Bills Owner Terry Pegula "issued a statement Wednesday that, in so many words, said Doug Whaley will remain as general manager and Rex Ryan will stay on as head coach beyond Sunday’s season-ending game" against the Jets, according to Vic Carucci of the BUFFALO NEWS. The statement said Pegula, his wife, Kim, and Bill President Russ Brandon "look forward to working and collaborating with Doug Whaley and Rex Ryan in forming a winning future for the organization. Our management team and coaching staff are very capable and work well together. This stable foundation is necessary to achieve long-term success in the NFL.” The statement "made no specific references to a timetable." However, a source said, “Doug and Rex are solid" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/31). In Rochester, Sal Maiorana notes the news of Chip Kelly's firing in Philadelphia reverberated around the NFL Tuesday night and into Wednesday, and in the "interestingly timed statement," Pegula -- who has not been heard from since the regular season began -- seemed "to indicate an outside 'czar' or 'consultant' will not be brought in." Wednesday's statement "shows that Pegula prefers the delineation of the coach being the coach, and the general manager handling personnel" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 12/31). In Buffalo, Jerry Sullivan writes, "I believe Pegula would have fired Ryan if his team lost the last two games in embarrassing fashion." Whaley is "still on thin ice; his contention that he and Ryan are on good terms is laughable." A source said that if the Bills have another disappointing season in '16, Pegula "will blow the football department sky-high -- as he did, much too late, with the Sabres" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/31). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote Pegula is "right about the importance of stability." He is "possibly not right about Whaley and Ryan working well together." They will "truly work well together if Pegula’s public message was accompanied with a private message informing them that, if one is ever fired, both will be fired" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 12/30).
