Joe Brady was “devastated” about Sean McDermott’s firing

Posted by Admin June 17, 2026 NFL

The days following the Buffalo Bills 33-30 loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round were a lot for the team’s fans… and their coaches, including Joe Brady.

In an exclusive sit-down with Matt Parrino of NewYorkUpstate.com, Buffalo’s new head coach spoke on his emotions when he got word of the McDermott firing in late January.

Brady first told Parrino he was “devastated,” later adding:

“I was broken. I was broken for a guy that I worked for. I was also broken for the rest of the coaching staff that is sitting there, like, we’re all out of jobs right now. There was a lot of emotion going on.”

Parrino went on to document the whirlwind of emotions Brady experienced at that specific time, as he had to immediately prepare for offensive coordinator and head coach interviews with other teams once the Bills landed back in Buffalo.

This sit-down, which was also captured on Parrino’s Shout! Podcast, is an all-encompassing look into everything that transpired from Buffalo’s postseason defeat until Brady was hired to succeed McDermott as Buffalo’s head coach.

It wonderfully sheds light on the human element of the NFL. Brady worked for McDermott since 2022, and he had been grateful McDermott gave him the Bills offensive coordinator job in the first place after Ken Dorsey was fired in the middle of the 2023 campaign.

Brady also went into detail about the uncertainty of where he potentially would’ve had to move his family if he were hired elsewhere. Also, at the outset of his job search, he did not believe he’d be calling the plays in Buffalo anymore.

We all know what ultimately happened, as the Bills elevated Brady from offensive coordinator to head coach. Make sure to check out Parrino’s piece (and podcast) in its entirety. It’s a fantastic interview.