Bills reach agreement with Joe Brady as next head coach

The Buffalo Bills have got their guy.

Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News first reported on Tuesday that Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady has been promoted to head coach on what is expected to be a five-year deal. The team confirmed the news later in the afternoon.

Brady has served as the Bills’ OC the past two seasons after he was named interim offensive coordinator midway through the 2023 campaign.

Promotion

Before he was hired by the Bills as their quarterbacks coach in 2022, he previously served as the Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but was fired midway through his second year on the job. Prior to that, he was the passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach for the 2019 National Champion LSU Tigers and a New Orleans Saints offensive assistant from 2017 to 2018.

Brady has helped the Bills’ offense to great heights over the past two years, including guiding Josh Allen to the NFL MVP Award in 2024.

The Bills averaged 28.3 points per game during the ’25 campaign and 30.9 points per game in 2024, good enough for fourth and second in the league, respectively.

Buffalo's vacancy wasn't the only head coaching job for which Brady was a candidate, as he was also linked to the Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens.

MORE: Joe Brady close to leaving Buffalo Bills for head coaching job

We've agreed to terms with Joe Brady on a 5-year contract to become our next head coach! pic.twitter.com/zYiukOSz6g
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 27, 2026

Other candidates

The Bills interviewed a total of nine candidates since firing former head coach Sean McDermott this past week. The list of candidates included Brady, Brian Daboll, Lou Anarumo, Anthony Lynn, Anthony Weaver, Davis Webb, Grant Udinski, Nate Scheelhaase and Philip Rivers. In the end, they have settled on the 36-year-old Brady.

A new era in Buffalo is upon us.

Early reaction

The early reaction to the Bills' hiring has come pouring in.

"A couple keys in the Bills' hire of Joe Brady — there was a HC as CEO piece of every candidate's interview with Buffalo, Brady hit a home run on that," posted SI's Albert Breer on X. "And Brady's promotion allows for scheme continuity, and easy alignment with GM Brandon Beane (who made this call), and the scouts."

"Good relationshup with Josh Allen, head coaching candidate for years. Gets his shot," posted ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"I don't think it's Terry Pegula or Brandon Beane facing most pressure with hiring Joe Brady as Bills head coach," posted Jon Scott of WGRZ in Buffalo. "It's Josh Allen. He was part of the process that ultimately chooses his guy."

"The Bills first offensive play next season has to be a screen pass," posted Matt Bove of WKBW in Buffalo. "It would be such a good bit."

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

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