Overview of Inside Buffalo Bills Hidden Drama: Josh Allen, Sean McDermott, Chiefs Rivalry
This episode (The Herd / The Volume) features host Colin and guest Tyler Dunne (founder of Go Long) breaking down Buffalo Bills offseason turmoil after owner Terry Pegula’s blunt press conference. They trace the roots of the Bills’ frustrations—draft decisions, coaching, and playoff collapses—while also pivoting to coaching/culture debates around the Packers and a surprise hot-take on the Patriots under Mike Vrabel. The conversation mixes locker-room sourcing, film moments (notably the “13 seconds” Chiefs collapse), candidate speculation (Brian Daboll), and league-wide context about when organizations decide to move on from coaches and GMs.
Key topics covered
- Terry Pegula’s press conference defending GM Brandon Beane and publicly criticizing Keon Coleman.
- Who’s to blame for Buffalo’s failure to reach a Super Bowl: Sean McDermott (coach) vs. Brandon Beane (GM).
- The “13 seconds” Chiefs playoff moment and how it affected Bills’ team psychology.
- Keon Coleman’s struggles (on- and off-field issues) and draft evaluation of Buffalo WRs.
- Sean McDermott’s record: lots of playoff wins without a Super Bowl and his relationship with the community.
- Potential Bills head-coach targets with Brian Daboll as the front-runner and pros/cons of hiring him.
- Green Bay Packers culture concerns under Matt LaFleur vs. his offensive/quarterback successes (Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love).
- New England Patriots’ turnaround under Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, and Josh McDaniels—organizational issues left by the Belichick era and why Patriots could be a long-term contender.
- Broader NFL patterns: when franchises move on from coaches and characteristics of championship managers/coaches.
Main takeaways
- Pegula’s press conference was unusually transparent for an owner and amplified internal tensions; it shifted public scrutiny onto both the GM and coach.
- The Bills’ failures are debated as a mix of coaching decisions (game management, situational defense) and personnel/drafting misses; both departments bear partial responsibility.
- The 13-second playoff collapse vs. the Chiefs is framed as a pivotal psychological event that lingered and affected team culture in subsequent seasons.
- Keon Coleman has underperformed and had behavioral issues; while draft evaluations are imperfect, Buffalo’s WR first-round history raises legitimate questions about scouting/execution.
- Brian Daboll is a logical front-runner to replace McDermott given his close relationship with Josh Allen, but concerns exist about his past game-management, staff cohesion, and fit.
- For the Packers, LaFleur’s offense and QB development are strengths, but recurring late-game collapses and culture/“strain-through-the-play” issues are cause for concern.
- Mike Vrabel’s Patriots have quickly patched organizational holes, instilled a hard-nosed culture, maximized Drake Maye’s traits, and may be a bigger playoff threat than widely assumed.
Notable quotes / insights
- “Is seven years in a row making the playoffs success? … If you want to get to the playoffs and lose, we’ve done that. Do we want to win a Super Bowl?” — Terry Pegula (paraphrased by Tyler Dunne).
- “13 seconds broke the psychology of the Bills.” — argument that the Chiefs late drive permanently altered the team’s mentality.
- “No head coach has won more playoff games without a Super Bowl than Sean McDermott. No quarterback has won more playoff games without a Super Bowl than Josh Allen.” — used to highlight both continuity and a championship gap.
- Brian Daboll “was like a father figure for Josh Allen” — explains his appeal but also notes Daboll’s prior internal clashes and game-management questions.
- On Matt LaFleur: “Smart, great with quarterbacks, but I don’t see him as a great culture creator.” — sums up why Green Bay’s coaching stability still faces scrutiny.
- On Patriots: Vrabel created immediate cultural and operational changes that corrected longstanding organizational neglect.
What to watch next (implications)
- Bills coaching search: whether Buffalo hires Brian Daboll or another candidate, and how that affects Josh Allen’s development and offensive identity.
- Personnel moves around the WR position and additional front-office accountability for recent draft outcomes.
- Packers offseason steps (culture, staff adjustments, roster additions) and how Ed Policy’s long-term view of LaFleur evolves.
- Patriots trajectory under Vrabel—whether they can sustain “clean” play and continue drafting/building around Drake Maye.
- How the Bills respond roster-wise (e.g., defensive additions) after public owner scrutiny—will they chase big-name veterans or focus on coaching/system changes?
Episode details & sources
- Host: Colin (The Herd / The Volume)
- Guest: Tyler Dunne — Founder, GoLongTD (Substack; wrote a deep-dive on why Sean McDermott was fired)
- Primary coverage: Buffalo Bills (Pegula, Brandon Beane, Sean McDermott, Josh Allen, Keon Coleman), Green Bay Packers (Matt LaFleur, Brian Gutekunst, Jordan Love), New England Patriots (Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, Josh McDaniels), plus league-wide context.
- Recommended further reading: Tyler Dunne’s GoLongTD piece on why McDermott was let go (golongtd.com).
Sponsors & production notes
- Episode contained multiple ad reads/sponsors (M-Drive, Hard Rock Bet, Public, Hyundai, etc.) and promotional content; multiple product endorsements bookended the conversation.
- Tone: sourced reporting + pundit analysis; relies on team insiders and league contacts as cited by guest.
If you want the gist quickly: the Bills’ public blowup reflects deeper tensions over draft performance, situational coaching (the 13-second moment), and organizational impatience—Brian Daboll is the obvious but imperfect candidate to lead the next chapter. Meanwhile, culture and coaching are the dividing lines for several franchises (Packers, Patriots) as they try to convert talent into sustained postseason success.