Clown show in Buffalo

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swissvale72
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Clown show in Buffalo

Post by swissvale72 » Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:05 pm

Bills interviewing Philip Rivers for HC...last known coaching high school.



TimmayLake
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Post by TimmayLake » Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:15 pm

Ben might as well toss his hat in the ring too...

CKSteeler
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Post by CKSteeler » Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:32 pm

Yea I don't know what they're doing. They are in a tough spot. You fired a known commodity who was one of the better coaches in the league and basically sent the signal even if they want to backtrack now that it is Super Bowl or bust. I'm mildly sympathetic even if I don't completely agree. They want to maximize the window with Allen.

But the people they've been linked to and interviewed are head scratchers. I don't know how you sell to the fans firing the guy they did and then hiring a retread at all unless that guy is Belichick. There's simply no one on the market who has actually won anything of late or actually outperformed McDermott over the last 9 or whatever seasons he has been employed. But Belichick comes with his own issues and I doubt he'd work with Bean even if the Bills were willing to look there.

You almost have to take a chance on an unknown as I see it, but they don't seem interested in doing that thus far.

This isn't terribly surprising to me. Pegula owns the Sabres as well and that has just been a dysfunctional clown show for a long time.

He seemed to have lucked out early on with the Bills, but his bad habits that he's shown with his other team are showing here, as well. He's coming off as completely irrational.

In the press conference where he fired McDermott he actually said he didn't fire McDermott for a bad call but admitted had they won that game he would have kept him and then simultaneously said that the call cost them the game and was bad.

He let the GM worm his way into his ear and none of this makes sense. The Bills roster just hasn't been anything special outside Allen. This year in particular while the playoff field was open compared to past seasons, they were just a very flawed team.

I may sound hypocritical because I called for Tomlin's head for so long even when the team wasn't an absolute guaranteed out in the playoffs in the Killer B's era. But those situations aren't quite the same to me. But even if you were to get rid of McDermott there's no way in hell you can justify replacing him with a guy like Daboll.

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Post by CKSteeler » Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:35 pm

I guess I should comment on Rivers...

I believe he comes from a family of coaches, though I'm too lazy to even Google that. He's a smart QB and knows the league, but there's a reason that HOF or at least franchise QB's don't often go on to coach period let alone be the head guy. It's a massive grind for less pay than they are used to. Most have already made more than enough money to where it isn't worth it. Rivers may think it's interesting now, but will that last when reality hits and he's away from his 50 kids every week?

And then you obviously just have to ask how qualified he really is regardless of his time in the league to really run an organization or at least the team aspect of it every week.

They have to go with a bold hire in my view. A relative unknown as a coach rather than a retread, but this is just too far in that direction.

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anpsteel
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Post by anpsteel » Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:40 pm

CKSteeler wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:32 pm
Yea I don't know what they're doing. They are in a tough spot. You fired a known commodity who was one of the better coaches in the league and basically sent the signal even if they want to backtrack now that it is Super Bowl or bust. I'm mildly sympathetic even if I don't completely agree. They want to maximize the window with Allen.

But the people they've been linked to and interviewed are head scratchers. I don't know how you sell to the fans firing the guy they did and then hiring a retread at all unless that guy is Belichick. There's simply no one on the market who has actually won anything of late or actually outperformed McDermott over the last 9 or whatever seasons he has been employed. But Belichick comes with his own issues and I doubt he'd work with Bean even if the Bills were willing to look there.

You almost have to take a chance on an unknown as I see it, but they don't seem interested in doing that thus far.

This isn't terribly surprising to me. Pegula owns the Sabres as well and that has just been a dysfunctional clown show for a long time.

He seemed to have lucked out early on with the Bills, but his bad habits that he's shown with his other team are showing here, as well. He's coming off as completely irrational.

In the press conference where he fired McDermott he actually said he didn't fire McDermott for a bad call but admitted had they won that game he would have kept him and then simultaneously said that the call cost them the game and was bad.

He let the GM worm his way into his ear and none of this makes sense. The Bills roster just hasn't been anything special outside Allen. This year in particular while the playoff field was open compared to past seasons, they were just a very flawed team.

I may sound hypocritical because I called for Tomlin's head for so long even when the team wasn't an absolute guaranteed out in the playoffs in the Killer B's era. But those situations aren't quite the same to me. But even if you were to get rid of McDermott there's no way in hell you can justify replacing him with a guy like Daboll.
Ad to it, the he explained the promotion of the GM by indicating the bust draft selection was on the coaching staff, when there are multiple videos showing it was the GM who drove that selection.

I cant imagine a coach of any ability would want to step in to that shit show.

IF Pegula is willing to deflect accountability to protect the GM, who he then elevates, how would any new coach feel they have any chance at either succeeding or being evaluated properly??

Just the dumbest of dumb decisions-

Wait until Allen and their other capable players try to force a trade to get away from the shit show.

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Ice
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Post by Ice » Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:55 pm

So, it's an absolute tire fire in Buffalo.

The owner (and ask Sabres fans how awesome it is to be owned by Pegula and Co... you only think you hate the Rooneys) walks into the locker room, after a hard fought divisional loss, sees the players upset, fires the coach who built the team up from absolute dreck, with no plan whatsoever other than he likes the GM better, a GM who has been garbage at talent acquisition through the draft (2 Pro Bowlers in 56 picks, one of which was Dawson Knox in a one-off, the other James Cook, a legit talent, so, maybe 1.5?) and failed to secure a quality WR when badly needed going into the trade deadline.

Then he poisons the coaching well by throwing the former coach, again, he's not Bill Walsh, but he's better than 75 or 80% of the league is working with under the bus in a public press conference over a draft pick (see Beane's overall draft record above) to "protect(?)" the GM, and a couple days later he's interviewing a high school coach to lead a Super Bowl contender led by the reigning NFL MVP and maybe best player in the league in his prime.

And oh, yeah, he admits he fired the coach for a game he thinks turned on a bad call by the refs. Right or wrong, if that's what he thinks, he's even more batshit crazy for the coaching move.

Is it worth stating the obvious that Rivers checks absolutely no procedural boxes where a coach is concerned?

Well done, Pegula. I'm sure that Lombardi is right around the corner.

Gotta feel bad for Bills Mafia today.

They deserve a lot better.
Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile...

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Steelafan77
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Post by Steelafan77 » Fri Jan 23, 2026 6:03 pm

When I saw this being reported by schefty I thought it was a joke.
:o
In other news “Mike McDaniel is expected to become the Chargers offensive coordinator barring a change of heart, per @JeffDarlington and me.”
https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2013791805142106266

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Ice
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Post by Ice » Fri Jan 23, 2026 6:08 pm

Steelafan77 wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 6:03 pm
When I saw this being reported by schefty I thought it was a joke.
:o
In other news “Mike McDaniel is expected to become the Chargers offensive coordinator barring a change of heart, per @JeffDarlington and me.”
https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2013791805142106266
I thought it was Cornball News when it crossed my Insta feed, and had to do a triple take.
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Greeksteel
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Post by Greeksteel » Fri Jan 23, 2026 6:10 pm

And isnt it kinda weird to have Josh Allen in the room while these potential HCs are being interviewed?

Remember when Steelers fans wanted an OC that would "put Ben in his place"?

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Dan Smith--BYU
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Post by Dan Smith--BYU » Fri Jan 23, 2026 6:38 pm

I wonder if Pegula gets overly involved pissing off trainers and coaches when his daughter loses to Swiatek or the top females. It would not surprise.
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Post by Stosh-67 » Fri Jan 23, 2026 7:22 pm

swissvale72 wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:05 pm
Bills interviewing Philip Rivers for HC...last known coaching high school.
He can always be a player coach in case they go thru 2 or 3 QBs during the season.

Who was the last player coach?
Bill Russel in the NBA?
"Tomlin has never appreciated the role of scheme and play call in the ability for player's to execute" Kodiak.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23975

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Post by Stosh-67 » Fri Jan 23, 2026 7:24 pm

TimmayLake wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:15 pm
Ben might as well toss his hat in the ring too...
CheapAss Rooney* may be looking at this and thinking he can save salary with Ben as HC as well as head coach......for at least one year at QB for transitiion to FC?

* I do not recall who gave this nickname?

KC?
"Tomlin has never appreciated the role of scheme and play call in the ability for player's to execute" Kodiak.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23975

Stosh-67
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Post by Stosh-67 » Fri Jan 23, 2026 7:27 pm

Stosh-67 wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 7:22 pm
swissvale72 wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 5:05 pm
Bills interviewing Philip Rivers for HC...last known coaching high school.
He can always be a player coach in case they go thru 2 or 3 QBs during the season.

Who was the last player coach?
Bill Russel in the NBA?
In the mid-1950s, Tom Landry played defensive back while serving as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.
Just thinking outside the box on how to save this team momney.
Maybe Cam comes back as DLine and DC....since he was ok with the performance of the team

Was Pete Rose the last player - coach?
"Tomlin has never appreciated the role of scheme and play call in the ability for player's to execute" Kodiak.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23975

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lifelongsteel
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Post by lifelongsteel » Fri Jan 23, 2026 7:28 pm

TBH Tomlin is perfect for the Bills. have him step in the way he did in Pitt, with the existing players, coaches, etc.

Tomlin says he doesn't want to coach. But how could he turn this down?

Harbaugh really should have slow played the Giants. He would have been the easiest fit for Bills.

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.Kodiak
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Post by .Kodiak » Fri Jan 23, 2026 8:09 pm

lifelongsteel wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 7:28 pm
TBH Tomlin is perfect for the Bills.
Not if they want to win a SB. When Tomlin joined the Steelers, they already had players and coaches that KNEW how to win a SB. Those players and coaches tried - and failed - to imprint that on Tomlin.

Only absolutely shitty teams would covet Tomlin's NHALS.

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DumlinBumlinStumlin
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Post by DumlinBumlinStumlin » Fri Jan 23, 2026 8:18 pm

Steelafan77 wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 6:03 pm
When I saw this being reported by schefty I thought it was a joke.
:o
In other news “Mike McDaniel is expected to become the Chargers offensive coordinator barring a change of heart, per @JeffDarlington and me.”
https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2013791805142106266
i think his out if the bills want him

but rivers....lol
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Bills are interviewing former Colts QB Philip Rivers for their head-coaching vacancy.
Rivers is the current coach at St. Michael Catholic High School. The future Hall of Famer, who came out of retirement to try to keep the Colts in the playoff hunt this season, again retired after the Colts were eliminated, but has reportedly been researched by several teams as a head-coaching fit, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Rivers is reportedly close with Josh Allen, who is sitting in on head-coaching interviews with the team. Rivers does not have any experience as an NFL coach, and would join the ranks of former Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday should be land the gig.
this must have leaked out from Allen, he is said to be involved with new coach hire
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swissvale72
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Post by swissvale72 » Fri Jan 23, 2026 8:39 pm

McDaniel interviewing in Buffalo, too? Can't see it

Jizz Mop
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Post by Jizz Mop » Fri Jan 23, 2026 8:53 pm

(AP) In other news, Steelers reach out to the board administrator of an online Steeler’s fan page to offer the position soon to be relinquished by Andy Weidl to a user named STD.

CKSteeler
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Post by CKSteeler » Fri Jan 23, 2026 9:05 pm

Jizz Mop wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 8:53 pm
(AP) In other news, Steelers reach out to the board administrator of an online Steeler’s fan page to offer the position soon to be relinquished by Andy Weidl to a user named STD.
Wait wait wait...STD got a promotion on here? Who the fuck would make that guy an administrator? He's far too consumed with his day job making the big bucks trading penny stocks to administer Steelerfury.

CKSteeler
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Post by CKSteeler » Fri Jan 23, 2026 9:06 pm

It would take a pretty penny or a rather large hotdog to lure STD to work for Art II.

Like a literal pretty penny not a lot of pennies, but still.

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DumlinBumlinStumlin
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Post by DumlinBumlinStumlin » Fri Jan 23, 2026 9:07 pm

swissvale72 wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 8:39 pm
McDaniel interviewing in Buffalo, too? Can't see it
do you even do research at all? Never mind, you go by your feels
Bills are expected to interview former Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel for their head-coaching vacancy on Friday.

McDaniel is expected to take the job as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, but he’ll still take time to speak with the Bills about their head-coaching opening before settling for a coordinator role. McDaniel withdrew his name from the Browns’ head-coaching search earlier this week in favor of the Chargers’ job, but having the chance to lead a team with one of the best quarterbacks in the game in Josh Allen could be too much for McDaniel to pass up should the opportunity present itself. The Bills are early in their head-coaching search and still have other potential suitors to meet over the weekend, but for now, McDaniel is in the mix.
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swissvale72
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Post by swissvale72 » Fri Jan 23, 2026 9:12 pm

DumlinBumlinStumlin wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 9:07 pm
swissvale72 wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 8:39 pm
McDaniel interviewing in Buffalo, too? Can't see it
do you even do research at all? Never mind, you go by your feels
Bills are expected to interview former Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel for their head-coaching vacancy on Friday.

McDaniel is expected to take the job as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, but he’ll still take time to speak with the Bills about their head-coaching opening before settling for a coordinator role. McDaniel withdrew his name from the Browns’ head-coaching search earlier this week in favor of the Chargers’ job, but having the chance to lead a team with one of the best quarterbacks in the game in Josh Allen could be too much for McDaniel to pass up should the opportunity present itself. The Bills are early in their head-coaching search and still have other potential suitors to meet over the weekend, but for now, McDaniel is in the mix.
WTF are you talking about?? What did I get wrong, pray tell?

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DumlinBumlinStumlin
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Post by DumlinBumlinStumlin » Fri Jan 23, 2026 9:26 pm

are you saying you're doubting McDaniels gets an interview in Buf?

He's getting one
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swissvale72
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Post by swissvale72 » Fri Jan 23, 2026 9:42 pm

DumlinBumlinStumlin wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 9:26 pm
are you saying you're doubting McDaniels gets an interview in Buf?

He's getting one
No!!!! I'm doubting he would be a good hire.

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Post by Mick » Fri Jan 23, 2026 10:13 pm

There’s just almost no names in existence that would make sense for them. Belichick, john harbaugh (oops). Cignetti? Saban?

Maybe they could trade for sirianni?

Need someone that’s at least better in the postseason OR a potential improvement to the defense, preferably both.

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Post by LakecrestSteeler » Fri Jan 23, 2026 11:58 pm

Mick wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 10:13 pm
There’s just almost no names in existence that would make sense for them. Belichick, john harbaugh (oops). Cignetti? Saban?

Maybe they could trade for sirianni?

Need someone that’s at least better in the postseason OR a potential improvement to the defense, preferably both.
If I wanted a ring badly enough and I was Buffalo, I’d mortgage the farm on Cignetti. He turned IU into national champs in 2 years.

This is a people business and he got that whole organization in Bloomington singularly focused. He has the secret sauce. 2 YEARS! That is insane!

That is who you get! Because it was 2 years you don’t get into the recruiting argument on a side note.

Steelers should send him a blank check too!

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langer
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Post by langer » Sat Jan 24, 2026 1:38 am

If you're running the Bills you are so screwed right now there's nothing you can do.

I would love to see this happen. Can you imagine the weekly on-field drama.

Thats why it might happen!
"I'm institutionalized, man," he joked. "I gotta have it. I just love the challenges week in and week out that this job provides: the growth in it, the collective growth, the individual growth."

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Post by bradshaw2ben » Sat Jan 24, 2026 3:00 pm

Mick wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 10:13 pm
There’s just almost no names in existence that would make sense for them. Belichick, john harbaugh (oops). Cignetti? Saban?

Maybe they could trade for sirianni?

Need someone that’s at least better in the postseason OR a potential improvement to the defense, preferably both.
Again, Tomlin is the best available choice for them. Despite his obvious shortcomings in the postseason, he walked in to a very similar situation in PIT and won a SB. Just don't give him a long contract or control over personnel.
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Post by Orangesteel » Sat Jan 24, 2026 3:34 pm

bradshaw2ben wrote:
Sat Jan 24, 2026 3:00 pm
Mick wrote:
Fri Jan 23, 2026 10:13 pm
There’s just almost no names in existence that would make sense for them. Belichick, john harbaugh (oops). Cignetti? Saban?

Maybe they could trade for sirianni?

Need someone that’s at least better in the postseason OR a potential improvement to the defense, preferably both.
Again, Tomlin is the best available choice for them. Despite his obvious shortcomings in the postseason, he walked in to a very similar situation in PIT and won a SB. Just don't give him a long contract or control over personnel.
I’d argue that’s when he was a 30 something year old and much more motivated to establish himself as a presence in the league.

He’s in his 50s now and rich as hell. I don’t think the motivation is there anymore (look at our playoff game plans the last 7 postseasons - the dude was asleep at the wheel). Bills don’t want that.
“Thoughts are a waste of time for me.” - Michael Pettaway Tomlin

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Post by Steeldrama » Sat Jan 24, 2026 3:36 pm

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootba ... d-counting

Bills Mafia just built different

Over 60,000 signatories on a petition to BRING BACK a FIRED coach?

Florio an arrogant toolbox but he’s right to acknowledge the significance of this.

Unprecedented

Most of us are pretty damn down on our ownership but I’ll be damned if you’ll find 6 let alone 60,000 people to sign a petition to bring back Tomlin if he had been fired.

Talk about shitcanning the wrong guy

I don’t know how this Pegula fella acquired his wealth but man that dude CANNOT read a room.

Clown show indeed

So no fanbase more loyal to their team than the tiny town of Buffalo.

But they might be on to something with McDermott

His success is Josh Allen driven but hard to ignore his track record working for two of the biggest ass clowns in the league.

I’m not understanding why he’s not on the Steelers interview list.

“STFU, Drama! You’ll get Mike McCarthy and like it. He’s a yinzer dammit!”

Yep

Our owner no prize either.

Hang in there Buffalo

I empathize with your plight
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