Sean McDermott

For other people named Sean McDermott, see Sean McDermott (disambiguation).

Sean McDermott
refer to caption
McDermott with the Bills in 2019
Buffalo Bills
Position:Head coach
Personal information
Born: (1974-03-21) March 21, 1974 (age 50)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Career information
High school:La Salle College
(Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania)
College:William & Mary (1993–1997)
Career history
As a coach:
  • William & Mary (1998)
    Graduate assistant
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2001)
    Assistant to head coach
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2002–2003)
    Defensive assistant & quality control
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2004–2006)
    Assistant defensive backs coach
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2007)
    Defensive backs coach
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2008)
    Linebackers coach
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2009–2010)
    Defensive coordinator & defensive backs coach
  • Carolina Panthers (2011–2016)
    Defensive coordinator
  • Buffalo Bills (2017–present)
    Head coach
As an executive:
  • Philadelphia Eagles (1999–2000)
    Scouting administrative coordinator
Head coaching record
Regular season:73–41 (.640)
Postseason:5–6 (.455)
Career:78–47 (.624)
Coaching stats at PFR

Sean Michael McDermott (born March 21, 1974) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL coaching career as an assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2001, serving as defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2010, and was later the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2016. Following his six seasons with the Panthers, which included a Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl 50, he was hired in 2017 as the Bills head coach and assumed defensive coordinator duties in 2023.

McDermott's head coaching tenure in Buffalo has seen improved fortunes for the franchise, which had been mostly unsuccessful during the 2000s and 2010s. In his first season, he led the Bills to their first playoff appearance since 1999, ending the longest active postseason drought in the four major North American sports. In 2020, the Bills won a playoff game for the first time since 1995 en route to their first AFC Championship Game appearance since 1993.