Joe Brady
Buffalo Bills Head Coach.
Quick Facts
- Role: Head Coach
- Team: Buffalo Bills (BUF)
- Current holder: Joe Brady (age 36; promoted from OC after Sean McDermott was fired)
- Coaching tree: see Coaching Trees
Background
Was already Buffalo's offensive coordinator and play-caller. Promoted to HC in 2026 after the team fired Sean McDermott (nine seasons) following the divisional-round playoff loss. Pete Carmichael Jr. (from Denver) is the new offensive coordinator. Jim Leonhard came over from Denver as defensive coordinator.
Scheme and Tendencies
Status quo on offense (he was already calling plays) — Josh Allen-led, top-of-league passing attack. Defense should change under Leonhard. Bills used six of 10 draft picks on defense, including DT T.J. Sanders and CB Davison Igbinosun in the second round, plus signed Bradley Chubb. Coaching philosophy emphasizes showing standards rather than just telling them, building relationships beyond football, fostering accountability, and deliberately "flooding" players with information to identify who can handle complexity. Brady is comfortable challenging Allen and expects Allen to hold him accountable in return (per Pollock: Brady gets first taste as Buffalo Bills head coach during OTAs).
Recent News
- 2026-05-01 — Bills built cornerback depth in the draft after learning a hard lesson (Bills built cornerback depth in the draft after learning a hard lesson)
- 2026-06-01 — 100 days to the 2026 NFL season: Predictions, injuries, more (100 days to the 2026 NFL season: Predictions, injuries, more)
- 2026-07-02 — Buffalo Bills 2026 training camp position battle primer: QB, RB, OL (Buffalo Bills 2026 training camp position battle primer: QB, RB, OL)
- 2026-06-22 — 2026 NFL training camp report dates, joint practices, top storyline for all 32 teams (2026 NFL training camp report dates, joint practices, top storyline for all 32 teams)
- 2026-07-13 — Josh Allen earns honor Patrick Mahomes held for years (Josh Allen earns honor Patrick Mahomes held for years)
- 2026-05-16 — Buffalo Bills' special teams battle is Tommy Doman's to lose (Buffalo Bills' special teams battle is Tommy Doman's to lose)
- 2026-07-08 — Bills' Rookie Skyler Bell Named Likely Training Camp Standout (Bills' Rookie Skyler Bell Named Likely Training Camp Standout)
- 2026-07-13 — Execs, coaches, scouts rank top NFL quarterbacks for 2026 (Execs, coaches, scouts rank top NFL quarterbacks for 2026)
- 2026-05-12 — What we learned from every NFL team during 2026 rookie minicamp debuts (What we learned from every NFL team during 2026 rookie minicamp debuts)
- 2026-07-06 — Ranking 2026 NFL rosters: Best projected starting lineups (Ranking 2026 NFL rosters: Best projected starting lineups)
Sources
- FOX Sports 10 new coordinators who could shape 2026
- NFL 2026 head coach cycle leaned offense (10 hires, NYT)
- Fantasy Alarm 2026 NFL head coach and coordinator tracker