The Buffalo Bills have three straight division titles and reached the postseason four consecutive years. The only team in the league that can currently top both of those numbers is the defending Super Bowl champions Chiefs.
Kansas City appears to be in very good position to extend both of those streaks. Meanwhile, Sean McDermott's club (off in Week 13) has put itself in a tough spot. After a 3-1 start, the Bills suddenly own a mediocre 6-6 record.
If the Miami Dolphins win at Washington on Sunday, Buffalo will find itself three games back of the top spot in the AFC East with five games to play. Entering Week 13, the Bills are 10th in the conference standings. It will certainly be an uphill climb.
NFL Rumors: Sean McDermott not on hot seat with Bills
If McDermott and company miss out on the postseason for the first time since 2018, could there be a major change? Not according to Tim Graham of The Athletic via numerous Graham's sources.
"Asked if there was any chance (owner Terry) Pegula would fire McDermott, two of the sources replied 'Zero.' The other two sources said they would be shocked if Pegula made such a move. All four sources have intimate knowledge of the Pegula-McDermott relationship."
From 2000-16, a span of 17 seasons, the Bills failed to reach the playoffs. During that stretch, the franchise went through a total of nine head coaches (including interim hires). Dick Jauron (2006-09) lasted the longest and he was dismissed with seven games left in his fourth year. The team's total win-loss record the first 17 years of this century was 112-160 (.412)
McDermott (under contract through the 2027 season) owns a 66-41 regular-season record in six-plus years, although he's sub-.500 (4-5) in the playoffs. Regardless of how the remainder of 2023 plays out, the chances of another team grabbing McDermott this offseason are apparently…zero.
