Anthony Lynn interviews with the Buffalo Bills for their head coach opening on Thursday, but members of the team spoke about their interim head coach/offensive coordinator on Monday and had positive things to say.
“He’s a leader-type of coach we need,” said LeSean McCoy about Lynn, via WIVB’s Tom Martin. “Dealing with him on day-to-day basis, I fell in love with him. Excited he's up for the job.”
McCoy has experienced a career resurgence under Lynn. Lynn was the team’s running back coach in 2015 and at the start of 2016 before being promoted to offensive coordinator after two games. McCoy scored 14 touchdowns and topped 1600 yards from scrimmage in 2016.
Fullback Jerome Felton and wide receiver Sammy Watkins wanted to make sure Lynn was judged off the disastrous season finale against the New York Jets. While the Bills didn’t take penalties, they gave up a strange touchdown on a kickoff return and were out of sync most of the day.
“I don’t think anybody’s judged off one game,” said Watkins. “You can put it on the team. We didn’t play well. We didn’t execute. You can’t put it on a single coach or a guy. I just feel like they wanted it better. They won the game.”
“If you judge off of this game, I don’t think that’s fair,” echoed Felton. “I really feel like A-Lynn is going to be a great head coach whether it is here or somewhere else next year, so we will see what happens.”
It should be noted that the Bills offensive players have a stake in keeping Lynn and the team’s offense in place for the following year. Felton, especially, wants to be re-signed onto a team that needs a fullback to operate and a new coach might not use him. It makes sense they would be supportive of Lynn. Kyle Williams, on the other hand, doesn’t need continuity or Lynn to be the coach next year but still went out of his way to support him. Williams even told reporters he might not play next year if the Bills hire an outside candidate and do a total rebuild.
“Yeah, I think he has interviewed for jobs before,” said Williams. “Obviously, you evaluate him on the job he was asked to do. He did a great job. Guys respect him. He’s revered in the room. When he walks in he commands the room. If he was the guy I’d be happy for him.”
The Bills’ list of interviews includes several defensive coordinators that could completely change everything about how that side of the ball is run. Veteran safety Corey Graham is certainly keeping an eye on it, too.
“We don’t want a big change,” Graham said in support of Lynn. “We don’t want everything to be blown up and change everything around and start all over. That’s what we don’t want. It’s whatever they choose though. We don’t have a say in that.”
Buffalo began their interviews Wednesday with Sean McDermott and continue with Lynn today.