Silence speaks louder than words. After deciding to let head coach Sean McDermott go, Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula appeared in a 53-minute press conference on Wednesday, where he tiptoed around Josh Allen’s stance on the firing decision. The star quarterback stayed quiet as well, offering no public reaction. But now, insider Jay Skurski has an update.

“A source close to Josh Allen tells me he’s appreciative of his 8 years with Sean McDermott,” Skurski posted an update on X. “Allen, I’m told, has faith in the leadership of the team under Terry Pegula and Brandon Beane, and will take an active role in participating in the upcoming head coaching interviews.”

While Allen has much to thank McDermott for, he also had a lot to do with the firing decision. And it all came down to the Bills’ ultimate heartbreak this season: The divisional playoff loss to the Broncos, leading Pegula to have some humbling realizations.

“My decision to bring in a new coach was based on the results of our game in Denver,” Pegula said on Wednesday. “I want to take you in the locker room after that game. I looked around, the first thing I noticed was our quarterback with his head down, crying. I looked at all the other players. I looked at their faces and our coaches. I walked over to Josh, he didn’t even acknowledge I was there.”

“He sat there sobbing. He was listless. He had given everything he had to try to win that game. And looking around, so did all the other players on the team. I saw the pain in Josh’s face at his presser, and I felt his pain. I know we can do better, and I know we will get better.”

Allen never went forward and said he wanted McDermott gone. But for Pegula, the heaviness spoke for itself.

The quarterback was in tears during the post-game press conference, too. He had committed four of Buffalo’s five giveaways, and the controversial jump-ball interception sealed their fate. Pegula did not like what he saw, and it didn’t take him much time to decide he wanted things to change.

“I did not fire the coach based on a bad officiating decision,” Pegula said. “If I can take you into that locker room, I felt like we hit the proverbial playoff wall year after year. 13 seconds, missed field goal, the catch. So, I just sensed in that locker room, like, ‘Where do we go from here with what we have?’ And that was the basis for my decision.”

Dermott was in charge of Buffalo for nine seasons, essentially a decade. The Bills missed the playoffs just once in that stretch. He helped shape Allen from a raw prospect into one of the league’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks. In Buffalo, though, success has a ceiling. And that ceiling is a Super Bowl. Anything short of that is considered a failure, especially when they have a quarterback like Allen. That’s where the hard part comes. The franchise has to get the next head coach right.

And while Buffalo may have arrived in the coaching market later than most, there are some credible names on the board.

The Bills have a long list of candidates

If Allen truly has a voice in this process, there is one thing that feels fairly clear: The next coach is likely going to lean toward offense.

The first interview went to an in-house option, offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Wednesday afternoon, and for good reason. The 36-year-old helped the team finish in the top 10 in yards and scoring the last two seasons. Brady was also instrumental in helping Allen win his sole MVP award in 2024.

Then, former Giants head coach Brian Daboll was also linked to the opening almost immediately after McDermott was let go. Daboll spent four seasons in Buffalo as offensive coordinator from 2018 through 2021. He knows the building, and he knows the roster. Most importantly, he knows Allen, having played a major role in his early development.

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Additionally, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski is also in the mix, having transformed his team from a 4-13 to a 13-4 team in just one season. He also played a major role in Trevor Lawrence’s and the offense’s growth, pushing them to average almost 33 points per game during their eight-game winning streak in the second half of the season.

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Washington Commanders run game coordinator and running backs coach Anthony Lynn is also in the mix.

That said, Allen turns 30 this year, and the window is closing. His fans want to see him walk away with a Super Bowl win. No wonder he will have a say in who takes over the reins in Buffalo next.

As of now, it is not known when the Bills fans will next hear from Allen. However, insider Matt Parrino mentioned on Wednesday that the signal-caller will probably hold a press conference after the new Bills coach is hired.

In that case, Allen will likely need some talking points ready because the media would want to know his thoughts about the team sacking McDermott.