 2024. If he's the guy, and Beane improves the roster, maybe he'll work with Daboll. At least he has coaching experience, something not many of the top contenders in this recruiting cycle have.
Davis Webb, Broncos QB coach
Webb, the last of three prospects with Bills ties, was Buffalo's practice squad QB from 2019-21, and although he never played, he was highly regarded as a close friend and confidant of Allen.
Webb, who turns 31 in a few weeks, has interviews with the Raiders and Ravens so he's on the radar, but it seems like a big risk for Beane to go to a coach who's never been a coordinator and is still a player.With the Broncos, he was the QB coach who helped Bo Nix become a better player in two seasons, and he was also the passing game coordinator, but Sean Payton called Denver's plays.
Here's an idea: Daboll as head coach, Webb as offensive coordinator.This will surely make the most important player of the team happy.
If the Bills are going to expand their search, here are some coaches they should probably look at:
Mike McCarthy, unemployed
If Beane wants someone with tons of experience who has a Super Bowl ring locked away in a safe somewhere, McCarthy, 62, fits the bill.In 13 seasons with Green Bay, first with Brett Favre and then with Aaron Rodgers, McCarthy went 135-85, including the postseason, won six NFC North titles, made the playoffs nine times, reached the NFC Championship Game four times, and in 2010, the year the Packers won the Super Bowl.
With Dallas from 2020-2024, he went 50-38 in the playoffs and won two NFC East titles, but never reached the NFC Championship in three playoff trips.He's out of the league in 2025 and has already interviewed with the Steelers.
Seahawks offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak
The 38-year-old son of former NFL QB and head coach Gary Kubiak, has done wonders for Seattle this season, a team on the verge of reaching the Super Bowl even with the sometimes inconsistent Sam Darnold at QB.
And beyond his work with Darnold, the Seahawks have a strong running game and that certainly should interest the Bills with James Cook as the defending champion.Running the ball is a must in Buffalo, and if Beane can ever get an Allen wide receiver who can actually play, the Bills offense could be outstanding under someone like Kubic, albeit with a different offensive mindset.A candidate with
Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator
For this reason, the Bills may opt for another defensive-minded coach like McDermott: The Bills defense has historically been a unit that has failed in the postseason.In the last six playoff games, the Bills have allowed an average of 33.2 points per game, and unless that trend is stopped, the Bills will never go to the Super Bowl.
The 44-year-old Flores, who has failed to lead the Dolphins to the playoffs in his three years as head coach (24-25 since 2019-21), is one of the best defensive minds in the league and an aggressive player who is always difficult for defenses to deal with.
Last year, his third as DC with the Vikings, he was third in yards allowed, second against the pass, and seventh in points, and the Vikings were third in sack percentage thanks to the highest blitz rate (46.5%) in the league.
The idea for any defensive coach like Flores is to pair him with a top offensive coordinator.
Jesse Minter, Chargers defensive coordinator
Minter's name has been the hottest of the cycle due to his hard work in Los Angeles under Jim Harbaugh.He's set to get a second interview with the Ravens, Raiders and Browns, so if you're a Bills fan, you better get him.
This year, the Chargers ranked ninth in points, fifth in yards, fifth in passing yards, seventh in sack percentage, and that sack percentage came despite blitzes only 20% of the time, third lowest in the league, the opposite of Flores' approach.Minter knows how to generate a pass rush from the defensive line, which the Bills desperately need.
These are just a few of the coaches that may be on Bill's interview list, and others will likely emerge as the positions are filled, but this is still a starting point.
Sal Maiorana covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades, including 36 years as a full-time beat writer/columnist for D&C.He has written numerous books on the team's history and is also the co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show.You can contact him at [email protected] and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.
