Head Coach Sean McDermott Shares a Moment That Moved All of Buffalo: “The Fire in Buffalo Is Still Burning”

Buffalo, New York – November, 2025

After the bitter defeat to the Miami Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills training center on Monday morning was enveloped in a rare subdued atmosphere. No more laughter, no more familiar bustling sounds, only the replay sounds of the mistaken plays, of the missed opportunities. Every player, every coach had to face the reality – the team had lost, and there was no reason that could justify that.

The meeting lasted for hours, where Head Coach Sean McDermott together with the whole team dissected every situation. There were nods, there were looks bowed down, but not a single word of excuse was uttered. When the meeting ended, McDermott allowed the whole team to go rest, recover physically and mentally. Everyone quietly left the room, only wanting to temporarily forget that forgettable game.

But when the sun had set behind Orchard Park field, there was still one person who had not left. Josh Allen – the leader, the one carrying on his shoulders the entire faith of Buffalo – still stayed, alone in the dim light of the training room. No music, no teammates, only the sound of the ball hitting the hand, the heavy breathing of a man questioning himself. He reviewed every missed throw, every wrong decision, then stood up again, adjusted his stance, threw one more time.

Allen did not do that to be noticed by anyone. He simply could not bear the feeling of failure – could not be at peace knowing he could do better. For him, leadership did not lie in words, but in actions – in continuing to fight, even when no one was watching.

Head Coach Sean McDermott recounted that he left the training center very late, after staying to study tactics more. And when passing by the gym, he unexpectedly saw that scene: “When I saw him still there, practicing in silence in the late night, I knew that this team still had hope. He is the spirit of the team – the fire is still burning, no matter how dark the night is.” – He recounted in the press conference the next morning, his voice full of emotion.

And in that cold night in Buffalo, the training field lights were still on – illuminating the figure of Josh Allen, who kept throwing, kept believing. That was not just practice. That was a silent commitment to an entire city: Buffalo will rise again, because that fire – has never gone out.