‘You’ll be immortal’ – Mike Tomlin immediately tipped for Buffalo Bills job

Josh Allen will have a new head coach for the first time in his career next season.

For nine years, Sean McDermott wasn’t just the coach of the Buffalo Bills; he was the architect of their relevance.

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Yes, the lion’s share belongs to Allen, but it’s worth remembering what Buffalo was before McDermott arrived, a year before the Bills even drafted Allen.

He took a franchise wandering in a 17-year playoff desert and turned them into a perennial powerhouse. But on Monday, the hammer finally fell.

Following a gut-wrenching 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, owner Terry Pegula decided that ‘good enough’ was no longer enough.

McDermott’s firing isn’t about a lack of success — it’s about a lack of the ultimate success. With a regular-season record of 98-50, he was statistically the best thing to happen to Buffalo since Marv Levy.

However, the playoffs told a different story. An 8-8 postseason record and four Divisional Round exits in eight years created a narrative of a team that could climb the mountain but couldn’t breathe at the summit.

When the Kansas City Chiefs, Allen and McDermott’s perennial boogeyman, missed the playoffs this year, the path to the Super Bowl was cleared of its biggest obstacle.

To still fall short, at home, in the same heart-wrenching fashion, made the change inevitable.

Kyle Brandt, co-host of NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, knows just the man for the job to lead Buffalo to the ultimate prize.

“Does Mike Tomlin want to coach the Bills? Do the Bills want Mike Tomlin? Because you will immediately have a Super Bowl shot,” Brandt said.

“Immediately, in year one. There’s no building, there’s no anything.

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“If you have 17 and you go to Buffalo, you will have a shot to do things.

“If you go to Buffalo and you win a Super Bowl, you are an all-time legend for the rest of history. It is not like winning anywhere else. It is an all-time opportunity. The quarterback, the market to make history, you’ll be immortal…

“This is the job right now if you want to win a Super Bowl, and it’s wide open.”

Brandt’s suggestion isn’t too outlandish, as the timing and fit would make sense.

Just six days ago, Tomlin stepped down from the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 seasons. He is the gold standard of NFL leadership, a man who has never had a losing season and owns a Super Bowl ring.

However, his postseason futility has also reached a ceiling, as he has gone 0–7 in his last seven postseason games. Tomlin has not won a playoff game since 2016.

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Overall, he is 8-12 in the postseason as a head coach.

Reports also indicate that Tomlin is exhausted and intends to take the 2026 season off, potentially for a broadcasting role and because he voluntarily stepped down rather than being fired, the Steelers still hold his rights through 2027.

Any team wanting him would have to cough up a compensation package.

If Tomlin remains firm on his sabbatical, the Bills are expected to look toward offensive continuity. Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady is a heavy internal favorite to keep Allen in his current rhythm, while a reunion with Brian Daboll remains the sentimental choice for many.

But for a fan base that has watched their championship window start to creak, the allure of Tomlin could be undeniable.

The Bills have the quarterback. They have the new stadium coming in 2026. Now, they just need the man who can finally lead them across the finish line.

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