Bills appoint Joe Brady as their new head coach

Joe Brady Elevated to Head Coach for Buffalo Bills

Joe Brady is stepping up to guide Josh Allen in pursuit of his first Super Bowl appearance in the NFL. Reports indicate that the Bills’ offensive coordinator will take over as head coach, following the dismissal of Sean McDermott.

The 36-year-old Brady has been with the Bills for the last two years, starting as the quarterbacks coach before moving into the offensive coordinator role in the 2023 season. He’s previously interviewed for other head coaching positions.

Prior to his time in Buffalo, he held the offensive coordinator position with the Panthers for two seasons.

McDermott, who was the second-longest-serving coach in Bills history after Hall of Famer Marv Levy, was let go just two days after a playoff loss to the top-seeded Denver team. Bills owner Terry Pegula clarified later that Allen had “no input” in the decision to fire McDermott.

Pegula emphasized that the choice to change coaches stemmed from the disappointing playoff outcomes, rather than any officiating issues. “It felt like we were hitting the playoff wall year after year,” he remarked. “So the feeling in the locker room was, where are we going to go from here with what we have? That was the basis of my decision.”

After McDermott’s exit, general manager Brandon Beane was elevated to team president and has been leading the search for a new coach.

Under McDermott’s leadership, the Bills amassed the second-most regular season wins (98-50) among NFL teams since 2017, making eight playoff appearances and reaching the AFC Championship Game twice. However, they haven’t made it to a Super Bowl since the early ’90s.

A number of candidates were also interviewed for the position, including Philip Rivers, former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, and Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. It seems Allen was actively involved in the search process, even participating in the interviews.

Despite finishing second in the AFC East this season, the Bills were thought to have a solid shot at the Super Bowl, especially given the injuries to Patrick Mahomes and others. Key competitors like Lamar Jackson’s Ravens and Joe Burrow’s Bengals also missed the playoffs.

In the aftermath of the season, Allen expressed his frustration during a press conference, visibly emotional after a 33-30 loss to Denver in which he contributed to four of Buffalo’s five turnovers. Despite his personal achievements—throwing for 283 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 66 yards—he clearly felt the weight of the loss on his shoulders.