When the Buffalo Bills announced that offensive coordinator Joe Brady was being promoted to head coach on Tuesday, the news was met with a mixed reaction rom fans.
In one camp, there’s the group that is thrilled to have some sort of familiarity and continuity between quarterback Josh Allen and his new head coach.
On the other side of the coin, however, is the group that is underwhelmed with Brady’s hire — those who are skeptical that the answer to the Bills’ problems was on their coaching staff all along.
But in the end, Brady beat out a large group of qualified candidates for the job, including former Bills offensive coordinator and ex-new York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who many considered the frontrunner for the job.
Brady Turned Down 2 Jobs Before Taking Bills Gig
GettyBuffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady and QB Josh Allen
Despite what any naysayers believe about Brady, he was one of the highly sought-after names during this head coaching cycle.
Brady’s work with the Bills offense, and Allen specifically — Allen won the NFL MVP last season and is a finalist this year — is what won over owner Terry Pegula. Had Brady not been offered the Bills job, he would have likely had his pick of a few others.
In fact, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed that Brady had two other jobs he could have had but he passed on to take the Bills one.
“Context for the #Bills hiring Joe Brady as HC: He was a wanted man. Brady was very high on the #Ravens list for OC. [Denver Broncos head coach] Sean Payton wanted Brady as OC, perhaps even with play-calling. Instead, the #Bills make sure he stays,” Rapoport wrote on X.
Brady earned the job because the front office felt comfortable with the seamless transition they anticipate with him taking over for recently fired Sean McDermott. In fact, general manager Brandon Beane referred to Brady as the “CEO” of the franchise.
“It’s a CEO job; it really is,” Beane said. “A lot of your time as a head coach or a GM gets taken away from me scouting, watching players or a coach in their scheming X’s and O’s, so we’ve got to make sure we get the leadership, the CEO part.”
Brady Starting on the Hot Seat?
McDermott will be a tough act to follow.
The 51-year-old coach compiled a 98-50 record with 8 playoff appearances, 5 division titles, and 2 AFC Championship Game appearances in 9 seasons. But his inability to reach the Super Bowl with loaded teams and one of the three best QBs in the NFL ultimately led to his surprising firing.
Because of the Super Bowl expectations the Bills have—and have had for years—Brady is under more pressure than most first-year head coaches, according to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg.
“No one will be feeling more pressure than Brady,” Getzenberg wrote. “He has the task of not only continuing the Bills’ run of success that has included seven straight playoff appearances, but taking the next step and winning a championship.
“Advancing further in the postseason with Allen is of the utmost priority, and the Bills will hope that the continuity Brady brings puts him in position to do just that.”
Joe Brady Turned Down 2 NFL Jobs Before Becoming Bills Head Coach