If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It: Bills Extend HC Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane Through 2027
PLUS: Tyreek Hill Investigation Update, Jets WR Garrett Wilson On Aaron Rodgers
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News came out on Friday that Bills GM Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott have been extended through the 2027 season. Bills owner Terry Pegula, who purchased the team back in 2014, recognizes that keeping both guys around is of utmost importance.
The Buffalo Bills experienced nearly two decades of nothing but mediocrity and a lack of success before Beane and McDermott arrived in 2017. They quickly turned the organization into one of the best in the league.
The decision to trade up in the 2018 NFL draft to select Josh Allen is the move that changed it all. It will go down as one of the best decisions in Buffalo’s history. It’s wild to look back at the two QB’s drafted ahead of Allen in 2018. Baker Mayfield went #1 overall to the Browns, and Sam Darnold went #3 overall to the Jets.
There’s a chance that not having the #1 overall pick saved them from making a mess of their future. If the Bills had instead left the 2018 draft with Mayfield or Darnold, it’s likely Beane and McDermott would be searching for jobs. It’s a good reminder of just how hard it is to hit on QBs in the draft.
McDermott took a young unpolished kid in Josh Allen from the University of Wyoming and turned him into one of the best QBs in the NFL. He’s the reason the Bills are what they are today.
The Bills have had no lack of success in the regular season. McDermott is 62-35 since taking over and has led the Bills to 4 straight 10 plus win seasons. Before 2019 the Bills hadn’t won 10 games since 1999. Talk about a cold streak. They’ve now won the AFC East 3 straight years and have made the playoffs in 4 straight seasons.
There’s no doubt that Tom Brady leaving the AFC East was a big factor in the Bills recent success in the division. With Brady at the helm, the Bills never won the division. The year he goes to Tampa, they take it back.
It’s going to be much tougher in the AFC East this year considering the Jets are no longer led by dreadful quarterback play. No more Zach Wilson or Mike White. Aaron Rodgers is now in the division. They’ll have to face him two times per year. Luckily for the Bills Rodgers is an old man and likely won’t be around for too long. And you can’t count out the Dolphins. They’re no joke. If Tua can stay healthy the Dolphins are a tough team to play. This may be the most difficult year the Bills face in division play since Josh Allen took over.
If there’s anything you can knock McDermott and Beane for, it’s the fact that they’ve yet to win a super bowl. At the end of the day that’s all anyone is playing for. All 32 teams enter the season with the same goal in mind. Only one team comes out on top. It’s not easy. The Bills nearly made it to the super bowl in the 2020 season but Patrick Mahomes stood in the way. They got routed by the Chiefs 38-24 in the AFC Championship.
The next year it was more of the same, losing to the Chiefs once again. This time in the divisional round. It was one of the most exhilarating playoff games that I can remember. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes were on fire, scoring whenever they pleased. It came down to overtime. Mahomes ended it before Josh Allen even had the ball. Once again the Chiefs crushed all hopes of even making it to the super bowl.
Then last year the Bills won 13 games only to fall to Joe Burrow in the divisional round 27-10. It’s been tough sledding for the franchise come playoff time. As a Packers fan I’m way too familiar with getting hyped from a successful season only to see the team fall short in the playoffs. Bills fans have to be hoping that Josh Allen eventually gets the franchise over the hump.
But again, it’s no easy task. Especially with the talent in the AFC. If you want to make it to the super bowl, you have to get by Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow. It’s something Josh Allen has yet to accomplish. And now add Mr. discount double check to the mix.
The Bills ownership knows that they have a good thing going. They are now contenders each and every year. Money is flowing into Buffalo like never before. They’ve made their mark as one of the best in the NFL. You don’t just throw something like that away. Sure they have yet to win a super bowl, but when you have a coach and GM who have been as successful as McDermott and Beane , you keep them around. It’s hard to win in the NFL, and they’ve won more than nearly every team in the NFL over the past few seasons.
Some people may wonder, at what point do you move on if they continue to fail to win a super bowl? If the Bills continue to have one of the best scoring offenses and defenses in the league, you don’t fire anyone. To do so would be foolish.
When you’ve got a good thing going, you hold onto it. When you have a Bills organization that struggled for decades to consistently win games, you don’t just move on from a coach that’s consistently led you to success. Unless this Bills team falls off a cliff in the next few years, I say you keep riding with Beane and McDermott.
News from around the NFL
Man pressing charges against Tyreek Hill
It turns out that the man that Tyreek Hill allegedly smacked on the back of the head last week has decided to press charges, according to NBC 6 South Florida. I do wonder if the NFL will decide to suspend Hill. If so, how many games?
The Dolphins offense was one of the best in the league last year after trading for Tyreek Hill. He’s one of the most explosive receivers in the league. If he misses any time, the Dolphins are going to feel the effect of his absence. We’ll have to keep an eye on the situation to see where this all leads.
Jets WR Garrett Wilson On Adapting to life with Aaron Rodgers
Yesterday Garrett Wilson spoke with ESPN’s Rich Cimini on what it’s like having Aaron Rodgers around.
"I try to be as much of a sponge as I can be and make sure I'm learning and spending time with Randall (Cobb) and Allen (Lazard). People that have been around Aaron, so that I can make sure I'm picking up all the nuances of the offense and trying to put myself to where I'm feeling 100 percent comfortable out on the field. But it's been really fun, man, and obviously, he can deal, and it's a lot that comes with it though. It's fun to play, man."
My guess is that there was no one happier than Garrrett Wilson when Aaron Rodgers made it clear that he intended to play for the New York Jets. Wilson was dominating last year. 83 receptions, 1,103 yards, and 4 touchdowns.
And that was in his rookie season with some of the worst QB play in the NFL. Now he gets the best thrower of the football in NFL history. Don’t be surprised if Wilson finishes the 2023 season with the most receiving yards in the NFL.
Even More News
Vikings new lead back Alexander Mattison didn’t think he’d be back in Minnesota
Former Packers TE Marcedes Lewis agent in talks with a handful of teams
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin Says new OC Eric Bieniemy is bringing the intensity to practice
Random Stat Of The Day
Dak Prescott is 2-4 in his playoff career with a 92.3 passer rating. That’s slightly worse than his career regular season passer rating of 97.8.
Random Question Of The Day
“What Would You Do With 10 Million Dollars?”
I would donate it to the Packers so that they could sign a top tier free agent wide receiver in the 2024 off-season to help Jordan Love.
That’s all for today!