Why Are the Buffalo Bills Promoting Joe Brady to Head Coach?

The Buffalo Bills will lean into continuity while also in need of a spark after promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach less than two weeks after they fired Sean McDermott.

The Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins interviewed Brady for their head-coaching vacancies. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 36-year-old wrapped up a second interview with the Raiders on Monday.  

In the end, the Bills kept their offensive play-caller who led a top-six scoring unit for two-and-a-half seasons, but there are more plausible reasons why they decided to promote from within than hire an outsider.

Let's start with the obvious connection to Josh Allen.

Allen's Connection with Brady Holds Weight

The Athletic's Tim Graham reported that Allen participated in the hiring process and also offered a theory as to why general manager Brandon Beane would allow it.

"The Bills are giving Allen agency by letting him help interview candidates to replace Sean McDermott," Graham wrote.

"Involving the franchise quarterback also provides football boss Brandon Beane some cover. Allen's stamp of approval diffuses potential blame if the new coach doesn't work out."

AP Photo/Bart Young

Allen has a longstanding working relationship with his new head coach, dating back to 2022, when Buffalo hired Brady as its quarterbacks coach. The following year, the Bills promoted him to interim offensive coordinator after firing Ken Dorsey.

Brady made a turnover-prone offense more efficient. In 2023, Allen threw 18 interceptions. Over the last two years, he's thrown 16, cutting down on boneheaded mistakes for the most part until his four-turnover performance in a divisional-round loss to the Denver Broncos.

Regardless of how much Allen influenced the hiring process, Buffalo probably didn't want its superstar quarterback to learn a new offense after excelling in the same system for years. Brady helped elevate Allen to an MVP level of play, and we should expect more of the same going forward.

Bills Preferred Retaining a High-Level Offense Over the Unknown

In addition to Brady's connection with Allen, the Bills know they can outscore any team in the league with his system. Even when Allen isn't wearing a Superman cape, throwing for 300-plus yards and running over defenders, James Cook has become a premier workhorse running back.

In 2024, Cook tied Derrick Henry for a league-leading 16 rushing touchdowns. This season, he won the rushing title with 1,621 yards on the ground. 

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Assuming Brady continues to call plays, Buffalo's offense will continue to rack up yards and score in flurries. Team brass felt comfortable with what it knows rather than taking a gamble on completely turning the page on this coaching staff.

Although Brady deserves praise for his high-powered offenses, he must further elevate the pass-catching group and fill an important role on his staff.

Who's going to emerge as a reliable go-to receiver in clutch moments? Will tight end Dalton Kincaid eventually play up to first-round expectations? What's the plan to replace offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, who retired this offseason?

Brady Could Maintain Status Quo in GM Beane's Vision

Following McDermott's dismissal, reporters began shedding light on what might have led to the shakeup.

According to WGRZ's Vic Carucci, McDermott criticized the team's roster makeup:

"I'm told that during a meeting held five weeks ago between McDermott, Beane and Pegula, the coach pointed out what the roster lacked to win a Super Bowl. I don't know the specifics McDermott mentioned, but I'm told neither Beane nor Pegula was pleased with McDermott's assessment."

Beane denied he had a power struggle with McDermott, but it's believable that a fallout between the two over the roster after years of playoff shortcomings could've led to an intense divide.

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

In the past, Beane has publicly fired back at critics over his roster-building decisions, most recently his wide receiver group. 

As an offensive-minded head coach, Brady will take the majority blame if the pass-catching group doesn't show improvement, which may cool some of the heat on Beane's offseason roster decisions for that side of the ball.

Moreover, Brady is less likely to question Beane and the personnel department as he tries to establish himself at a new position. Also, noting what just happened to McDermott despite a quality resume with a 66 percent win rate, the Bills' new lead skipper may not want to push back on his boss too early.

Hiring Brady Is a Safe Move, But It Won't Get Buffalo Over Playoff Hump

Don't expect the Bills to fall out of playoff contention under their new head coach. Allen, Cook and left tackle Dion Dawkins are part of an offensive core operating in its prime. As long as that trio is mostly healthy, Brady's balanced offenses will still rank atop the league in multiple passing and rushing categories.

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

However, the Bills lost a proven defensive coach in McDermott, raising questions about a unit that allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns and the third-most yards per carry this season.

Besides that, this isn't an inspiring hire if you're someone who believes that Beane must be held accountable for disappointing additions to the offense. Brady hasn't been able to fully optimize a healthy Kincaid or develop one of the team's receivers into an elite playmaker. 

Buffalo should take a big swing for a wide receiver, but who's going to push Beane to do it? Brady isn't that guy right now with a blank head-coaching resume.

After falling short of a Super Bowl appearance in six consecutive playoff trips, there's no reason to believe the next postseason run will be any different with the same shot-callers in place.

Unless Brady hits on a few home-run hires for his staff, he could be the next scapegoat rather than the savior who finally pushes the Bills through their open Super Bowl window for a shot at their first Lombardi Trophy.