The last three weeks have seen three veteran coaches, John Harbaugh, Mike Tomlin, and Sean McDermott, get fired. Yet it’s the exit of the one who is the least revered and experienced among the trio that has shocked fans.
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The firing of McDermott has landed like a gut punch in Buffalo. For a fanbase that watched the franchise crawl out of irrelevance and into annual contention under his watch, the decision felt abrupt, emotional, and to an extent, uncalled for. Within days, that discomfort has turned into action.
A petition calling for McDermott’s reinstatement is circulating online, capturing the mood of a city that believes progress and consistent playoff appearances were being mistaken for failure. As of writing, 46,759 fans have signed it, which is quite a staggering number that reflects just how loudly Bills Mafia is pushing back.
The petition was created by lifelong Bills fan Maria Maisonet, who has followed the team for more than four decades. In her message, Maisonet described McDermott not just as a successful coach, but as a foundational figure who restored belief in Buffalo football.
She pointed to the most obvious evidence. McDermott ended the franchise’s long playoff drought, turned the Bills into perennial postseason contenders, and gave the community something it had lacked for years: sustained hope.
“Firing Sean McDermott seems like a step backwards,” Maisonet wrote, calling the move short-sighted and dismissive of the culture and consistency he built.
She emphasized that McDermott’s winning percentage ranks among the best in recent team history and argued that stability was what the franchise needed at this moment.
That sentiment has found a powerful ally in Terrell Owens, who weighed in publicly.
Yesterday, the former 49ers WR and 6x Pro Bowler took to X to share the petition, urging fans to rally behind McDermott. While respectful in tone, the Hall of Fame receiver didn’t hide his confusion over the decision. Owens framed the firing less as a coaching failure and more as a reflection of player performance in crucial moments.
“Understanding the role and responsibilities of a head coach … this is definitely a case of a player who has underperformed when the team needed him most,” Owens wrote. He added that even after hearing owner Terry Pegula’s explanation of the Bills hitting a “proverbial playoff wall,” the rationale behind firing Sean McDermott still didn’t add up to him.
Reinstate Sean McDermott to the Buffalo Bills – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/hpW7EFW2zP via @Change
Respectfully, understanding the role and responsibilities of a head coach but this is definitely a case of a player who has underperformed when the team needed him most. I,…— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) January 23, 2026
Owens’ comments echo a growing belief among fans that McDermott became the fall guy for organizational shortcomings that extended beyond the sideline. Under his leadership, the Buffalo Bills made seven straight playoff appearances and never collapsed into irrelevance. Clearly, for Bills fans, that resume doesn’t justify a dismissal.
The numbers only strengthen that argument. McDermott’s teams consistently finished above .500, and his tenure coincided with the rise of a franchise quarterback and a national resurgence of the Bills brand. That context is why fans see the firing as impatience.
That said, the petition does not call for protests or boycotts. Instead, it asks management to reconsider and to acknowledge the foundation that has already been laid, and to recognize what could be lost by tearing it down too quickly.
Whether the Bills will reverse course is another question entirely. History suggests the chances of reinstatements are next to nil. Still, the message from fans, now amplified by Terrell Owens, is unmistakable: Sean McDermott deserved more time.
