The Buffalo Bills have chosen to promote Joe Brady, their offensive coordinator, to the position of head coach, maintaining continuity for the team led by quarterback Josh Allen. Brady, 36, signed a five-year contract after completing his fourth season with the Bills and second season as offensive coordinator. He assumed the role after Ken Dorsey was dismissed midway through the 2023 season. Brady, who previously worked with the New Orleans Saints and LSU, has no prior experience as a head coach in the NFL.
Brady’s appointment follows the departure of Sean McDermott, who was fired after nine years with the team. Being an emerging coaching prospect, Brady most recently served as the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers before his dismissal in the 2021 season. He shares a collegiate background with McDermott, having played and coached at William & Mary.
Having interviewed for the Bills job early in the search process, Brady eventually secured the position after meeting with multiple NFL teams. Under his guidance, the Bills’ offense adopted a more balanced strategy, which led to success in the regular season. The team finished fourth in total yards and scoring this season, with standout performances from players like Josh Allen and James Cook.
Brady’s primary task now is to guide the Bills to further success in the playoffs, a challenge that has eluded the team in recent years. Despite consistently strong regular-season performances and playoff appearances, Buffalo has fallen short of reaching the Super Bowl. The team’s ownership made the coaching change in hopes of overcoming this postseason hurdle.
In a similar move, the Pittsburgh Steelers have appointed Mike McCarthy as their new head coach. A Pittsburgh native, McCarthy brings a wealth of coaching experience from his tenure with Green Bay and Dallas in the NFL. He replaces the long-serving Mike Tomlin and aims to lead the Steelers to playoff success after a period of stagnation.