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As ESPN insider Dan Graziano first reported, Sean McDermott has agreed to a contract to be head coach of the Buffalo Bills.
McDermott interviewed last week with the Bills and was brought in again for a second interview Wednesday. Buffalo interviewed several candidates for the position, including Bills interim head coach Anthony Lynn, who was considered the early favorite for the job.
McDermott, 42, has worked as NFL coaching assistant since 2001 when he worked as an assistant to then-Eagles head coach Andy Reid in 2001. After eventually working his way up to Eagles defensive coordinator, he left Philadelphia in 2011 to become the Panthers' defensive coordinator.
McDermott takes over a Bills team that hasn't made the postseason since the 1999 season. Buffalo fired Rex Ryan last month just before the team wrapped up a 7-9 campaign.
As Associated Press sports writer John Wawrow noted, McDermott's initial meeting with the Bills happened last Wednesday. He was the first of four candidates to interview for the job to replace Ryan.
The Panthers enjoyed four straight seasons of being ranked in the NFL's top 10 in fewest yards allowed before taking a step back this season.
Carolina finished 21st in yards allowed, giving up 500-plus yards three times. The pass defense particularly suffered a drop-off following the loss of star defensive back Josh Norman, who signed with Washington in free agency.
The defense still finished sixth against the run and ranked second with 47 sacks.
In 2015, McDermott oversaw a defense that played a key role in the Panthers going 15-1 and reaching the Super Bowl, which they lost to Denver.
The 2017 Bills gave up 200-yard rushing performances three times — including two to Miami's Jay Ajayi.
McDermott's hiring ends the Bills' seventh coaching search since Wade Phillips was fired following the 2000 season.
As Profootballtalk.com's Darin Gantt suggested, Dermott presents a more substantive hire, after the bluster that came with the Ryan era. His understated personality will likely be a good fit there in Buffalo.
Now he has to assemble a staff quickly. He had been linked with former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy, but McCoy’s also talking to Denver about a job there.
Then there’s the small matter of figuring out who his quarterback is going to be, with Tyrod Taylor’s future up in the air thanks to a $27.5 million injury guarantee.
The Bills also interviewed Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin and Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard.