The Buffalo Bills have made a change to their coaching staff, parting ways with special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley just weeks after head coach Sean McDermott expressed support for him.
On February 9, ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg reported that Smiley was let go following a season that saw the Bills struggle with special teams, including key mistakes and a slow start from veteran kicker Tyler Bass.
Getzenberg noted that the Bills decided to fire Smiley after the season ended, despite McDermott previously stating that Smiley would return for the 2025 season. Smiley had been with the team since 2017 when McDermott was hired, spending eight years in Buffalo—five as the assistant special teams coach and three as the coordinator.
The Bills had aimed for coaching continuity for 2025, with offensive coordinator Joe Brady withdrawing from consideration for the New Orleans Saints head coaching role, and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich returning for his second season after being appointed in January 2024.
Although it appeared Smiley was safe, McDermott had backed him just days after the team’s AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, saying Smiley had done a good job despite some mistakes. McDermott acknowledged the coach was not satisfied with certain plays, but viewed them as learning opportunities.
Special teams struggles were evident during the season and playoffs, with notable blunders such as a fake punt conversion allowed to the Denver Broncos in the wild-card round and a costly 41-yard punt return to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, which set up a short field for a Kansas City touchdown. Earlier in the regular season, the Bills also had a series of missteps, including sending only 10 players onto the field for a critical punt and allowing a blocked punt returned for a touchdown.
After the season, McDermott explained that injuries, particularly on defense, impacted special teams performance, as players from the special teams unit were moved into defensive roles, leaving fewer options for effective special teams play.
