NFL: Is Sean McDermott the front-runner for the Coach of the Year Award?
Every year, plenty of NFL coaches lead their respective teams to remarkable seasons. In 2020, the Bills, the Browns, the Chiefs, and the Packers were some of the best teams in the NFL. As a result, their respective coaches could be considered some of the favorites to win the prestigious Coach of the Year Award.
Coach Andy Reid's Chiefs led the NFL with a 14-2 record. Some fans would argue that Reid should be recognized for this achievement. But if it was to Reid, Sean McDermott, the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, would be honored as the best coach in the NFL this year.
Reid's Chiefs will face McDermott's Bills in the AFC Conference Championship Game this weekend, and the former Super Bowl winner said that McDermott deserves the Coach of the Year Award.
Sean McDermott is turning the Bills into a powerhouse in the NFL
The 2020 Buffalo Bills finished the season 13-3. The team won the AFC East, and it looks like a strong contender to win the Super Bowl. Buffalo had five Pro Bowlers, and five AP All-Pros, including QB Josh Allen, CB Tre'Davious White, and WR Stefon Diggs.
Diggs elevated the Bills offense. He led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards. Allen took a huge step forward in his development, and some fans think he should win the MVP Award. After McDermott's Bills steamrolled through the regular season, the team gave the franchise it's first playoff win since 1995.
In the Wild Card Round, the Bills toppled the Indianapolis Colts 27-24. Buffalo then beat the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Divisional Round. If the Bills win this weekend, they'll clinch a spot in the Super Bowl.
McDermott, now 46, began his football coaching career as a graduate assistant at The College of William & Mary college in 1998. In 2001, the Philadelphia Eagles hired McDermott as an assistant to the head coach. He rose up the ranks, and he eventually became the team's defensive coordinator in 2009.
The Carolina Panthers signed McDermott in 2011, and he became one of the top defensive coordinators in the NFL during his time with the team. McDermott's impressive Panthers defense led Carolina to a Super Bowl appearance after the 2015 season. In 2017, the Bills took a chance on McDermott and hired him to serve as their head coach.
Under McDermott, the Bills are 38-26. The team made the playoffs in two of his first three seasons, but it lost to Jacksonville and Houston in these first two outings. In 2020, McDermott's Bills have turned into a powerhouse. No matter what happens this weekend, the team is set up to succeed for the next several years. As a result, McDermott definitely deserves some consideration for the Coach of the Year Award.