The Buffalo Bills have decided to terminate the contract of special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley, as confirmed by a source with direct knowledge of the situation on Sunday. This decision comes soon after coach Sean McDermott expressed his backing for Smiley, despite the coordinator’s performance raising some concerns.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous due to the Bills not publicly announcing the firing, indicated that NFL Network was the first to report this development. Smiley’s tenure as coordinator had come under scrutiny during his third season due to a series of mistakes on special teams.
Notably, opponents were able to convert first downs on fake punts on two separate occasions, including during the Bills’ 31-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the wild-card playoffs last month. This occurrence persisted despite a prior warning from McDermott to Smiley, cautioning him to be vigilant against such strategies after New England successfully executed a fake punt in a recent game in which the Bills narrowly won 24-21.
Additionally, the special teams unit allowed two touchdown returns during a critical 44-42 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams on December 8, with one of those scores resulting from a blocked punt. This particular loss was marked by Buffalo’s inability to effectively execute a punt block at the closing moments of the game, exacerbating their misfortunes amidst a nine-player formation.
Despite these setbacks, McDermott had staunchly defended Smiley during his year-end press conference on January 30. When asked about his confidence in retaining Smiley, McDermott affirmed it by saying, “yes,” while also praising Smiley for his overall efforts.
McDermott acknowledged the difficulties faced by the special teams unit, particularly given injuries that had impacted the group throughout the season. He emphasized the importance of learning from the experience. “I know there are plays that have come up that he doesn’t feel great about, nor do I,” McDermott commented, pointing out the valuable lessons that come from these scenarios.
Matthew Smiley had been part of the Buffalo Bills organization for eight years and ascended to the role of special teams coordinator following the exit of Heath Farwell after the 2021 season. Farwell’s departure stemmed from the fallout of a 42-36 overtime defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs, where critics also highlighted special teams’ role in the game, particularly concerning the handling of a kickoff strategy with only 13 seconds remaining in regulation time.
