Buffalo fans didn't have the best weekend. On Saturday, the Bills lost 33-30 to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round to get eliminated from the playoffs. This loss really stung, considering this was the Bills' easiest path to the Super Bowl, and they fell short once again. Bills fans can take solace that the Sabres are actually playing well this season and are currently in playoff position. Just trying to lessen the pain.
After this elimination, the Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott on Monday, meaning that the team will have to search for a new head coach for the first time in nine years. The Bills should be an attractive destination, because of superstar quarterback Josh Allen. But given the head coaches currently off the board, can the Bills make the right decision?
Detroit Red Wings winger Patrick Kane, a Buffalo native, gave his endorsement for the next Bills head coach. That person is former Bills offensive coordinator and New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll. Kane said "Let's bring him home!"
This comes after a report from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter that the Bills requested to interview with Daboll.
Let’s go bring him home! https://t.co/5aPdpcuF9D
— Patrick Kane (@88PKane) January 21, 2026
Buffalo-born NHL star Patrick Kane endorses Brian Daboll as next Bills head coach
Kane probably speaks for some Bills fans who want to bring back Daboll, who played a significant role in developing Allen into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He served as offensive coordinator for the Bills from 2018 until 2021. Daboll's name popped up as a potential McDermott replacement due in part to his working relationship with Allen.
That's all well and good. But let's not forget that Daboll was fired by the Giants after a lackluster four years as head coach.
The Giants hired Daboll in 2022, when he was one of the top coaching candidates in the cycle. The fit made sense, since the team hired former Bills assistant general manager Joe Schoen to run the front office. Daboll looked like the next great head coach in the NFL, as he helped lead the Giants to a Wild Card berth with a 9-7-1 record and a playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings in the first round, earning him the Coach of the Year Award. Yet it all went downhill. Over the next three seasons, the Giants went 11-33 before his firing midway this season after a Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears. The Giants recently replaced Daboll with former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
The Bills could very well lean to familiarity for their next coach. They recently interviewed their offensive coordinator Joe Brady for the gig. Not to mention, former Bills quarterback and current Denver Broncos QB coach Davis Webb has also been linked to the job opening. Could they go for an outside the box hire? That's certainly possible, but let's not forget that they are still early in this process.
Kane has his preference, and he wants the next head coach to be Daboll. How crazy would it be if Daboll got the Bills job, an upgrade after flunking out as Giants head coach?