Bills' Joe Brady Hires Former Buffalo Safety As New Defensive Coordinator

Broncos assistant head coach Jim Leonhard is joining Joe Brady’s staff.

Jim Leonhard will become the Bills’ new defensive coordinator | Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post

The Bills are hiring Broncos assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard as defensive coordinator, according to a report Saturday from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Leonhard joins the new-look Bills staff after the franchise parted with Sean McDermott and hired offensive coordinator Joe Brady as the team’s next coach. He was an NFL safety for 10 seasons, which included two stops with the Bills—first from 2005 to ‘07 after he joined Buffalo as an undrafted free agent and later returning for a second stint in ‘13. He also spent time with the Ravens, Jets, Broncos and Browns as a player.

The former safety began his coaching career at his alma mater Wisconsin in ‘16 as the Badgers’ defensive backs coach, quickly getting promoted to defensive coordinator and DBs coach the next year. He served as Wisconsin’s interim head coach in ‘22 after the school fired Paul Chryst. When Wisconsin hired Luke Fickell, Leonhard went to Illinois as a senior football analyst before making an NFL leap the next year, joining the Broncos as DBs coach and pass game coordinator. Denver promoted him to assistant head coach under Sean Payton this past season.

Buffalo let go McDermott after its season ended at the hands of the Broncos in a AFC divisional round thriller where Denver prevailed 33-30 in overtime. Brady took the reins a week later and has quickly worked to assemble his staff, now bringing in Leonhard alongside new OC Pete Carmichael Jr., the longtime Saints OC.

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