Sean McDermott’s short, but successful stint as an NFL head coach has been defined by his commitment to culture.
It’s a team-building philosophy he inherited from Ron Rivera, a mentor he’s worked alongside for 11 out of his 20 years in the world of professional football.
From their time as position coaches in Philadelphia to McDermott’s six-year stint as Rivera’s defensive coordinator in Carolina, the former has always looked at the latter as a source of inspiration, “a great resource” who helped him prepare for his first head coaching gig.
With a coaching style very similar to that of ‘Riverboat Ron,’ McDermott has changed the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills, turning the perennial disappointment into a competitive team with an incredibly bright future in less than three years time.
In Carolina, Rivera’s Panthers have suffered an opposite fate.
They’ve made the playoffs just once since winning the NFC Championship in 2015. Following a 5-7 start to the 2019 season, Carolina decided to part ways with Rivera, ending the franchise’s longest-tenured head coach’s stint at nine years.
An empathetic McDermott reflected on his time with Rivera while speaking to reporters Wednesday morning.
“Unfortunate to see. I learned a lot from Coach Rivera; leadership wise, football-wise, off the field wise,” McDermott said. “He did a lot of good things, I thought, in Carolina, some of which I was there for and had a front-row seat to experience. Went to a Super Bowl, [won] multiple division titles there in the NFC South, which was not an easy division by any means, a lot of good quarterbacks in that division.
“I thought Ron really did a fine job, and I mean that with the highest praise possible when I say ‘fine.’ He did a heck of a job, I thought.”
National analysts have taken notice of the family-like culture that McDermott has instilled at One Bills Drive throughout the past number of years. That much talked about culture is something that the Buffalo sideline boss took from Rivera, with the latter’s people-first attitude directly influencing McDermott.
“I thought one of the best things that Coach Rivera did was, he was always out amongst the people,” McDermott said. “He did not lead as much from behind the desk as he did from out in front.
“He’s a people person, and when you talk about leadership, it really comes down to relationships and people. I thought Ron did a fantastic job with that.
Though disappointed to see Rivera’s time in Carolina come to an end, McDermott is confident that his former colleague will land on his feet.
“Sorry to see that happen, but I know God has a plan for him,” McDermott said. “He’s going to be just fine.”
[lawrence-related id=50249,50219,50201]