Bills Coach Leslie Frazier: Did He Jump? Or Was He Fired into 'Sabbatical'?
When the Buffalo Bills announced in February that defensive coordinator and assistant head coach was Leslie Frazier taking a one-year "sabbatical'' for the 2023 NFL season, it marked an unusual move.
First, the timing was odd. Second, the respected Frazier has by most accounts done a fine job. And third, while we could all use a break, Frazier, 64, is now following up his "sabbatical'' by participating in the NFL Coach Accelerator Program. That's a strange way to rest, which has The Buffalo News’ NFL insider Jay Skurski wondering about the core of the issue.
In his Mailbag section of the paper, Skurski writes, “It’s hard to see how stepping away from the game for a year would benefit Frazier in his quest to again be a head coach. With that in mind, it feels as if Frazier’s decision to do so maybe wasn’t his idea in the first place. That’s just speculation on my part ...
"As it did when the announcement was made, it still feels to me as if Frazier has coached his last game with the Bills.”
"Speculation''? Agreed. "Responsible speculation''? We say yes.
The inner-workings of a coaching staff - minor squabbles or volcanic conflicts - are not always available to our prying media eyes and ears. It is therefore possible that despite Frazier's reputation, which includes a fine playing career, 24 seasons of coaching experience, an induction into the 2023 Class of the Black College Football Hall of Fame in June, and NFL-wide respect for the class he exudes, Frazier and a boss may have not seen eye-to-eye.
But he's not retiring, otherwise he wouldn't be participating in the Coach’s Accelerator program. And that means he not "exhausted,'' either.
It truly might, however, mean Leslie Frazier is done with with the Buffalo Bills.
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