NFL teams
Mike Rodak, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Former GM Doug Whaley predicts bright future for Bills

NFL, Buffalo Bills

Former Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley publicly addressed his firing last month for the first time Monday, taking responsibility for his team's performance while praising owners Terry and Kim Pegula.

"Great owners. Great people and great owners," Whaley said during an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I think it just comes down to, like I said as soon as I got here, it's a production-based business. We did not produce well enough when I was head of the football operation department. I take full responsibility for that. I don't blame anybody but myself. I wish the Pegulas and the Buffalo Bills all the luck in the world. I don't look at anybody else in the mirror except myself in the mirror for not being the head of that organization today."

The Bills fired Whaley on April 30, one day after the 2017 draft ended. Whaley, who oversaw a 30-34 record in four seasons as Buffalo's general manager, had been tasked by the Pegulas with leading the team's head-coaching search after firing Rex Ryan in December. That search led the Pegulas to Sean McDermott, who worked alongside Whaley for almost four months until his firing.

"It wasn't uncomfortable at all," Whaley said of working with McDermott. "We worked well together. It was a great working relationship, not only with the coaching staff but with the Pegulas and our personnel department.

"[McDermott] is methodical. The one thing that impressed us throughout the interview process was how detailed he is and how methodical he is in his approach to everything he does. The one thing I feel very confident is that the Buffalo Bills, he will have them in position to win a lot of games. They won't be beating themselves. He will have them prepared as well as any coach in the NFL. The game won't be determined on them beating themselves, because he will have them prepared."

Terry Pegula said after firing Whaley that his former general manager "put the whole [draft] together" and that the selection process "was a collaborative effort" between Whaley and McDermott. During the first round of the draft, the Bills traded down from the No. 10 overall pick to No. 27, while acquiring the Kansas City Chiefs' first-round pick in 2018.

"I think what came together during draft day was a testament to how well we worked together in that short period of time," Whaley said Monday. "Not only did we fill needs with guys at the right value, with [first-round pick] Tre'Davious White as a corner since we lost Stephon Gilmore, with [second-round pick] Zay Jones at receiver since we lost two receivers and we didn't have a No. 2.

"To be able to move around, fill those needs and not overpay, I think again is a testament to all of us being on the same page, and then setting the Bills up in the future by having two first-round picks next year. Obviously we gave up one to go up and get Sammy [Watkins in 2014], but I have to say as a parting gift, we left them with two going into next year."

Whaley said he has used the weeks since his firing to "reconnect" with his family and that he does "not have anything in mind" for his next job. Whaley, a former stock broker, added that he would be open to working outside of football.

If Whaley is tasked with assembling an NFL roster in the future, he would place a heavier emphasis on finding a franchise quarterback while still finding talent at other positions.

"If I get a shot again, I'm going to try to map out a road map to accomplish both at the same time, but try to get that franchise quarterback as quickly as possible," he said. "Because as they say, when you have that guy under center, you only need one guy that's on every day. But if you don't have that guy under center, then you need 45 guys that are on every single game."

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