Sean McDermott In Crisis Management Mode And Buffalo Bills Coach Has A Lot To Manage
Sean McDermott has spent the past week or so in crisis management mode as one mess after another has landed on his lap as coach of the Buffalo Bills.
McDermott spent his last two press conferences with reporters explaining his side of events following a story at GoLong which quoted dozens of sources outlining reasons McDermott needs to be fired -- among those his lack of accountability and also a 2019 team meeting in which he painted the communications skills of the 9-11 hijackers in a positive light.
The coach is also trying to balance what to do about the status of pass rusher Von Miller, who was arrested on a domestic violence charge last week while the Bills were on their bye. Miller allegedly assaulted his pregnant girlfriend, according to the arrest warrant but the girlfriend later said the episode was blown out of proportion.
Head coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Lots Of Questions Facing Bills Sean McDermott
So does McDermott play Miller, who has not been prosecuted? Or does he sit or suspend his pass rusher out of respect for women and out of caution for what might have happened?
And then, of course, there's the football problem. The Bills are floundering at 6-6. They've lost three of their last four games, and they play the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs Sunday night.
In Kansas City.
Yes, McDermott is juggling a lot of crisis.
He's addressed the 9-11 issue with the entire team. He held a meeting with all the players on Thursday.
"I thought it went as good as one could expect, as I could expect," McDermott said. "It was important for me to address the players that are new to us since 2019 and may not have been around that day so that they understood that situation and how it unfolded. And that based on who I am and what they've seen, my hope in trying to do things and how I handled that situation.
"So it went well. Their support was clear. And much appreciated."
Head coach Sean McDermott, Josh Allen and others during the national anthem last season. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Sean McDermott Gets Support From Players
McDermott said former players and staff not in that Thursday meeting reached out to him to offer support. The coach nonetheless admits the whole episode has been a challenge on multiple levels.
"In any of our lives if this came up for any of us, something like this, it definitely gets your mind spinning, right?" McDermott said. "Just being real. It's been disappointing. It's been hurtful. At the end of the day, I know who I am. At the end of the day, I know how I handle myself.
"As I say, humbly, I'm not without flaws, right? I wake up every morning trying to do the best job that I can to win gams for the fans of the Buffalo Bills and do it the right way. And that's my main goal every day."
McDermott said part of the reason for having the meeting was to bring players not present four years ago up to date so they could hear from him what happened rather than read the account or hear it elsewhere.
"Again, just clear communication and accountability and just trying to make sure everyone's on the same page," McDermott said.
Former offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey of the Buffalo Bills. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)
Was Firing Dorsey Show Poor Accountability?
McDermott's accountability was questioned throughout the GoLong story, with his firing of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey used as an example the coach blamed others for the team's problems.
"I know who I am. I know how I try to do things. Am I without flaw? No, I'm not without flaw," McDermott said. "I say that humbly. I believe we try to do things right here. It doesn't mean everything we do is right. People are going to have their own opinions.
"I believe we've won a lot of games here since we arrived. And I'm confident in that. I'm confident in this football team. And people are going to have their opinions. I can't control that."
The story at GoLong questioned McDermott's character. He admits as much. And now the entire franchise's character is under scrutiny as Sunday's game against the Chiefs approaches.
Von Miller takes a selfie with fans prior to a game against the Denver Broncos. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)
What Do Bills Do About Von Miller Arrest?
The decision whether to play Miller or not is at the top of that analysis. Are the Bills comfortable seemingly excusing the player's arrest? And if not, how would they balance that with not rushing to judgment on a player they value when all the information is not known?
"I get it. I understand. This is not an easy situation," McDermott said. "The hardest part for us is I'm a football coach. I'm not an investigator. And we only have so much information at this point. So we're doing the best that we can with what we have or don't have mostly in this case.
"I can promise to those out there that we're looking at every last thing. We jumped on a call Sunday night and everyone gets together and says, 'What do we know, what do we know, what do we know?' And there were multiple people on that call that represent different parts of our organization that have expertise in these areas."
So the decision as of right now? Miller is expected to play.
Patrick Mahomes walks off the field with Andy Reid. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Bills Have Kansas City Chiefs To Contend With
"This is where we're at," McDermott said. "I wish I had a better answer for those people. I can promise you we're always going to try to do the best thing, No. 1 for doing what's right beyond the football field. In this case, this is where we're at. And I think for me and for them, we have to continue to take it one day at a time to see what more comes forward, if you will."
All the drama has overshadowed the fact the Bills have serious football problems.
The offense is wildly inconsistent, often looking unstoppable during a game but either starting poorly or not producing late. The defense, while statistically solid, has been outplayed by Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson and Jalen Hurts in losses the last month.
And now come the Chiefs. And Patrick Mahomes. They're arriving amid all the other issues.
"The focus right now needs to be about getting myself focused on this game and the challenge of the Kansas City Chiefs," McDermott said. "I owe that to the team.
"And I'm super proud of them for how they've handled, really the last two weeks or week, when things have come up. They are steadfast in their approach, particularly this week in the way that they've practiced."