 Nicknamed 'Big Mac', McDermott was a Great Britain international forward who played his entire career at club level for Bradford Bulls, winning Super League Grand Finals and Challenge Cups with them.He began his coaching career in 2003 as an assistant at Huddersfield Giants, taking his first senior coaching role with in 2006, before joining Leeds as head coach in 2010.McDermott coached Leeds to several major trophies including the 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2017 Super League titles, the 2012 World Club Challenge, and the 2014 and 2015 Challenge Cups.