The Buffalo Bills’ 2025 season is just a few months away, and it’s shaping up to be a pivotal year for both quarterback Josh Allen and head coach Sean McDermott.
Allen is coming off an MVP-winning season, but the pressure is now on to finally deliver a Super Bowl title. He turns 30 next season, and as quarterbacks enter their 30s, there’s always concern about physical decline.
Despite being in peak form, Allen has shouldered a massive load for Buffalo over the past seven seasons—both as a passer and a runner. The wear and tear from that kind of usage can catch up, as seen with former Panthers QB Cam Newton, who had a similar play style and was out of the league by 32 due to physical breakdown.
Each healthy season Allen plays is a gift, and the Bills will be hoping he can stay on the field for all 17 games as they aim for a deep playoff run.
But Allen isn’t the only one facing high expectations—head coach Sean McDermott also enters what could be a defining season for his future with the franchise.
Bills Head Coach Snubbed In Rankings
Sean McDermott is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s top head coaches, but his inability to win critical postseason games and guide the Bills to a Super Bowl continues to raise concerns each winter.
Those struggles haven’t gone unnoticed. Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman recently released his ranking of the top 10 returning head coaches for 2025, and McDermott was notably absent from the list.
Given McDermott’s résumé—86 regular-season wins and seven playoff appearances over eight seasons—his omission is surprising to many. Despite not making the cut in PFF’s rankings, there’s still a strong case to be made that McDermott belongs among the league’s top ten coaches.
McDermott Is Better Than Stefanski
Even Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski made PFF’s top ten list—despite managing just three wins last season. Here’s what Dalton Wasserman wrote in defense of Stefanski:
“Stefanski has dealt with a cascade of issues in Cleveland, particularly surrounding the Deshaun Watson trade and subsequent contract extension. However, the two-time NFL Coach of the Year deserves respect as someone who gets his team to compete regardless of the circumstances. Stefanski broke the Browns’ long playoff drought in 2020 and picked up the franchise’s first playoff win since reentering the league in 1999. He also led a surge to the postseason in 2023 with Joe Flacco as his quarterback from Week 14 onward. Stefanski has proven he can succeed if given even adequate offensive tools. The team just needs to provide him with that to complement its excellent defense.”
While Stefanski’s accolades—especially his two Coach of the Year awards—deserve recognition, it’s hard to argue that he’s a better coach than Sean McDermott. McDermott has consistently guided the Bills to the playoffs and built one of the league’s most competitive teams over the last several years.
Still, McDermott enters 2025 with plenty to prove. If he can finally lead Buffalo to a Super Bowl victory, it would silence his critics and cement his legacy as one of the NFL’s elite head coaches.
