Bills general manager Brandon Beane had tears in his eyes as he addressed questions about “my character and my integrity” over Buffalo’s decision to fire head coach Sean McDermott.
During a headline-making press conference Wednesday, Beane shut down a narrative that he fired McDermott as a “power play” move — and explained that his wife “had tears coming down her face” after hearing that.
“That’s hurtful to even hear that or say that,” Beane said when the reporter mentioned that fans perceived it that way. “I worked 19 seasons starting as an intern in Carolina and worked my way up. I came here and I’ve never tried to do that.
“I would love for anyone who’s making that accusation to walk in those doors and ask any person, player, coach or trainer — anyone.
“People can disagree with draft picks that I make, or people I sign, or I screwed up the wide receivers … Those are harmful things. I walk in the door and my wife has got tears coming down her face for stuff like that.
“I’m going to damn try hard to win a Super Bowl here, I am. But for someone to question my character is BS … And I’ve never done that.”
Beane then referenced his past actions.
“If you remember in 2023, there was an article written on Sean accusing things,” he said. “Who stood up in front of every one of you guys and defended him and his family and everything he’s done here?
“I’ve done nothing but have everyone’s back and for someone to question my character and my integrity that’s where I draw the line.”
Bills owner Terry Pegula chimed in.
“I’m the kind of guy, if I sense you’re on a power play, you’re out,” he said.
“I don’t like power play people … any sense at all that he was on a power play, he would’ve been gone.”
Pegula explained that the decision to fire McDermott on Monday was “based on the results of our game in Denver.”
The Bills suffered a 33-30 overtime loss to the Broncos Sunday’s Divisional Round game.
“I’m aware there’s criticism out there of our franchise. Does anyone know what the numbers 5, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 6 represent? That’s our seeding over the last seven years in the playoffs,” Pegula said.
“It’s impossible to have those kind of results without a good roster.”
McDermott was fired five weeks after a continuous meeting with Beane and Pegula about roster deficiencies, WGRZ reported Tuesday.
Beane and Pegula reportedly weren’t pleased that McDermott had “pointed out what the roster lacked to win a Super Bowl.”
Many questioned why the club retained Beane as Bills players publicly shared they were upset by McDermott’s firing.
Beane was promoted to the President of Football Operations and will lead the search for the next head coach.
The Bills fired McDermott after nine seasons and no Super Bowl appearances.
He left Buffalo with a regular-season record of 98-50 and a postseason mark of 8-8, including two AFC Championship losses to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
