After parting with one of the most established NFL coaches in Sean McDermott, the Bills are turning to an upstart to lead the organization past what owner Terry Pegula called ‘the proverbial playoff wall.’
The Bills on Tuesday agreed to a five-year deal to promote offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach, the team announced.
Brady ascends to his first head-coaching role after leading the Bills’ offense for the last two-and-a-half years. He helped quarterback Josh Allen become the NFL’s MVP in 2024, and Buffalo ranked fourth in both scoring and total yards this season.
At 36, Brady also becomes the NFL’s youngest active head coach, beating out the New Orleans Saints’ Kellen Moore, 37.
The Bills fired McDermott on Jan. 19 after a divisional-round loss to the Denver Broncos. McDermott went 98-50 during the regular season and made eight playoff appearances in his nine years in Buffalo, but he had just an 8-8 record in the postseason and never reached the Super Bowl.
Pegula cited the emotional fallout of the loss to the Broncos – particularly for Allen – as a driving factor in his decision to make a change. He noted that the reigning NFL MVP would be part of the group to choose the next head coach, with multiple reports indicating Allen had been involved in the team’s interviews with candidates.
Brady also interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders for a second time on Monday night and spoke with several other teams regarding their head-coaching vacancies.
Among the other contenders for the Bills’ vacancy were former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, Broncos passing game coordinator Davis Webb, Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.