The Buffalo Bills, Sean McDermott and a Familiar Corporate Pattern

What happened to Sean McDermott is unlikely to surprise anyone who has worked within a corporate structure.

In practice, McDermott functioned as a middle manager. He inherited a chronically underperforming operation with a loyal customer base, stabilized performance, and delivered consistent, measurable improvement. He did so while operating within constraints set by senior leadership—constraints involving hiring, resource allocation, and long-term strategic decisions.

Those upstream decisions were well documented and frequently criticized. Yet when results plateaued short of ownership’s aspirational goals, the response followed a familiar pattern: remove the middle manager rather than confront senior leadership.

This is common in mature organizations.

Middle managers are held accountable for outcomes but rarely empowered to control inputs. When boards or owners seek decisive action, replacing middle management is faster, less disruptive, and preserves alignment at the executive level.

McDermott will likely succeed elsewhere—this time with greater operational authority or as a subordinate with clear, compartmentalized responsibilities. The organization will replace him with either a proven leader who negotiates control or a less established candidate willing to accept existing constraints.

Ownership optimizes for predictable returns. Senior leadership protects that mandate. Middle management absorbs the risk.

Many Bill’s fans and NFL observers see this as shocking. For those with corporate experience, it is entirely recognizable and not unusual. It is systemic.

Organizations often assign accountability downward while retaining authority upward. This imbalance creates predictable outcomes: when progress slows or ceilings are reached, middle management absorbs the consequences.

For real success accountability must match authority. Leaders responsible for outcomes need control over inputs—talent, budget, and strategy.

It should be clear to any consumer that hasn’t crossed the line from fan to cultist that organizations reveal priorities through decisions. When margins and predictability outweigh product excellence, leadership choices will reflect that reality.

For those outside of the fan base I have a question: in your experience, how often do organizations truly align accountability with authority—and what have you seen happen when they don’t?