Episode 247 opens with Brad Riter reacting — with a full night’s worth of perspective — to the shock firing of Bills head coach Sean McDermott. Drawing on nearly 30 years in Buffalo radio, Riter explains why this moment felt fundamentally different from every coaching change he’s lived through since 1997. Unlike past firings driven by obvious failure or fan revolt, McDermott’s exit followed sustained success: playoff appearances, division titles, and restored organizational credibility. That lack of a universal “this guy has to go” sentiment is what made the decision so jarring, prompting Riter to walk listeners through the entire modern history of Bills head coaches to underscore just how unprecedented this move truly was.
The episode then expands into a wide-ranging, free-flowing conversation with longtime broadcaster Paul Peck, touching on the power dynamics behind the decision, the implications of Brandon Beane’s promotion, and the mounting pressure to maximize Josh Allen’s remaining prime years. Riter and Peck debate whether a new coach represents smart evolution or unnecessary risk, explore what kind of leadership profile makes sense next, and wrestle with the uncomfortable truth that sustained contention can still feel like failure without a Super Bowl. Along the way, the show drifts — as only Riter Radio can — into media pizza-day lore, UB basketball, gambling scandals, broadcast quirks, and why change, even when defensible, can still feel deeply unsettling in a city that finally had something stable to hold onto.
