AFC Notes: Sean McDermott, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

Bills

The 2023 season has not gone the way the Bills expected, with the team struggling at 6-6 and currently on the wrong side of the playoff bubble. That has ratcheted up the pressure on Bills HC Sean McDermott, who is showing signs of feeling the heat. 

The issues have apparently been building for some time. GoLongTD.com’s Tyler Dunne did a three–part series on “the McDermott problem” facing the Bills. A lot of the reporting revolved around McDermott’s poor leadership skills. Two examples were anecdotes McDermott shared in team meetings, including one in 2019 where he used the 9/11 hijackers as an example of teamwork. Another in 2021 used the example of a woman who drove her car into the water over Niagara Falls and went over the edge. 

“I don’t know why he’s that awkward but his social skills are lacking,” an unnamed player told Dunne. “Maybe he’s just wound-up thinking about ball. You’ve got to talk to the team every day. That’s one where maybe he heard it on a podcast. Next episode! That’s not the one to lead with. He was trying to bring the team together. It was a horrible, horrible reference. He missed the mark.”

• Dunne interviewed 25 coaches, players, personnel men and other team sources who have worked for the Bills under McDermott and the words that were consistently used to describe him were “tight” and a “blamer” who avoided accountability. 
• One former Bills coach predicted in June that McDermott would scapegoat OC Ken Dorsey if the team struggled in 2023: “Watch, if they sputter at all during this year, the narrative’s going to be the offense.”
• Dunne says the beginning of what he thinks should be the end for McDermott was the “13 Seconds” game; the divisional loss to the Chiefs after the 2021 season where Kansas City drove for the tying field goal with 13 seconds left on the clock, then won in overtime. 
• Per Dunne’s sources, one coach heard McDermott say afterward in the locker room the offense scored too fast and left the Chiefs too much time: “It was such a ludicrous statement that it didn’t move the needle.”
• The coach added the next day McDermott was still pointing fingers outside of himself, telling his staff: “You guys need to get away. Recharge, reflect, and figure out what you can do better to avoid that happening again.” 
• The coach summed things up: “It’s narcissism. Because narcissists are a unique conundrum. They want the attention, but they’re so insecure at the same time. And that’s him. The issue with the team is the guy at the top. It’s really nothing else. There are so many examples of his insecurity — and his bizarre leadership — that you could talk for days. He never takes accountability. For anything.”
• Bills HC Sean McDermott said he regrets mentioning the 9/11 terrorists as an example of teamwork during a team speech: “My intent in the meeting that day was to discuss the importance of communication. … I regretted mentioning 9/11 in my message that day, and I immediately apologized to the team,” via Katherine Fitzgerald. 
• McDermott said he did not read Ty Dunne’s article, but is aware of it and wanted to address his speech specifically: “I’m not here to discuss the article that’s out there and the things that are mentioned other than this right here, because this right here is very, very important to me and something I take very seriously,” per Alaina Getzenberg.

Dolphins

• Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said they’ll continue being cautious with G Robert Hunt (hamstring) and S Jevon Holland (knee), via Barry Jackson. 
• McDaniel added they are taking things “day-by-day” with Hunt, but they don’t want to overly risk Holland: “You’re talking about one of the better players at his position; we won’t mortgage the rest of the season to risk.” 
• Regarding Miami signing OT Austin Jackson to an extension, McDaniel said he is proving to be an ambitious player: “He’s a very ambitious, goal-oriented person. It’s great to be picked in the first round as a 20 year old. There is also a burden in that. This guy was playing multiple positions before he could legally drink alcohol. A lot of people interjected in what he was. Were you a finished product at 20 years old?,” via Joe Schad.

Jets

• Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett said QB Zach Wilson had two weeks off “to center himself” behind Tim Boyle and have the opportunity to “sit and watch,” which was the plan all along for him this season, via Zack Rosenblatt. 
• As for recently signed QB Brett Rypien, Hackett said he has a good understanding of their system based on their time together with the Broncos: “He understands the system. he’s just a confident guy that has experience… he’s a very efficient guy and we’re happy to have him.” (Rosenblatt)
• Rich Cimini notes Jets RB Breece Hall (ankle) and DE John Franklin-Myers (ankle) did not attend Thursday’s practice. 
• Hall (ankle) said he expects to play in Sunday’s game. (Cimini)