PEGULA & BEANE Press Conference had Bills ‘Drought’ Vibes: What’s NEXT for Josh Allen & Buffalo

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: PEGULA & BEANE Press Conference had Bills ‘Drought’ Vibes: What’s NEXT for Josh Allen & Buffalo
Date: January 22, 2026
Host/Panelists: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes
Main Theme:
The episode delivers an in-depth reaction and analysis of the Buffalo Bills’ post-season press conference, where owner Terry Pegula and GM Brandon Beane addressed the firing of head coach Sean McDermott. The hosts discuss the upheaval within Bills' management, the vibes reminiscent of the team's “drought era,” transparency, fan and player reactions, and where the franchise and Josh Allen go from here.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Press Conference Reactions & First Impressions

• The press conference was unusually emotional, revealing a fractured front office and feelings akin to the Bills' less stable "drought" years (00:59–02:05).
• Host observation: The management both lowered fan confidence and alienated the base, despite firing their most popular coach in years.
  • “You found a way to lower confidence in management and at the same time alienate some of your fans. That is quite an achievement in a postseason news conference…” — Mike Catalana (00:59)
• The hosts agree fan/media questions were fair and pressing, though the answers were at times underwhelming, vague, and defensive (01:44–03:15).

2. Terry Pegula’s Decision-Making and Emotional Motivation

• Pegula insisted the firing wasn’t due to one play or officiating, but a sense of hitting “the wall” over multiple seasons.
  • “I did not fire a coach based on a bad officiating decision… I just sensed in that locker room like where do we go from here with what we have? And that was the basis for my decision.” — Terry Pegula (03:25)
• Jenna and the team found the move rash, reactionary, and potentially destabilizing for the Bills’ strong culture (04:12–05:07).
• Mike notes that past locker room emotion signaled deep culture, not an automatic reason to blow up the operation (05:07–06:44).

3. The Pegula-Beane-McDermott Power Dynamic

• Strong skepticism among the hosts about Pegula acting alone; implications that GM Brandon Beane had a hand, given his subsequent promotion.
  • “To me, it was… Terry’s idea, [but] I think he was helped along…and out of that Brandon Bean has gotten a promotion. …What led to firing Sean and yet gave merit for Brandon to get promoted?” — Jenna Cottrell (07:43–09:27)
• Pegula, when pressed, justifies keeping Beane (“Josh Allen wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for this guy…” – 09:27) but this rationale fails to address their intertwined record and why only McDermott pays for the team’s plateau (09:27–13:12).

4. Handling of Player and Locker Room Reactions

• The team finds it troublesome that players, including Josh Allen, first heard of the firing through ESPN alerts—not from management (10:00–10:28). Mike Catalana frames this as “malpractice.”
• Pegula’s public indifference to player reaction on social media is described as “tone deaf” and “not buttoned up.”
  • “I don’t see that. I don’t care about that.” — Terry Pegula on player posts (17:40)
• This disregard and abruptness are said to risk alienating Allen and the locker room, potentially undermining the team’s identity and cohesion (20:09–22:13).

5. The Shift in Organizational Structure and Reporting Lines

• Structural change: Previously, both head coach and GM reported to ownership horizontally. Now, the new head coach will report to Beane, who reports to Pegula—a vertical model (23:31–24:00).
• This shift may deter top coaching candidates seeking more autonomy, as was seen in recent NFL job searches (24:19–26:09).
• Emphasis that vertical structure gives Beane extra leverage over the coaching staff (24:00–25:05).

6. Narrative Control, Media Savviness, and Fallout

• Both Beane and Pegula are accused of defensive narrative-spinning, evading responsibility for shortcomings in roster construction and relying on feel-good stories about Josh Allen acquisitions (13:19–14:41).
• Tim Graham’s pointed question (“If it was a bad call, why did you make this move?”) is highlighted as breaking through the PR fog (12:08–12:27).
• Host Mike Catalana expresses deep skepticism: “You’re not stupid. We’re not stupid. ... Piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining. I’m not buying it.” (13:41)

7. Drafting, Roster Building, and The Keon Coleman Sidebar

• Pegula unexpectedly intervenes to clarify GM/coach input on the second-round WR pick Keon Coleman, suggesting Coleman wasn't Beane’s preference, but the coaching staff’s (30:49–31:41).
  • “The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon…He wasn’t [Beane’s] next choice. That was Brandon being a team player and taking advice of his coaching staff…” — Terry Pegula (31:57)
• The panel finds this public finger-pointing unusual and potentially damaging to trust between leadership and coaching, with Mike noting it was still ultimately Beane’s pick (31:41–32:59).

8. The Candidate Search — Looking Forward

• Names discussed for new head coach include Brian Daboll, Joe Brady, Anthony Lynn, Anthony Weaver, Lou Anarumo, Clint Kubiak, and Davis Webb (34:17–36:09).
• Davis Webb, Allen’s friend and former Bills assistant, is floated, but concerns are raised about hiring someone who hasn’t called plays or led a team (36:09–37:37).
• The hosts favor experience (such as Daboll) and stress the importance of the next hire restoring stability and unity.

9. Impact on Josh Allen and Franchise Trajectory

• Josh Allen had zero input on the firing but will have some role in hiring McDermott’s replacement (20:49–21:26).
  • “Oh, he didn’t have any input at all. I didn’t talk to Josh about this. I talked to him afterwards, and that conversation will stay private, but he had no input in it.” — Terry Pegula (20:58)
• The quarterback’s alienation—Allen was “sobbing, listless” in the locker room—and the lack of communication worries the hosts about long-term trust (20:35–21:44).
• Allen will reportedly be “bailing them out” again next season, with even more pressure on his shoulders (39:14–39:22).

10. Drought-Era Vibes & Final Thoughts

• Overall tone: The franchise, once the NFL’s model of stability, now appears fractured, defensive, and adrift—drawing direct comparisons to the “drought era.”
  • “They have looked not buttoned up. ... I think there’s a little alienation of the quarterback here. That worries me a lot.” — Mike Catalana (20:09–20:35)
• The next few months are framed as pivotal. While the hosts maintain hope that “having Josh Allen bails you out of a lot of things,” there’s collective skepticism and real concern about organizational direction (40:09–44:24).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Pegula’s Firing Motive:
  “I did not fire a coach based on a bad officiating decision… I just sensed in that locker room like where do we go from here with what we have?” — Terry Pegula (03:25)

• On Dividing McDermott/Beane:
  “If you wanted to change, I totally get it. But to have one guy stay and one guy go doesn’t really make sense to me.” — Jenna Cottrell (12:41)

• Mike’s Brutal Honesty:
  “You’re not stupid. We’re not stupid. ... Piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining. I’m not buying it.” — Mike Catalana (13:41)

• Player Communication Failure:
  “Even hearing about how Josh Allen found out about this and the players found out like from ESPN alerts. That is malpractice.” – Mike Catalana (10:00)

• On Culture Risk:
  “This is what bad teams do. This is what the Browns do. This is what the jets do. This is what the Giants have done.” — Mike Catalana (21:50)

• Keon Coleman Draft Rationale:
  “The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon… He wasn’t [Beane’s] next choice. That was Brandon being a team player and taking advice of his coaching staff…” — Terry Pegula (31:57)

• Drought Days Callback:
  “For the last nine years, they have been the epitome of structure. Buttoned up all of those things, and it just feels like that’s cracking.” — Dan Fetes (16:11)

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Important Timestamps

• Press Conference overview/start of analysis: 00:59–03:15
• Terry Pegula explains firing McDermott: 03:25–04:12
• Locker room/player emotional fallout: 04:12–06:44
• Questioning the Beane–McDermott split: 07:43–09:27
• Pegula on Beane and drafting Allen: 09:27–10:00
• Breakdown of internal communications, player reactions: 10:00–12:41
• “Piss on my leg…” narrative quote by Mike: 13:41
• Discussion of vertical management structure shift: 23:31–24:00
• Keon Coleman draft controversy: 30:49–32:59
• List of head coach candidates: 34:17–36:09
• Allen’s lack of input on firing (Pegula quote): 20:58
• Comparisons to organizational dysfunction/drought era: 16:11, 42:41
• Final thoughts, culture, player feelings: 38:12–44:24

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Episode Tone & Final Reflections

• The hosts are candid and frustrated, calling out attempts at positive spin and narrative control by Bills' leadership.
• The panel’s tone is critical—worried about the franchise’s future but not without hope, citing Josh Allen’s presence.
• The press conference is widely seen as disorganized, defensive, and reminiscent of the club’s darkest eras.
• The fate of the new head coaching hire, and how Josh Allen is involved and treated, is set as the biggest storyline moving forward.

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For those who missed the episode:
Expect a thorough, critical look at the Bills' abrupt end to an era, with direct audio and pointed commentary on the press conference's failings, the rift between management and football culture, and the anxiety about both franchise trajectory and Josh Allen’s continued buy-in.

Transcript

[A]

I know we make fun of Jenna for saying, what a game, what a press conference.

[B]

You know, I've seen some. That was some.

[C]

Yeah, that was something.

[A]

This is the Buffalo plus podcast.

[C]

All right, welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast. Mike Catalana, Dan Fates, I am Jenna Cottrell. We're here in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio. Please be sure like comment, subscribe and share. We are breaking down what we saw today as Brandon Bean, Terry Pula meeting with the me meeting with the media a lot to get to the decision on firing Sean McDermott. Was there a power play struggle? The comments on Keon as well as the candidates now for head coach for the Buffalo Bills. Let's start big picture though, Mike, what did you make of this afternoon in Orchard Park?

[B]

In the big picture, it's just a news conference. Right. But it's at a key moment in the franchise and I'm trying not to overstate it, but you found a way to lower confidence in management and at the same time alienate some of your fans. That is quite an achievement in a post season news conference when you started out by firing a coach who was maybe as popular as he's been in the last four years.

[A]

Four years, yeah.

[B]

Yeah. And you fired him.

[A]

Yeah, that was. And I know there are some people and we were like obviously going through and doing our job and we just got back from Buffalo, but we were kind of talking about it in the sense of going through some of the words that were said and I know there are some people in some comments that we already had our stories written two days ago and all those things. That's just the farthest thing from the truth. We knew there would be some hard questions that were going to have to be asked. There were a lot of hard questions that people and fans wanted the media to ask and I thought they were all fair questions. I thought your guys questions were great. Matt Perino did a great job asking Jay Skirsky like across the board. I thought they were really fair question that were asked because you are making and as Terry did say, like this is a crucial turning point in a massive move for an organization. But I didn't think they hit the notes they wanted to hit and if they were trying to push at times it felt like Terry I think got the point across that it was his decision and his decision solely. I don't know how well that landed when it was mainly the decision felt like it was just. Just because of the outcome of the Denver game, which poses the question of what if they won the game. Then, then you make decision. And, and he talks about the emotion in the locker room. Jenna. Like that to me didn't seem to strike stability. And, and a consensus me like message that was being sent across. And again, comment in with your. What you guys thought it was about a 40 minute press conference?

[C]

Yeah, yeah. 45 minutes is. Here is what Terry Bula had to say. His comments on decision making behind firing head coach Sean McDermott.

[D]

I did not fire a coach based on a bad officiating decision. If I can take you, if I can take you into that locker room, I felt like we hit the proverbial playoff wall year after year. 13 seconds, missed field goals, the catch. So I, I just sensed in that locker room like where do we go from here with what we have? And that was the basis for my decision.

[C]

You know, there was a lot of emotion in that locker room and we even talked about how that was the most emotional we'd ever seen. Jo. The crying, the tears. It just felt like though, to me that's such a, a rash decision. It's so reactionary. And that to me is what kind of scared me is because this is such a massive decision for this team and so many, so many people, poo poo culture and all this stuff, but the culture is real and a piece of why this team has been so successful. And to just say in a moment we've hit a wall and it's over. I just, and that's where I struggle with. Because it's just like you said and like Terry Pugula said, this is such a critical moment in this team. Josh Allen, about to be 30 years old, you don't really have the wiggle room anymore. And for him to say, you know what, we're gonna fire Sean and have a new head coach in here, it just feels like so disruptive to what this team has built.

[B]

You struck something when you said that. Because you know, I was in the locker room after that game and I said to you guys, I'd never seen that kind of emotion. And now as I'm thinking of it, I'm like, hold on a second because you're going to move away from, I'll say the best hire Terry Pula has ever made.

[A]

Correct.

[B]

The best hire. And he is not. Terry Pula has not been a rash decision maker. He's needed to get pushed into, you know, he had a half assed general manager of his hockey team. He took him six years to get rid of him. He's got a guy who wins and wins and wins. Just hadn't won it all. I get the frustration of not being in the Super Bowl. Everybody gets that point. But when I saw those tears, that doesn't mean they were directed at Sean McDermott and anybody thinking that he was going to get fired. But I'm like, when my coach has been there for this long and his group cares that much. I know players care, but, like, that much, that's the moment when you're thinking, this isn't working. That is the part. Look, you could make reasons to want to fire Sean McDermott. I am not denying you that. But what I saw in that room was culture to the highest level, players who care for each other. Your quarterback, who is a superstar, was talking about his teammates and letting them down. That's the moment you want to blow up the locker room. That part just floors me now when I think of it that way.

[A]

And going off of what Jenna said and what just, like, really hit me right then and there was going back to last year's press conference, and I remember doing the story, and. And you said that he made what seems to be an emotional decision because he saw the emotion in the locker room. He said he saw Josh's face, you know, sobbing, listless, all of those things. That's when he said he knew they had hit the proverbial wall and all those things. But I think back to Brandon Bean just a year ago at this same press conference, his end of the year press conference, and he said he would not make any rash decision for 72 hours because the loss was too hurtful and too painful. And the owner makes a move that affects everything. Yeah, it's not just affecting the roster, it's affecting the culture. It's affecting everything that goes with it.

[B]

So Dan is saying the owner makes a move. Was that his move alone? That's the way he's portraying it.

[C]

I. To me, I just feel like it's naive to think that Terry Bula made this decision and it was his decision alone. Because I think if you're talking this through and also, Brandon Bean gets a promotion out of this. To me, if. If Brandon didn't feel like this was the right decision to make, you say, hey, it's emotional right now. Let's calm down. Let's look at what Sean has built. Look, look. Look at this team. Look what that would do to the locker room. That would fracture this locker room. Like, I know the emotions are heavy right now. Let's go back to the drawing board. To me, it was. This was Terry's idea, I think he was helped along in the situation of looking at this. This roster is talented enough to win a Super Bowl. Yeah. You had massive injuries to this roster as well as practice players and guys like Trey White and you were sad Jordan Poyer wasn't in the mix for this game against Denver. I just think that the tone makes it seem like Terry, this was all his decision. But if Brandon Bean wanted to, he could have said something to help at least slow down the decision making of this. And it feels like that was not the case. And so I, I believe that Terry Pula was helped to this decision and then out of that Brandon Bean has gotten a promotion. Because here's where I've struggle with this. And I even asked Terry Pula this because Sean McDermott and Brandon Beans, their careers, their successes and their failures are a meshed. They're so intertwined with this Bill's team. What led to the decision making to fire Shawn and yet what gave the merit for Brandon to get promoted? And here's what Terry Pula had to say.

[D]

That was my decision. I could be wrong how much but it was success with the players. I think we've. I don't know if anybody knows it in this room, but Josh Allen wouldn't be here if it wasn't for this guy pushing and pushing, you know, and pulling a Houdini in that draft to get to the position where we could pick him. So you know, I, that was my decision.

[A]

But that to me is great question. That to me is also great word saying a mesh.

[C]

Oh yeah. But that to me is hey, this guy drafted brand or drafted Josh Allen. We know that and Josh Allen is a unicorn and we all know that. But this is just so disruptive to this locker room and even hearing about how Josh Allen found out about this and the players found out like from ESPN alerts. That is malpractice.

[A]

Yeah, there's. There's no way about it like it. It just seemed. And again the whole press conference and this is what I expected and this is what I think always going to be the message.

[B]

Did you expect Terry Pula to talk that much?

[C]

No, no, no, I did not. I give him credit for that, but.

[A]

I expected it to be. Look at all the good things Brandon's done. Thanks. Sean left the place in a better, you know, left Buffalo in better place than he found it. But I expected Sean to get the brunt of the blame. It just felt like at times it was piling on and not being able to differentiate from the coaching and the roster because Jenna you also. We tweet out and again, a bunch of good stuff on our social media, Instagram, TikTok, all that stuff. But the fact of Terry saying we had practice squad players playing in big games, like, unbelievable, right? And it's like, well, they're there because. And he addressed the injuries. But for him to see it through the lens, which is his prerogative. It's his team.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But he sees practice squad players playing as. That's great. Because of Brandon being found guys in the practice squad instead of, wow, these guys are playing at a really high level because we've made it so far, because Sean has coached them up and gotten the most out of them. He coaches, he gets the most out of. He makes little players play big. That's what I've heard Chris Long talk about. He gets the most talent out of his players. And so to see it and view it as, wow, Brandon found this guy in the practice squad and not as wow, Sean coached these guys up to make us a 12, 5 team. And to be this good and to be one play away because Terry hammered it home early on in the press conference, it was a catch. A bad call is what cost us our game. And shout out, Tim Graham of the Athletics said, if it was a bad call, why did you make this move? I was in the locker room. We all saw it.

[B]

Yeah, like.

[A]

Like Terry acting like he's the only one that saw the emotion of the team. You talked to Dion, how to stop the press, had to stop his. His media availability like that. That, to me, just hit a sour note and just didn't. It just didn't hit me the right way.

[C]

And I totally understand people like, you know, what you needed to change. I. I could see why you would say that. This team has, you know, they've had great success in the playoffs, but also they haven't been able to get over the hump. The thing that's so perplexing to me is that again, these guys, Sean and Brandon, they are just so together that it's. It's hard for me to say, this guy deserves this much more and this guy deserves nothing. That's what I struggle with. If you wanted to change, I totally get it. But to have one guy stay and one guy go doesn't really make sense to me.

[B]

And if you want to, you could take their pluses and minuses and find. Find one that fits for both, right? Absolutely.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, you know, McDermott's 13 seconds beans wasted draft pick with Kyrie Elam. I mean, obviously, one's losing a game and one's a draft pick. But you know what I mean, Like, Bean has had a lot of success in his time with the Bills. I think this was his worst year as a general manager this last year.

[A]

And I hope that he would.

[B]

You could all argue that it was Sean's best coaching, like we said, maybe in the last four years. And so that doesn't mean. Look, I thought either they both stay or they both go. If you're going to do it that way, I thought that would have been the thing. They decided not to. You know what they're doing? They're trying to build narratives here. And they think. Teams think this all the time. Like they can create narratives. You're not stupid. We're not stupid. Like, again, I'm going to use the line again. Piss on my leg and tell me it's raining. I'm not buying it. Okay. You can tell me all these things. I don't buy that. I don't buy that. Terry just arbitrarily came in and blew up and then. And it was like he walked in the office and told Sean not to get on the plane. Right. That wasn't the case. So I don't like the way this has happened. I don't think it's good for the franchise. Can they get out of it? Sure. They still have Josh Allen.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

They could hire a really good coach. He could be great.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

We don't know.

[C]

And maybe this is the right move. Like, maybe this is.

[A]

We won't know for a few years.

[B]

Well, we won't know until next January.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

Because I asked the question about. About pressure on the new coach, and Terry's like, well, there's no. It's no super bowl or bus, which I understand super bowl is bust. Is a tough thing to say, but you're hiring this guy because you don't believe Sean can get you past that point. So if they get to that point again, I would assume the expectation is this new coach you believe can get them there.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You got to get to that spot first.

[C]

So new doesn't mean bad, but new does also not guarantee better.

[B]

I'm with you.

[A]

Also, there's been more stuff that has come out, and Tim Graham is, I think, one of the best reporters at finding this stuff out. Talks about how the medical staff.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Was working, you know, had to answer to Brandon Bean. That's part of why Sean would say, from what I've been told, those kind of things, you're. There's just. And obviously this is what always happens that all this stuff comes out after a player is cut, traded, all these kind of things. But it is a little bit. Not to the extreme extent, but it's like when you knew how good Tomlin was as a coach and you were like, yeah, he's a good coach. And then you realize like, how crazy Antonio Brown may have been and Le'Veon Bell, and you're like, he's a great coach. Like, of culture.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Specifically culture. And the Bills have been for 17 years, Mike. And you tweeted that it felt like the drought days a little bit. I said I was talking to somebody else in the meeting room and I go, it wasn't quite Whaley's privy press conference, but it felt a little dysfunctional. And for the last nine years, they have been the epitome of structure. Buttoned up all of those things, and it just feels like that's cracking.

[B]

I'm getting texts from around the league, people watching this that say jets like that say, man, I thought the Browns were bad. They say things like, what is your owner talking about? And so this is. Just tune in. I want to hear what they have to say. And you go, wow, that's not somebody in the mix. Bills fan. Whoever it is. This is. These are people just looking at it from around the league. The way we might look at it. If it was a Ravens press conference or the Steelers or whatever it happens to be. I just thought it was. It was an odd way to look like you are in control. I will also say Terry was asked about the players feelings.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And most of them put out on social.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, guys like Dion, like Jordan Poyer, like Jordan Phillips, former players as well.

[B]

And what did he say?

[C]

I don't see that.

[B]

I don't see that. I don't care about that.

[C]

Yeah. That. To me, I didn't like that answer.

[B]

No.

[A]

It's a. It's tone tone deaf.

[C]

It's just.

[A]

And that's. I guess that's how the whole thing felt. And I. And I don't. I don't really know what I expected.

[B]

I just.

[A]

I think.

[C]

I don't know what I expected so.

[A]

Much so to sit here and nobody likes. And if you want to comment in, feel free again. But I just never went in there expecting one thing. I just don't necessarily think I expected this.

[B]

I. We have been in Brandon Bean's postseason news conferences. If you just took his answers, it's very similar to most of them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's the way he answers questions. Gets a little Fired up about stuff.

[A]

He's really good at it.

[B]

Filibusters. When he doesn't want to answer, whatever it is, he answers like a professional who knows how to answer. Savvy Terry was the difference in this. He rarely ever talks. It's been six years and in fairness, he mentioned it. He's going through a lot with his family. Yes, I get that part. But he's had opportunities to talk and he hasn't. He had to talk here. He was very emphatic when he talked.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think that's what took people by surprise. But he was kind of all over the map.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And he was emphatic and a bit erratic.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, very good. Wow, that was good.

[A]

These are high level Scrabble words here. Triple word bonus.

[B]

Do you play Scrabble?

[A]

There's not a shot I'd play scramble.

[C]

You probably can't spell Scrabble.

[A]

Also, like, we didn't talk about it, I don't think. But like the press conference, the press release that had the, oh, five grammatical errors.

[C]

Like, we were admirable. Admiral.

[A]

Admiral. Like, like, we were kind of. We went. Didn't. Did a live pod kind of like, as a lot of that stuff was going on and I can't read to begin with, so I didn't notice anything. But then to see again how poorly that felt didn't seem to do justice to Sean for all that he had meant to the team. And then, you know, Mike, you had made the comment that you asked if I had written the press release and I. I did not.

[B]

No, he didn't. He could have. It might have been better if Dan wrote it.

[C]

I don't know.

[B]

Because even if it was spelled correctly, admirable.

[A]

He turned your franchise from a dysfunction laughingstock of the league to a perennial super bowl contender.

[B]

And I don't believe they're going to look like what they used to today. They did.

[C]

That's what scares me the most.

[B]

Since the firing of Sean, they have looked not buttoned up. And Sean doesn't. Sean doesn't control the releases and things like that. I said he's the soul of the franchise. I did not like the way it felt today. They have time to fix this, Right? I'm not going to say to you your franchise is done. They have time to. I think there's a little alienation of the quarterback here. That worries me a lot.

[C]

That worries me a lot as well. Because Dan, it seems like this decision, you know, Terry Bagula said. Well, actually. Well, what did he say? We have the Sound bite Josh? Yeah.

[A]

Oh, yeah. He was asked about Josh's input in this decision and what he was privy to.

[D]

Oh, he didn't have any input at all. I didn't talk to Josh about this. I talked to him afterwards, and that conversation will stay private, but he had no input in it.

[B]

Josh is going to be part, I guess, in some form of the hiring of the new coach. At least they said. Right. He'll. He'll be with this group, which is, you know. Yeah, that's fine.

[C]

Yeah, I agree.

[B]

But he wasn't consulted about the only coach he's ever had who he goes to do dinner at his house every week. Am I missing something? Is. Is this really. We're. We're covering for Josh because he really wanted Sha out. Like, I don't buy that. Any of that stuff.

[C]

This is the type of stuff, though, that very much scares me, though.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Because this is what bad teams do.

[B]

This is what the Browns do. This is what the jets do. This is what the Giants have done.

[C]

And I'm not saying you can't repair things, because like you said, it's very early on in this process, but these are fractures that have reverberations throughout the locker room of players that are in that locker room saying, what the hell? Holy. Like, oh, my gosh.

[A]

Reverberations throughout the league.

[C]

That too.

[A]

Mike talks about the narrative and what the Bills were trying to get across. There's also a narrative throughout the league, and players that have come into Buffalo have said recently, we came here for the culture. We came here because we know it means more and all of those kind of things.

[B]

And the other guys on the team are saying, come to Buffalo.

[A]

Yeah, right.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And I had kind of hinted at this. Not hinted. I was kind of mentioning it like, oh, everybody thinks that this is the most slam dunk job, number one job, because it's Josh Allen. And I said. I was like, I don't really know about that. Because now the perception, you're seeing this, you know, I'm saying, like, you're seeing now the GM who has drafted two Pro Bowlers in his last 56 players. You are now answering to him. That has been crystal clear. It's what John Harbaugh and the Giants were working out in the contract.

[B]

Explain that a little bit.

[A]

So John Harbaugh, he had agreed, but then there was a holdup, and we didn't really know what the language was in the holdup. It was pretty much the sense that John Harbaugh is like, I'm not answering to Joe Shane, the gm or I'm answering to the owner. Owner.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And in years past, especially In Buffalo, Sean McDermott answered to Pula and Brandon Bean answered to Pula. And now what you're. What you will see, what they've made crystal clear is that whoever the head coach is will answer to Brandon be.

[C]

Yes. So previously it was a horizontal reporting system, like you said. So it's. It was Sean and Brandon and they report to Pula. Now it's vertical. So it's the head. New head coach will report to Bean, who will report to be.

[B]

And it also indicates. Indicates some decision making by the general manager, including oversight of coaching staff. It's hinted. They didn't talk about that today. I think it was mentioned before. Those are things that can impact the type of coach you end up getting.

[A]

And listen, the reason that this is kind of apparent or that I think is. Is noteworthy is we just saw this happen not too long ago in Tennessee where the head coach and the general manager, Mike Vrabel, they didn't see eye to eye. They didn't like who was in charge, who had the final say.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And while they will always say, just like Joe Shane said in his press conference performance that this happens, it'll be collaborative. Yes, it's always collaborative.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But when push comes to shove, somebody gets a final say.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And you saw what happened in Tennessee. They had stability with Rabel. They had a culture. The GM forced out the head coach and now that GM's gone too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So this is where if you're. And I get it also, like, guys, I'm not stupid. Clip that for you. The fact of there's only 32 head coaching jobs and you dream of being a head coach and all of these things, but Ben Johnson looked at the Washington commander's front office in the way that that was and he said, no, no thanks, I'd rather be a coordinator. I'll be another hot name next year. And he landed a great spot in Chicago where he got a lot of say in what was going to be done. And so that's where I worry, where all of a sudden you're a head coaching candidate that says so I'm directly answering to a GM that has drafted two out of two Pro Bowlers out of 56 guys, has kind of struggled to address wide receivers since trading Stefan Diggs. And that's my faith. And like, we've already mentioned the expectations and like, yeah, Terry's going to say, obviously it's not fair to say super bowl or bust. But that is the benchmark. When Sean came in, it was, please make the playoffs. Now Sean leaves and the next coach has to say, please get us to a Super Bowl.

[B]

That is the goal to begin with for the next coach. That was the floor for Sean.

[A]

Yes, he.

[B]

He hit that every year, second round of the playoffs, or every year since 19. So you knew he was going to get there. The frustration was getting past there. He made it to the championship twice. So all that is true. I want to emphasize, again, it's a news conference. It's not every decision that's been made, but not a great start. The amount of time since what the firing was on Monday. It's 48 hours.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Well, now it'll be a little more than that. It has not been a great 48 hours for the Buffalo Bills at all.

[A]

And again, Terry Pula said several times, wanted to make it crystal clear that it was his decision. And I can't remember who asked it, but was asked about the power play that did Brandon Bean pull off some type of power play to force Sean out and get himself fired. And in full transparency, like, we just want to relay and show you what Brandon Beans and Terry Pula's answers were to that question.

[D]

I'm the kind of guy, if I sense you're on a power play, you're out. I don't like power play people. We have an organization that we work together. But any sense at all that he was on a power play, he would have been gone.

[A]

I've done nothing but have everyone's back.

[B]

And so for someone to question my character, my integrity, that's where I draw the line. Terry.

[C]

Yeah. I think we do need to add that for context. Absolutely. Because that was asked. And Brandon obviously very. What's the word I don't want to use emphatically again, adamantly. Adamantly. Yeah. And like, I get. I get it. I would do the same thing.

[B]

Daniel, that was good. And a D. Oh, God, Yeah. Don't try. And yes, they did push back on it, but Terry did say if he would have done that, he would be gone. So are they insinuating that that's what Sean did?

[C]

I don't know.

[B]

Kind of came out that way. Whether it was intentional or not.

[A]

Again, we're starting to hear the. The cracks like you're starting Vic Karuchi's article saying basically that five or six weeks ago there was a conversation between Pula, Bean and McDermott about McDermott was critical of roster. And like we talked about at the trade deadline when Brandon said We have a Super bowl caliber roster. And Sean said, I love the guys.

[B]

I want somebody to comment and tell me they believe this. A Super bowl roster.

[A]

Yep.

[C]

Like going into the playoffs, this was a Super bowl roster. I. I just.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Because of the injuries. I think that's important context, not like heading into the year with Ed Oliver.

[B]

Right.

[C]

All that stuff. I know Ed Oliver did play, but obviously it was limited.

[A]

And again, I guess that's where I come to too, is that Terry was so adamant that it was a catch and that it was a bad call if they would have gotten blown out.

[B]

And they had injuries.

[A]

Yeah. Like, it's like, yeah, he's seeing all the same things we're seeing and is just seeing it through a different now scope.

[B]

He did say, which he should have said at the beginning, that it was about the wall. Felt like we had hit the wall. I'm fine with him saying you felt like they hit the wall. You feel like they've hit a wall.

[A]

That's the one. That was the one thing where I was like, if they would have just reiterated that, yeah, we feel like we've reached our playoff wall potential. We have gotten as far as Sean can take us. I would understand that. I think that's the sentiment that most fans have had. When I talk to player. When I talk to fans and they kind of say that like, well, I don't know if McDermott can get us over the hump. Fair criticism.

[B]

Yeah. Because he hasn't done it.

[A]

He hasn't done it. Like that is factual. I understand that. But again, then it's so hard to comprehend and wrap your brain around the fact that then the other guy that is, like Jenna said, enmeshed with that success of not getting over the hump gets the promotion.

[C]

Yeah, that's. That's what I struggle with as well.

[A]

And then Keon catches the most random stray of all time.

[B]

I mean, they mentioned two players at the news conference, Josh Allen, Keon Coleman.

[A]

And the question was not about Keon. Keon was never phrased in a question up until that point. Salma of the Democrat and Chronicle asked the question of. To Brandon Bean if he thinks he has done enough at the wide receiver position to help Josh Allen. And then this happened.

[D]

How do you answer the fact that.

[A]

You have not given Josh a good enough wide receiver?

[D]

Can I interrupt? I'll address the Keon situation. The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon. I'm not saying Brandon wouldn't have drafted him, but he wasn't his next choice. That was Brandon being A team player and taking advice of his coaching staff who felt strongly about the player. And, you know, he's taken, for some reason, heat over it and not saying a word about it. But I'm here to tell you the true story.

[C]

That was something.

[A]

19 minutes later, Brandon did clarify that he likes and believes and has faith.

[B]

Was his pick correct? Yes. Because no matter what was said with the coaches, offensive coaches, whatever, liked Keon, Brandon Bean's got to be the one sends the card. It's his pick.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

It's his name that's on it.

[B]

Yes. So. So that was the case. But it was kind of wild that they were talking about. About him.

[A]

That's. That's where I feel like it. It definitely got to. How can we spin this to defend Brandon? And that's what I just.

[B]

Well, it got blamed on the coaching staff. The coaching staff had a lot to do with the. Sean did. The defensive players that were drafted, like, anything that felt like they wanted to be on the downside ended up being in the column. Now, I'll give Brandon this. He did say, I wrote it down. He made mistakes. I'm accountable. I wrote down exactly what he said. But it was him basically talking about his role in what has happened.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, I bear guilt, blame, and responsibility. I could have done better. That's fair, right? He's the general manager because he was talking about all the things about Sean that he had done.

[A]

But again, the tone of it came across as Sean and the staff wanted Keon. But this guy over here, he drafted Josh Allen. Like that. That was where it just didn't feel right to me.

[B]

Wait, they being drafted Josh Allen?

[A]

So that was. And then, like I said, that it was somebody's. I think it was Bean was like, well, let me just make this, you know, clear. I don't want you guys to jump to conclusions. Something like that. And Tim Graham's like, too late.

[B]

Like, yeah, that.

[A]

Like Tim.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

That.

[A]

That was where it felt like the press conference really started to. To get off the rails. And again, it wasn't even a question directed at Terry and he says, may I interrupt? And it was like, it's a guy.

[B]

Who never talks, and now he's. He's a. He's a man. He interrupts.

[C]

Interrupted.

[A]

That. That. To me, where that felt very jetsy. That felt very Brownsy. Like, that was where it was like, that's fair.

[C]

Also hasn't met with the media in six years. Wow. With the Bill's media, with the Bills media.

[B]

Because he just was at the.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But he's. I don't know if he took questions.

[C]

I think he just announced yet he.

[B]

He had it stored up. He was ready to talk today.

[C]

He certainly was.

[B]

So, hey, you want a job with the Bills? Because there's job opening here and they have some names.

[C]

They do. So. So I do think it was important that we note that Terry said that they had the decision to fire Sean. That there wasn't a. They were asked if there was a coaching candidate in mind when they made this decision. Terry said that there was not. But in terms of. They said there's no leading candidate. They did say it would be a CEO head type, head coach type of position. So the names we're hearing, Brian Dable, Joe Brady, Anthony Lynn, Anthony Weaver, Lou Amarillo. Now there's also guys like Clint Kubiak and Davis Webb who are currently in the playoffs but in the Jags.

[B]

OC.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

He's a 30 year old guy.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Same age as Davis Webb. Same age as well as Josh Allen.

[B]

Yeah. So they've requested like they have to request permission for Dable. He's still under contract to the Giants even though he was fired. They're paying him. So that's why it has. That has to be the case with certain people. So they're going to start here. I do feel like to me it's leaning towards one of the super bowl guys. Maybe the case that they waited out. But we'll see that it could be a.

[C]

So Davis Webb or Clint Kubiak?

[B]

Davis Webb would be something. He hasn't been a coordinator. I know he has Bill's connection.

[C]

He is very close with Josh Allen.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So they obviously do have a rapport. Yeah.

[A]

They were talking about how Davis Webb and his time in Buffalo used to run the quarterback room meetings. He would run them three days a week. Very close with Josh. You saw pregame Josh with. With Davis before the game. He was also. You know, I think again I, I don't hide my bias towards my infatuation with Said Brian Dable. I respect him more than certain members of my family. I do want to have a head coach that has head coaching experience.

[C]

I agree with that. And I do feel like because Dable knows these players so well, a lot of them, that it wouldn't feel as jarring as someone that's completely new showing up that doesn't have a relationship with really anyone.

[B]

And it also depends on where Josh Allen is right now.

[C]

I am so curious how he's feeling.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Davis Webb doesn't call place. I want that to be.

[B]

Yeah, he has not called.

[A]

He has not called plays. And that's the other thing too is where people always talk about oh get the hot coordinator that has had a cup of coffee around Sean McVay or Matt LaFleur or Andy Reid. They haven't those head coaches call the plays. So the offensive coordinator with the Rams, the quarterbacks coach or the passing game coordinator, Nathan Shell Shalice. Shell heist when we need to. Sorry his name like he's not calling plays. So like that is. That is my concern is it was like when Ken Dorsey had never called plays. To have somebody that you assume now Clint Kubiak has called plays for the last few years. That's great if you can get him. I, I think that's a pretty good hire.

[B]

But let's also imagine you're going to call plays for the first time and be a head coach.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Which that part alone is a lot for any head coach to also be the play caller. So that might be aggressive in terms of guys who are that young who if they haven't called plays like. And that be that case with Davis Webb.

[C]

So. Yeah. Something else to note from the press conference today. Josh Allen might need some type of off season foot surgery. That's still being figured out. That being said though, he was said to be set for OTAs coming up this spring.

[B]

So I'm only asking. Did they say surgery?

[A]

Procedure.

[B]

Procedure they love. Yeah, that's like the old line. It's successful surgery when it's on somebody else or minor surgery when it's on somebody else. It's successful when the doctor gets paid. That's it. That's the way that is funny. Yeah. I don't. You don't want to hear any of that stuff for Josh. But you know, there was something going on.

[C]

Overall, I feel like today did not really go great for the Bills organization. And you're right, it kind of had that feel of like the drought and kind of the. Can they figure this out? This is a monumental, critical decision for the Bills and that's not to say that they can't get this figured out with Brandon Bean. But we obviously have concerns and I once again want to come back to the fact that I think while it seems like this was Terry Pigula's decision to make this move, I definitely think he had help along the way. Whether or not he realizes it, that's, that's to be determined by him. But I do feel like with Sean McDermott and Brandon Bean and just the way they were for this team. It's hard to kind of separate Whitney part contributed to which. And so that's just my take on it. But overall I'm, I, I don't feel truly encouraged looking forward. But that doesn't mean that good things and a good head coach doesn't come here. But that's just how I feel.

[B]

I think once again 17 is going to bail them out of whatever they don't do.

[C]

Well, this puts even more pressure on Josh, though.

[B]

I mean, it depends. It depends on the higher. Because if it is Brian D. Then you know, Josh is in on that.

[C]

I just, I agree. But I just feel like the leash is so short.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Because let's say they lose their first game this season. You don't think there's going to be comments about what the hell did we do this for now will Terry Pula hear those? It doesn't appear like he will because he seems like he doesn't listen. But that's just the concern to me.

[B]

Interrupts and doesn't listen.

[C]

It's like every man.

[A]

Jenna is so dialed in, she doesn't even notice that I'm slouching.

[C]

Oh, I didn't even notice. No, I just. Overall, though, I just.

[A]

Yeah, sorry. Not the right time and place, guys. My bad. Why you try to bring some.

[C]

It's fine.

[B]

It's fine.

[C]

No, I just.

[A]

Nobody's dead.

[C]

Nobody. No, obviously no one's dead. I just, I don't feel encouraged and usually I feel encouraged.

[A]

And I think we talked about like expecting and Brandon talks about it too. Like normally this is the end of the year press conference when we talk about offensive line, tight ends where they think they need to improve. It was none of that.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And then at the very end it was, hey, whoever comes in is going to decide if they want to switch to a 3, 4 defense. They're going to have to overhaul that sense. They're going to have to overhaul what they want to do as an offense. They talked about gap scheme, but you know, between zone running, like all these kind of things with, with their offensive line, it is going to be major, major changes. Like we had talked about. Right. When we heard the news that Sean McDermott was fired, I said, like, this is just the start of a massive change coming this organization and it's not unrealistic. And also not Debbie Downer or Buffalo minus to sit here and be like, there, there could be a step back next season.

[B]

Yeah. And you get to watch the Patriots playing the AFC championship game.

[C]

How dare you.

[A]

I just saw Bill's fans have donated over $50,000 to Sean McDermott's Cancer Awareness Foundation.

[B]

That is awesome.

[C]

I didn't see that.

[B]

That spills. Fans not jumping into tables. I say it all the time.

[A]

That's pretty cool.

[B]

What you should be known for. Yeah, I wanted to go. We are almost done here. I want to do a quick shout out to Paul, principal at Byron Virgin.

[C]

Oh, nice.

[B]

Big fan of Buffalo. Plus says watches shares the pod with other people. So he likes comments and shares.

[C]

We love Paul.

[B]

Say it. Said hi to me the gym the other day. Wanted to say hi to you guys. So I meant to mention it the other day, so I didn't get a chance. So.

[C]

All right.

[B]

Thanks, Paul.

[C]

I would say thank you, Paul. All right. Any lasting notes?

[A]

No comment. Again, I. I feel like there was an overwhelming. All the comments were pretty nice. You know, the views on the end of the season after Denver game really appreciated as well as, you know, the emergency pod that we did. Jenna may be slightly unprofessional at times, but we try and reel her in.

[B]

I know it's tough.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And again, I think that again, these are my feelings as well as we've had kind of some of this over, but also like I am from what we're hearing from our friends around the league. This with kind of the listening to the way the wind is blowing around the league and how this is not going over well.

[B]

It's odd. It's not the Bills. The Bills created a style and a reputation that people expected something different. And now it didn't look like the Bills they've seen for most of the last decade.

[C]

And I also do feel like the locker room and the players that we have talked to have been so caught off guard by this and shaken by this. That, that. That is something else that's a layer in this that we didn't really talk about all that much. But yes, there will be new players coming in and other players that leave, but there's still going to be a core group of guys here that have been coached their entirety. Bill. Of their Bills career by Sean McDermott and they feel at a loss that this change happened in the way that it did. So I think that that can have a lasting impact now. How lasting? We don't know. And again, the next person that's in here has so much of what will change for this team and what it will look like. But right now I think there's still. I. I don't think if you're a player, you feel like, wow, I feel so much better after well, that's the.

[A]

Thing, is that for the longest time, you've known the direction and where, again, knowing it hasn't made it to the final destination. And that being your apprehension. Big words, I understand. But this now feels like a very pivotal turning point in this organization's history.

[B]

Yeah. And they believe that it's a turning point that's going to take them to where they want to go.

[A]

Correct.

[B]

And we're hoping that for all of you, too. Right. That it is. That it works. Hey, I would say, like, for Josh Allen, these players.

[A]

For us.

[B]

Yes. It's about us for you.

[C]

But, like, truly. Yes. It's just the confidence is a little shaken at this moment right now. Okay, that'll do it for us. Be sure to, like, let us know how you feel if you watched all that stuff. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. We will catch you next time here on the Buffalo plus podcast. Thank you so much for watching.

[A]

This is the buffalo plus podcast.