ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - A person with direct knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press the Buffalo Bills have reached an agreement to hire Sean McDermott to be their next head coach.
The person spoke to The AP on the condition of anonymity because the Bills have not announced the decision.
The deal was reached Wednesday, shortly after the Bills interviewed McDermott for a second time in eight days. The 42-year-old has no previous head-coaching experience and spent past six seasons working as the Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator.
McDermott replaces Rex Ryan, who was fired two weeks ago. He becomes the team's ninth head coach since 1999, when Buffalo last made the playoffs under Wade Phillips. The Bills went 7-9 this past season, extending the NFL's longest active playoff drought to 17 years.
