Working in the NFL world is not an easy business to navigate. Even if you are one of the better head coaches in the league, it doesn't mean your job is safe. Underperforming in the playoffs has consequences, and that is what Mike Tomlin learned. The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of a head coaching search, and a new candidate might've just thrown his name into the mix.
The Buffalo Bills just fired their long-time coach, Sean McDermott, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
McDermott has been with the Bills as their head coach since 2017 and saw strong success during the regular season. He becomes one of the top coaching candidates to join another team in the same role. He has proven he can win regularly, but similar to Tomlin, postseason success is limited.
Tomlin stepped down, and he appears ready to take a year off or more before contemplating a return to the NFL. McDermott has let people know that he intends to look for another job, which could point to the Steelers as a destination. While naming McDermott as Tomlin’s successor would be a big-name hire, it would almost certainly spark backlash from the fanbase.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' next head coach cannot be Sean McDermott if they want real change
Pittsburgh would be wise to pass on hiring McDermott.
Despite a strong head coaching record and five AFC East titles, Buffalo never reached—let alone won—a Super Bowl during his tenure. Their expectations with Josh Allen at quarterback remained sky high, and it forced a change for their organization. McDermott will be a hot commodity this hiring cycle, but he shouldn't be a top choice for the Steelers.
They just saw Tomlin head out the door, who experienced similar downfalls when he had Ben Roethlisberger. There are parallels between Tomlin and McDermott. Both had strong success during the regular season. Both are defensive minds. Both failed to win big games despite having elite quarterbacks. The only difference is that Tomlin won a Super Bowl.
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Don't be shocked if McDermott and the Steelers share interest in a potential marriage. It makes sense on the surface, especially after owner Art Rooney II admitted he wants to compete each year. Hiring McDermott would potentially keep the same trend rolling that Tomlin produced.
Locating a new head coach won't be easy, but it would be unwise to go with an option that exhibits the same shortcomings that Tomlin has shown since 2017.
Expect McDermott to land another job as a coach this offseason, but Pittsburgh should be wary about hiring him. He found plenty of success in Buffalo, but much of it came on the strength of quarterback Josh Allen.
Perhaps the Steelers should interview McDermott to gauge where the franchise and the candidate are at, but there are younger options who would make more sense.