Bills’ Joe Brady reunites with an old friend to fill a major position of need just days after accepting head coaching position
Welcome to Buffalo, Pete Carmichael Jr.
The Buffalo Bills have the monumental task ahead of filling in the coaching staff after announcing former offensive coordinator Joe Brady has become the head coach. Brady’s first official move came and went, with the team hiring former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Pat Meyer as the team’s new offensive line coach after Aaron Kromer retired after the loss against the Broncos.
Well, another domino has fallen, and the Bills have reunited Joe Brady with an old friend for the offensive coordinator position. Adam Schefter broke the news that former senior offensive assistant coach for the Denver Broncos, Pete Carmichael Jr., will be joining the Bills as their next offensive coordinator. A huge win for Buffalo and Brady in his first few moves as head coach.
Brady has already announced he would be calling the plays from the sideline, so Carmichael won’t be responsible for that aspect of running the offense. They spent two years together on the New Orleans Saints.
Pete Carmichael’s coaching career
Carmichael began his career with the Cleveland Browns as their tight ends coach in 200. He then spent a year in Washington as an offensive assistant before jumping to the San Diego Chargers from 2002 to 2005, serving as the assistant wide receivers coach.
That’s when his jump over to the Sean Payton tree began. In 2006, he joined Payton in New Orleans as the quarterbacks coach before adding the passing game coordinator title in 2007.
He was named the offensive coordinator in 2008, where he served in that position until 2023. Once he was let go by the organization, he followed Payton with the Denver Broncos as the team’s senior offensive assistant. As Buffalo Rumblings reported, Carmichael’s offenses ranked No. 1 in yards in his first six seasons with the Saints, and in the top nine every year he was a coordinator — not a bad hire at all.
Joe Brady had nothing but praise for Sean Payton and his coaching tree
During his introductory press conference on Thursday, Brady discussed being a part of the Sean Payton coaching tree several times. Perhaps a precursor to the move that came on Friday. In 2017 and 208, Brady was an offensive assistant under Payton and Carmichael.
“I got a master’s degree at Penn State, but I got a doctorate in New Orleans,” Brady said.
Brady went through the long list of decorated coaches that he’s worked with over the years, once again mentioning Payton by name.
“I’ve been fortunate to be around a lot of incredible coaches in my career; I’m not up there without them. I played for coach Jimmye Laycock, I coached linebackers for Jimmye Laycock,” Brady said. “I was GA for James Franklin, got an opportunity to be a coaching assistant with Sean Payton, an opportunity to call plays with Ed Oregeon, Matt Rhule, and coach quarterbacks and call plays for Sean McDermott.”
For Brady, this hire feels intentional, not accidental. He said that he wasn’t going to surround himself with friends, but experience, and that’s exactly what this move is. He’s surrounding himself with voices he trusts, coaches who’ve been in the room for elite offenses and know what it takes to sustain success at the highest level in this league.
Carmichael brings experience, continuity, and a proven resume. For a first-time head coach, that kind of support matters greatly.
If this is any indication of how Brady plans to build out his staff, the foundation of the next era in Buffalo is already taking shape and looking darn good.
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