Bills bring back Rex Ryan assistant after nine years in collegiate ranks

The Buffalo Bills are welcoming their old linebackers coach back to Orchard Park under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

Aug 4, 2014; Cortland, NY, USA; New York Jets linebackers coach Bobby April III walks out to the field prior to the start of training camp at SUNY Cortland | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills publicly announced their new defensive coordinator this past weekend, and Jim Leonhard has hit the ground running.

Wasting no time, Leonhard, presumably in conjunction with head coach Joe Brady, is already building the Bills' defensive staff.

The Bills are brining back former linebackers Bobby April III to handle the outside linebackers on Leonhard's defense, per report by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

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April III's initial Buffalo tenure came during the 2015 and 2016 seasons under former head coach Rex Ryan. Most recently, he spent three seasons (2023-25) as Stanford's defensive coordinator.

More about April III

The Bills' linebackers thrived under April III in 2016 with Lorenzo Alexander and Zach Brown earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. Preston Brown also started all 16 games alongside the aforementioned duo, making 139 tackles.

Not only is April III familiar with Buffalo, he has valuable experience working with Leonhard.

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Following the 2016 campaign, April III moved into the collegiate ranks. He was outside linebackers coach for Wisconsin from 2018 through 2022, overlapping with Leonhard, the Badgers' defensive coordinator, for all five seasons.

Wisconsin head coach Jim Leonhard, center, is shown during the first quarter of their game Saturday, November 26, 2022 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. | Mark Hoffman / USA TODAY NETWORK

April III began his NFL coaching career as a defensive quality control coach for the Philadelphia Eagles (2011-12). He moved onto the Jets in 2013, working on Ryan's staff for two seasons before following him to Buffalo.

April III's father has a long NFL career coaching special teams. He was the Bills' assistant head coach / special teams coordinator for six seasons (2004-09). The elder April won the NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year award in 2004 and 2008.

Oct 22, 2015; London, United Kingdom; Buffalo Bills linebackers coach Bobby April III at practice at the Grove hotel in preparation for the NFL International Series game | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

State of Bills' LB corps

With the Bills presumably shifting to more of a 3-4 defensive front under Leonhard, the team has replaced linebackers coach Al Holcomb with April III and inside linebackers coach John Egorugwu.

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Like April III, Egorugwu has prior experience coaching for the Bills. He was a defensive staff member for Sean McDermott's first four seasons at the helm.

The two position coaches will work with a linebacking corps that currently features Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams and Joe Andreessen. Veterans Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson are set to become unrestricted free agents in March.

Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) runs after the catch as Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (8) and linebacker Dorian Williams (42) defend | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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