For the second time in five years, the Buffalo Bills were a game away from reaching the Super Bowl last year, denied yet again by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in January’s AFC Championship Game.
For the better part of that period, the Bills have been thought of as the second-best, or even third-best team in the conference as they continue to stumble at the final hurdle.
Now entering his ninth season, coach Sean McDermott has been at the helm of some of Buffalo’s most painful losses, but maintains the Bills haven’t grown complacent despite their shortcomings.
In a recent episode of It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo, McDermott joined Matthew Bove and Sal Capaccio to share a story of a recent fan encounter at a baseball game he attended, one that offered a glimpse into how seriously he takes his job and the expectations that come with coaching in Buffalo.
“A gentleman came up to me, he was sitting in the outfield about 30 yards away, and he said hey and introduced himself,” McDermott said.
“He said I appreciate you guys and what you’ve done with the team. I got to tell you, I was losing hope, I was losing my flavor for the Bills before you guys got there, and I thanked him for that.”
“He said, hey, I get this feeling that over the years, the Bills have been okay being number two. I was like, you don’t know me, and you don’t know this team. That is the furthest thing from who we are.”
Watch this clip from Sean McDermott. He was very candid today with @SalSports & I.
Loved our conversation & hope you can check it out.
You can listen to the entire thing here: https://t.co/NVvTxOi9De
Or watch full interview here: https://t.co/yIZdX9qmRf pic.twitter.com/FprdTSdVBw
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) May 9, 2025
Although he’s yet to deliver a Lombardi Trophy, McDermott has always maintained an honest relationship with Bills fans, thanking them for their passion and loyalty to the team.
He went on to say that he often envisions gifting fans a Super Bowl and telling them that they are now number one.
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