Another shake up takes place on AFC head coaching scene

Story byPaul Bretl, Colts WireMon, January 19, 2026 at 2:51 PM UTC·1 min readAs the Indianapolis Colts look ahead to 2026, there has been another head coaching shake-up in the AFC. The Buffalo Bills have reportedly fired head coach Sean McDermott after the team's AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Denver Broncos. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDuring McDermott's nine years in Buffalo, he had eight playoff appearances, a 98-50 regular season record, and five division titles. This move by the Bills comes after Mike Tomlin stepped down in Pittsburgh and Baltimore let go of John Harbaugh. The Steelers and Ravens have been perennial playoff teams and two of the most stable organizations in the NFL. In total, 10 teams made head coaching changes this offseason. The Colts, however, will be running things back with GM Chris Ballard for a 10th season. In Ballard's nine seasons at the helm, the Colts have two playoff appearances -- including none since 2020 -- one playoff win, and no division titles. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe success that the Colts had in the first half of the 2025 season is a big reason why Ballard is returning.