Recent NFL head-coaching buzz for key Bills coordinator could spell bad news for long-term success
As the NFL season continues to draw on, many organizations are realizing that they'll be looking for a chance at head coach next season. Multiple jobs have come available, and several others are expected to be vacant at the end of the year. With that, eyes are starting to turn to coordinators around the league that […]
As the NFL season continues to draw on, many organizations are realizing that they'll be looking for a chance at head coach next season. Multiple jobs have come available, and several others are expected to be vacant at the end of the year.
With that, eyes are starting to turn to coordinators around the league that might be primed to make the jump to the head coaching position. Unfortunately for the Buffalo Bills, offensive coordinator Joe Brady is getting some of that attention. Here's what NFL Network's Tom Pelissero wrote in an article about young coordinators that could be on the head coaching radar:
"Still one of the NFL's youngest coordinators, Brady first appeared on this list in 2020, after he'd parlayed a national title run with the Joe Burrow-led LSU Tigers into the Panthers' offensive coordinator job. In January of 2021, he got five head-coaching interviews (with the Chargers, Eagles, Falcons, Jets and Texans.) Things went south in Carolina; Matt Rhule made a surprise decision to fire Brady in December 2021 (with Rhule himself getting fired less than a year later). But Brady is a bright offensive mind who has made the most of a second NFL play-calling opportunity in Buffalo, starting on an interim basis last fall. Despite trading away receiver Stefon Diggs and going young at the skill spots, Buffalo ranks third in the NFL in scoring at 29.1 points per game. The Falcons interviewed Brady again this past January for their head-coaching job.
Brady's offense has been effectively putting defenses in blenders, including creating plenty of open looks for quarterback Josh Allen against the previously-undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
Losing Brady to a head coaching opportunity would be a potentially big blow to an emerging offense full of young playmakers like James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, and Keon Coleman, that are continuing to grow and build in the league. Having to start over with a new scheme would potentially handicap the growth of this unit over the next couple seasons.
Buffalo has to be hoping that Brady would take ea similar path to that of Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. It was universally anticipated last off-season that Johnson would be gone for greener pastures, but he elected to return to Detroit to continue to march towards their shared ambition. Brady, hopefully, has a similar heart for Buffalo. It will be a big topic of conversation this off-season.
Follow along all year for more Buffalo Bills coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on Bluesky @jonhelmkamp.bsky.social, and make sure to follow our main page @AtoZSports.bsky.social for all the latest news.
