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
- 2026-07-13 — Execs, coaches, scouts rank top NFL quarterbacks for 2026 (Execs, coaches, scouts rank top NFL quarterbacks for 2026)
- 2026-06-05 — 4 Bills who are destined to become the best at their position in 2026 (4 Bills who are destined to become the best at their position in 2026)
- 2026-06-18 — 2026 NFL minicamp live updates: Last spring practices wrap up (2026 NFL minicamp live updates: Last spring practices wrap up)
- 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)
- 2026-06-14 — 3 Bills who need to stand out with strong training camp performances (3 Bills who need to stand out with strong training camp performances)
- 2026-07-15 — Bills' Keon Coleman has a message for the haters (Bills' Keon Coleman has a message for the haters)
- 2026-04-03 — 2026 fantasy football rankings: Profiling the top 45 RBs (2026 fantasy football rankings: Profiling the top 45 RBs)
- 2026-06-01 — 100 days to the 2026 NFL season: Predictions, injuries, more (100 days to the 2026 NFL season: Predictions, injuries, more)
- 2026-07-07 — Projecting the Buffalo Bills’ 53-man roster before training camp: Battles, trade... (Projecting the Buffalo Bills’ 53-man roster before training camp: Battles, trade...)
- 2026-06-23 — Everything to Know About the NFL’s 23 Joint Practices in 2026 (Everything to Know About the NFL’s 23 Joint Practices in 2026)
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