After five days of interviewing four different candidates the Buffalo Bills head coaching search appears to be coming to an end. On Tuesday it was reported that the Bills would take a break from their search. While the move seemed odd at the time, perhaps now we have some insight into what the Bills brass was thinking.
Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News is reporting that the Bills have begun to hone in on their preferred candidate: Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. Noting “something could be finalized in the next day or so,” Carucci says the Bills are “zeroed in.” While NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport echoed the thought saying the Bills “haven’t kept in contact with other candidates,” the Associated Press’ John Wawrow tweeted out caution saying “this is not a done deal.”
Earlier in the week, McDermott, who has never been a head coach before, reportedly left a strong impression on the Bills during his interview. Regarded for his defensive prowess, the 42-year-old had also been interviewed by the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers .
2016 was a subpar season for the Panthers, but in 2015 McDermott’s influence really shined. That year his unit was one of the best in the NFL ranking 6th overall and 1st in takeaways. The defense played a huge role in Carolina finishing with a record of 15-1 that season, highlighted by an appearance in Super Bowl 50.