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The Buffalo Bills are making a change at defensive coordinator after one season under Sean McDermott, promoting an up-and-coming position coach to take over the duties.
The team announced on January 30 that they were moving linebackers coach Bobby Babich into the role of defensive coordinator. Babich is seen as a rising star among defensive coaches, getting interest from several teams with defensive coordinator openings including multiple interviews with the Miami Dolphins.
With the move, the Bills will be able to keep the versatile coach in-house and take some of the load off their head coach.
Bobby Babich Excelled in Multiple Roles
Babich has experience across multiple position groups, starting out as safeties coach for the Bills and moving to linebackers coach after the retirement of his father, Bob Babich. He excelled in both roles, helping shape safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer in All-Pros and this season leading one of the best linebacking corps in the league behind Matt Milano and breakout star Terrel Bernard.
As NFL.com writer Michael Baca noted, the Bills turned into one of the league’s top defenses during Babich’s tenure.
“The Bills finished third in the NFL in takeaways (25) and seventh in interceptions (15) in 2020 before becoming the league’s top defense in 2021, a unit that finished first in passing yards allowed and passing yards per play,” the report noted.
McDermott had taken over defensive coordinator duties last offseason after the departure of Leslie Frazier. Despite injuries to several key players including Milano, cornerback Tre’Davious White and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, McDermott was able to keep the unit among the league’s best.
McDermott thought highly of Babich, sharing some praise for his work at the team’s season-ending press conference.
“Bobby’s a good coach. He’s developed players,” McDermott said, via The Athletic. “I think when you evaluate a coach, are you taking what you have and making it better? It doesn’t need to get any more complex than that, and Bobby’s done that.”
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia reported that it is still unclear which coach will be calling plays next season, but speculated that Babich would have McDermott’s full trust.
“However, if there’s someone McDermott could trust enough to run his defense in a similar way to how he would do it, Babich is likely that person,” Buscaglia wrote. “McDermott also has a good self-awareness for his career that a team and a coach trusted him to do the same when he was young in his career. So that could help ease any hesitation to relinquish calling the plays.”
Bills Cement Offensive Coordinator
Babich’s promotion came just two days after the Bills made a decision on a permanent offensive coordinator, officially promoting Joe Brady into the role on a permanent basis. Brady took over the job on an interim basis after Ken Dorsey was fired in November, helping lead the team to a five-game winning streak to end the season.
Brady’s hire came with the recommendation of quarterback Josh Allen, who said on locker clean-out day that he hoped the team would pick Brady for the role next season.
“I would fully embrace it. I love Joe. I love what he brings to the team,” Allen said, via The Associated Press. “I think we got back to some simpler concepts, did simple better with him.”
