The Buffalo Bills fired special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley, NFL Network reported on Sunday.
Smiley, 46, had been with the Bills since 2017, spanning the entirety of Sean McDermott’s head coaching tenure with the team.
Smiley started off as an assistant special teams coordinator, He held that role through the 2021 season before being promoted to special teams coordinator.
The reported move comes on the heels of McDermott expressing support of Smiley during his end-of-season news conference.
“Matthew has done a nice job,” McDermott said at the time. “Listen, I know there are plays that have come up and I know he doesn’t feel great about them, nor do I. Those are learning pieces for a coach in his position. … When you get some injuries like we had in particular on the defensive side unfortunately … usually, the special teams coaches feel the cumulative effect because the special teams players get slid up into defensive roles and then (the coaches) are left with what’s left in terms of, ‘How can I formulate a group to go out there and play effectively?’
“All that being said, I’m confident that coach Smiley is going to learn from those situations and plays that came up this year.”
