Sean McDermott is out in Buffalo. After losing to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, marking their eighth-straight playoff exit without a single Super Bowl appearance under him, the Buffalo Bills have fired their longtime head coach. McDermott has led Buffalo to a ton of success, but he hasn’t been able to get over the hump.

The Bills automatically became the most desirable job available. But unfortunately for them, the two best coaches in this cycle, John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski, have already landed a job. Their options will be limited, but they should have their pick of the litter.

Here are the top five candidates who could replace McDermott in Buffalo.

1. Joe Brady

You’d have to think Joe Brady would be one of the top options to replace McDermott. He’s been the Bills’ offensive coordinator for almost three years now, and he’s been interviewed for head coaching positions since arriving in Buffalo. He’s waited patiently for the right opportunity, and you have to think this is it. If the Bills want to keep continuity on the offensive side of the ball, Brady could be the next man up.

2. Klint Kubiak

Another young, offensive mind that could take over the reigns in Buffalo is Klint Kubiak. As the Seattle Seahawks keep advancing, his name keeps getting hotter. He already interviewed with multiple teams, and he’s more than likely going to land a head coaching job somewhere. If the Bills want to get Josh Allen an offensive-minded head coach, Kubiak could be the guy.

3. Mike LaFleur

Sticking with the offensive-mind theory, Mike LaFleur could be someone the Bills look into. He’s led the Los Angeles Rams to a top-10 scoring offense in two of the last three seasons, including a first-place finish in 2025. We’ve seen the work he’s done with Matthew Stafford, so imagine what he could do with Josh Allen. This would be a very fun pairing.

4. Brian Flores

If the Bills want to go with a proven head coach, Brian Flores could be the guy they call. After his stint with the Dolphins was cut short and he sued the NFL, nobody wanted to hire him. But now that his lawsuit is mostly over and he’s worked some magic with the Vikings’ defense, he’s one of the hottest names available. The Bills may be tired of a defensive-minded head coach after McDermott, but if they can pair Flores with a good offensive coordinator (Joe Brady or maybe even Mike McDaniel), it could be a great hire.

5. Mike McDaniel

Speaking of Mike McDaniel, there’s a decent chance he lands another head coaching job. There are going to be a lot of teams out there hoping to make him their next offensive coordinator, but if the Bills want to make sure they get him, they could bring him in as their next head coach. Just imagine what McDaniel’s offense would look like with Josh Allen. It would easily be a top-three unit in the league pretty much every year. And I’m sure McDaniel would do his best to get him some talent on the outside.