After years of playoff heartbreak, the Buffalo Bills are ready for a new chapter — and that meant booting head coach Sean McDermott after eight successful (until January, that is) seasons at the helm. Quarterback Josh Allen is the best the franchise has seen since Jim Kelly, but despite the unfortunate legacy comparison, at least Kelly actually saw Super Bowl action.
Buffalo is well aware that Allen's window won't be open forever, even if he has Superman-like qualities, and the team needs to make a home run hire to capitalize on his talents. So who else would they include in the decision-making process but Allen himself?
According to The Athletic's Tim Graham, Allen is being permitted to interview head coach candidates. He's more than earned his seat at the table as a four-time Pro Bowl selection and 2024 MVP. But could his input eventually backfire on the franchise and ultimately his career?
The pros of Josh Allen interviewing Bills head coach candidates
General manager Brandon Beane clearly bombed at his end-of-year press conference with owner Terry Pegula, so having Allen give input on the Bills' coaching search could give him some cover if things don't work out. But if they do, it could be the best decision the franchise has made since drafting Allen.
The Bills want to maximize their QB's championship window, and after eight years, they already know the team can be a playoff contender from Week 1 as long as No. 17 is healthy. So, at this point Allen knows what he's capable of and what kind of scheme he'd best fit into.
He can ask the right questions, run through scenarios and essentially war game with prospective coaches to see how they strategize and would deploy the Bills' best weapon. If Allen hears the right answers and (hopefully) finds a candidate that will challenge him to reach past his potential, he'll make the recommendation to Beane — who should concur.
One particular question Allen should ask is what positions the candidate feels need the most addressing on the roster. Hint: the answer should be wide receiver. Beane neglected to provide Allen with adequate weapons this year, and it ultimately cost them in the playoffs. He needs to find a coach that will put an appropriate amount of pressure on the front office to put their money where it matters most.
The cons of Josh Allen interviewing Bills head coach candidates
To the very point that Beane could receive some cover if the Bills hire a coach heavily recommended by Allen and it doesn't work out, it would be a waste of a hire if the QB's recommendation is the main criterion here.
The team can't just bring in a new coach to appease Allen, even if he interviews with the right intentions, because a coach is meant to push rather than befriend his players. Some of the candidates who have already interviewed for the Buffalo job have close ties to Allen, like former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, former backup QB Davis Webb and Philip Rivers (Allen's draft mentor).
That list alone proves the candidate pool this offseason is very weak, especially with guys like John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski already off the market. Do the Bills really want Allen weighing in so much on which guy they pick out of the bargain bin?
This is a very important decision Buffalo is going to make. Allen may have earned the privilege of having a seat at the table, but he's no Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. Even then, those future Hall of Famers weren't necessarily the wisest of individuals when it came to the business side of the game. This process will require patience, now and even after the hire is made considering there's likely to be growing pains in the first year or so.