Sean McDermott

Sean McDermott
Buffalo Bills
Position: Head coach
Personal information
Born: (1974-03-21) March 21, 1974
Omaha, Nebraska
Career information
High school: La Salle College
(Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania)
College: William & Mary
Career history
As coach:
Head coaching record
Regular season: 11–10 (.524)
Postseason: 0–1 (.000)
Career: 11–11 (.500)
Coaching stats at PFR

Sean McDermott (born March 21, 1974) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL).

Early years

McDermott is a 1993 graduate of La Salle College High School, where he was named All-Southeastern Pennsylvania at defensive back in 1992. He was also a national prep champion wrestler in both 1992 and 1993. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in finance while at the College of William and Mary, where he was an all-conference safety (1997), and also receiving Academic all-conference honors in 1996 and 1997, and NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-America accolades.

Coaching career

Philadelphia Eagles

McDermott originally joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 as a scouting administrative coordinator, a position he held until being promoted to assistant to the head coach in 1999. He then became defensive quality control coach and later assistant defensive backs coach. In 2003, he replaced Steve Spagnuolo as defensive backs coach, as Spagnuolo was assigned linebackers coach. In 2004, McDermott saw both of his starting safeties (Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis) earn Pro Bowl berths for the first time in team history. Under McDermott's watch, Dawkins went on to earn two more Pro Bowl berths following the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

In 2007, McDermott was assigned linebackers coach, after Spagnuolo had left to take the defensive coordinator job for the New York Giants. On January 28, 2008, Eagles head coach Andy Reid named McDermott as the secondary coach again.

On May 18, 2009, McDermott was named the interim defensive coordinator as a result of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's medical leave of absence. On July 24, 2009, due to the continuing decline of Johnson, the Eagles announced McDermott would take over as full-time defensive coordinator.[1] Johnson died on July 28, 2009. McDermott implemented a variety of blitzes in his defense, thanks in part to his mentor, former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.

McDermott was fired as the defensive coordinator on January 15, 2011.[2]

Carolina Panthers

McDermott was hired as the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers on January 17, 2011. He was Pro Football Focus's second runner up to their Defensive Coordinator of the Year award in 2015.[3]

As the Panthers' defensive coordinator, McDermott led the team to finishes in the top ten in overall defense from 2012-2015.

In the 2015 season, McDermott and the Panthers reached Super Bowl 50, which was played on February 7, 2016. His defense only gave up one offensive touchdown in the game, but the Panthers fell to the Denver Broncos by a score of 24–10.[4]

Buffalo Bills

On January 11, 2017, McDermott was hired by the Buffalo Bills as the 22nd head coach in franchise history.[5]

On September 10, 2017, McDermott won his NFL head coaching debut in the season opening 21–12 victory over the New York Jets, becoming just the third Bills head coach to win his first game with the team after Marv Levy and Rex Ryan.[6][7]

After Buffalo lost in Week 2 to the Carolina Panthers, McDermott led the Bills to 4 more wins in the next 5 games, including a win against the reigning NFC champion Atlanta Falcons. However, they lost the next two games, including a 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints, which prompted McDermott to make the controversial decision to bench starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor in favor of rookie backup Nathan Peterman. Peterman played poorly against the Los Angeles Chargers in his first career start, throwing 5 interceptions in the first half. He was benched for Taylor during the second half of the 54-24 loss, which dropped the Bills to 5-5.[8]

Despite the string of losses, the Bills then went on a 4-2 run to finish the season at 9-7, clinching the AFC's 6th seed and their first playoff appearance in 18 years, thus ending both the NFL's and the North American professional sports franchise's longest active playoff droughts during McDermott's first year as head coach.[9] The Bills would go on to lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars 10-3 in the AFC Wild Card Game.

Coaching tree

NFL head coaches under whom Sean McDermott has served:

Head coaching record

TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
BUF2017 970.5632nd in AFC East01.000Lost to Jacksonville Jaguars in AFC Wild Card Game
BUF2018 230.400TBA00–
Total11100.52601.000

References

  1. ↑ "Eagles introduce McDermott to succeed coordinator Johnson". NFL.com. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  2. ↑ La Canfora, Jason (January 15, 2011). "Eagles fire defensive coordinator McDermott". NFL.com. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  3. ↑ Hornsby, Neil (January 20, 2016). "Pro Football Focus' 2015 NFL Positional Coaches of the Year". Pro Football Focus.
  4. ↑ "Super Bowl 50 - Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers - February 7th, 2016". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  5. ↑ John Breech (2017-01-11). "Bills tap Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott as next head coach". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  6. ↑ "New York Jets at Buffalo Bills - September 10th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  7. ↑ Zadonowicz, Dylan (September 13, 2017). "Sean McDermott won his first game as Buffalo Bills head coach". Buffalo Rumblings. SBNation. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  8. ↑ Sessler, Mark (November 19, 2017). "Bills bench Peterman for Tyrod Taylor after 5-INT Half". NFL.com. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  9. ↑ Rodak, Mike (January 1, 2018). "Buffalo Bills make postseason for first time in 18 years". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
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