Angry fans want Bills to rehire Sean McDermott: Thousands have signed petition calling for coach's return

The Buffalo Bills made a shocking move this week when the team decided to fire Sean McDermott. During his nine seasons on the job, McDermott led the team to the playoffs eight times, including two appearances in the AFC Championship game. 

For owner Terry Pegula, that wasn't good enough, but for thousands of fans, it was good enough and those fans want to see McDermott back on the job. One Bills fan actually started a petition on Change.org this week to get McDermott rehired and that petition has now been signed by nearly 50,000 fans. 

Here's what the fan had to say in the petition: 

"Under McDermott's leadership, the Bills have experienced a remarkable transformation. He revitalized the team's performance and reignited the passion of the fans," the fan wrote. "Notably, he led the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs multiple times after a lengthy drought, bringing a renewed sense of hope and excitement to a community that lives and breathes football. His coaching style and strategic insight have been pivotal in shaping a competitive and spirited team that made us proud."

When McDermott was hired in 2017, the Bills hadn't made the playoffs in 17 seasons, but he ended that drought during his first year on the job and he did it without Josh Allen, who wasn't on the team yet. 

"Firing Sean McDermott seems like a step backward, negating all the progress we've made under his guidance," the fan wrote. "The decision appears to be short-sighted, overlooking his contributions and the respect he commands among players and fans alike."

The 50,000 fans who signed the petition seemed worried that the Bills aren't going to be able to find a better coach then McDermott. 

"The Buffalo Bills stand at a crucial juncture. To maintain our upward trajectory and continue building on our recent successes, it is essential to have consistent and visionary leadership. Sean McDermott embodies these qualities," the fan wrote in the petition. "His expertise, dedication, and passion are unmatched, and dismissing him undermines not just his work but also the goodwill he has fostered within our team and the larger community."

The firing of McDermott has been a hot button issue around the NFL. Former Super Bowl-winning coach Bruce Arians was shocked that the Bills decided to dump him while promoting general manager Brandon Beane. 

"This one baffles me," Arians said of the McDermott firing earlier this week. "How Brandon Beane got elevated and Sean McDermott got fired, that just blows my mind, because they didn't have any damn players."

Terrell Owens, who spent one season of his Hall of Fame career in Buffalo, also thought it was bizarre that the Bills fired McDermott. 

"I, like many, don't understand the rationale behind this firing even hearing the owner's position," Owens wrote on social media. 

So what was the owner's position? During a press conference on Wednesday, Pegula said he made the decision to fire McDermott following the team's 33-30 overtime loss to the Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

"My decision to bring in a new coach was based on the results of our game in Denver," Pegula said. "I want to take you in the locker room after that game. I looked around, first thing I noticed was our quarterback with his head down, crying. I looked at all the other players. I looked at their faces and our coaches."

No matter how many people sign this petition, McDermott isn't going to be rehired, but this does show you how much pressure is going to be on the next coach. If the Bills hire someone and that coach struggles to just a 10-7 record in his first season on the job, that might not be good enough for fans who watched McDermott lead the team to six straight seasons with at least 11 wins. 

The Bills have already interviewed multiple candidates for their open coaching job, including Joe Brady, Brian Daboll and Lou Anarumo. And they have several more interviews scheduled for this weekend, including one on Friday with former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, who was hired as the Chargers offensive coordinator this week.