Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott sent his team back to the AFC title game for the first time in four years, then delivered a message to the NFL world about the city of Buffalo.
The Bills held on to beat the Baltimore Ravens27-25 on Sunday, earning a trip to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Speaking to reporters after the game, McDermott took the opportunity to respond to a reporter’s now-viral criticism of the city.
Sean McDermott Sees ‘City of Winners’
Earlier this week, Baltimore radio personality Jerry Coleman revived a comment he made years ago calling Buffalo a “City of Losers.” Coleman brought up the criticism to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who avoided the topic and the chance of giving the Bills some bulletin board material for Sunday’s game.
But McDermott was asked about the “City of Losers” comment after the game and made it clear that he sees only winners in Buffalo.
Now it’s a city of winners,” McDermott said. “It really is. These people and this town are winners. I’ve been here just eight years but I consider this my hometown. This place is different, the people here are different and they deserve more than whoever said that about him.”
Bills Responded to Criticism
McDermott was not the only member of the Bills looking back on past criticisms after the win over the Ravens. Quarterback Josh Allen said after the game that the team was well aware of the doubt the team faced against quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry.
For the first time in franchise history, the Bills were underdogs at home in the playoffs. Allen also lost his status as MVP frontrunner when Jackson was named to The Associated Press’s All-Pro first team.