ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula cited the feeling that his team had hit what he called “the proverbial playoff wall” leading to his decision to fire coach Sean McDermott, which was announced Monday and seemed an abrupt development from the outside.
Speaking at a season-ending news conference Wednesday, Pegula said he made up his mind Saturday night — immediately after the sixth-seeded Bills lost 33-30 in overtime to the top-seeded Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
He based his decision in part on seeing how distraught many Buffalo players, including quarterback Josh Allen, appeared in the visitors’ locker room in the aftermath of the loss Empower Field at Mile High.
“I saw the pain in Josh’s face … And I felt his pain,” Pegula said of the No. 7 pick of the 2018 draft who was the 2024 NFL MVP but has yet to play in the Super Bowl despite Buffalo making the playoffs every year expect Allen’s rookie season.
“I know we can do better,” Pegula added. “And I know we will get better.”