The Buffalo Bills announced on Wednesday that they've chosen Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott to be their new head coach.
McDermott had been Carolina's defensive coordinator since the beginning of head coach Ron Rivera's tenure in 2011.
"I think he's deserving, I really do," Rivera said prior to the season finale. "If you go back and look at the things he's accomplished, his resume should speak for itself."
McDermott's defense finished in the top 10 every year from 2012-15, making him the only coordinator in the NFL to field a top-10 defense each of those four seasons.
In 2016, the defense went through a significant transition in the secondary, with inexperienced players inserted into prominent roles. There were growing pains, but the unit improved as the year wore on.
In the end, the Panthers finished 21st in total defense, but second in both sacks (47) and interceptions (17).
McDermott, who was the Eagles' defensive coordinator before coming to Carolina, had long expressed his desire to be an NFL head coach, and he firmly believed he was ready for the opportunity.
He emerged as a top candidate for head coach openings as the Panthers made their run to Super Bowl 50, and now the Bills are giving him the chance he's been waiting for.
The Panthers will host the McDermott-led Bills during the 2017 regular season.
