ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Sean McDermott’s ride to Highmark Stadium is less than 15 minutes.
While short, the commute is full of things that get the Bills head coach ready for the game that is hours away.
It begins the same way it has for McDermott’s entire coaching career — as a defensive coordinator with the Eagles and Panthers, to now the Bills' main man — calling his parents.
“I’ll call them to check in before the game, and I’ll call home after the game,” McDermott said in his large truck, driving to last Saturday’s preseason game against the Bears. “My dad is an ex-football coach, and my mom is a football mom. And for my mom’s side, she wants to make sure her son’s doing well.”
Dad also offers some of that former coach wisdom, which McDermott jokes all the good coaching decisions he makes gameday are thanks to him and all the poor ones fall on the son’s shoulders.
The call lasts maybe five minutes or so.
The rest of the drive is “Sean time.”
“It’s really just me being grateful for where we live. The uniqueness of being able to leave my house and go on the interstate to go to the stadium area,” McDermott said. “I can go backroads, kind of back country roads to the stadium, and see the people that we’ll see on our way to the game.”
Unlike a lot of NFL stadiums, the surrounding area of Highmark Stadium is residential, with houses lining the streets that take you to the home of the Bills.
It is sort of a road map of red, white, and blue that guides their favorite team’s head coach to where he’ll lead their team.
“The homes on the way, the flags that are out, and usually it’s just loaded with tailgaters parking and people walking to get to the stadium or get to where they’re meeting their friends,” McDermott said. “Usually they have a couple Kool-Aids in their hands, so it makes for an awesome drive.”
The home stretch for McDermott’s game day ride is Big Tree Road. This is where the volume picks up with traffic, fans, and the playlist used to pump up the man in the truck.
“Usually I’ll listen to maybe some AC/DC coming in,” McDermott said. “Just to kind of get my mind in that space where it needs to be. It’s a physical game, and that’s just kind of how I am, to make sure my mind’s in that space. I don’t do it every day, but on gamedays.”
McDermott finally pulls into the team’s entrance at One Bills Drive and is greeted by a security guard who sends along a simple message to the head coach.
“Let’s kick some ....”
“I love it,” McDermott said with a smile.
Then it’s one final moment with Bills Mafia before they’re separated inside the stadium. A crowd of kids in the parking lot lining the barrier where McDermott and the Bills are known to drive by. While time often doesn’t allow for much of a greeting pregame, McDermott makes a point to stop and interact after for those that are still around.
The final few turns around the back portion of the practice facility and fieldhouse are where the tone changes.
“This is where I get into game mode,” McDermott said. “To be quite honest with you, when I’m in the building the couple hours before the game, you’re in game mode, so I’m not as talkative as I usually would be. That’s just kind of how I get on gameday, at least before kickoff. Everyone’s trying to do their job. You work all week to win and get the result you’re looking for, so really, just getting into your zone.”
McDermott swings into his parking spot right in front of the Bills facility with General Manager Brandon Beane pulling in two spots over at nearly the exact same time.
“Not a very long trip, but just the right amount to get myself dialed in and ready to go kick some ... here,” McDermott said.
A line certainly saved for after McDermott called his parents.