Sean McDermott witnessed another heartbreaking playoff defeat for the Buffalo Bills against the Kansas City Chiefs, despite his team having a potent offense. Some controversial calls by the referees sparked heavy criticism from fans, but McDermott was quick to clarify his stance on the matter.
In his most recent comments, McDermott emphasized that the Bills’ 32-29 loss at Arrowhead Stadium wasn’t due to questionable officiating, saying, “That’s not the reason why we lost… There are going to be (moments like that) and you have to be above that and play above that.” One highly criticized moment was a 4th-down call, where some believed Josh Allen had converted the first down against Chiefs.
However, the Bills head coach chose not to dwell on the officiating and instead focused on areas for improvement, such as the need for a top wide receiver for the upcoming season. “I don’t know if you need to have a No. 1… but do you need to be able to stretch the field horizontally and vertically? Yes.” The team’s top receiver in 2024 was Khalil Shakir with only 821 receiving yards.
On a broader note, McDermott didn’t hesitate to state that he and the entire staff are determined not to let their playoff struggles overshadow the positive progress they’ve made. “There’s always going to be a hump – but where does it start and where does it end?… If you get too far down into the weeds into that negative mindset, you forget the success you have had… I don’t think there are any consolations in (losing), but there is perspective in that.”
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Head coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills looks on during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.
The loss to the Chiefs had no positive effect on the Bills’ mindset
In his season-ending press conference, McDermott made it clear that no one in the Bills organization is content with the outcome after being eliminated in another conference championship game. “No one in this building is comfortable or content with where we’re at.” For McDermott, that feeling of defeat is unlikely to fade. “That feeling never goes away… until we can say we are the best in the world.”
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McDermott Praises Joe Brady and Josh Allen
One of the keys to the Bills’ lethal offense in the 2024 season, which allowed an average of 30.9 points per game and ranked second in the league, was Joe Brady. McDermott had high praise for his offensive coordinator, saying, “Thought he did a really good job. Took what he had with his ‘everybody eats’ slogan, and that was the approach all year.” McDermott also highlighted the success of both the passing and running game under Brady’s guidance.
As for Josh Allen, McDermott has regularly praised the quarterback, but this time, he made a defining statement to underline Allen’s impact on the Bills’ season: “Josh Allen’s leadership was the biggest reason we did what we did this season.”