Rookie Head Coach Joe Brady Will Join Rare NFL Company If Bills Beat Chargers

If Buffalo's first-year head coach starts the season 3-0, then his name will forever be mentioned alongside three NFL legends.

Sep. 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills' first-year head coach Joe Brady stands on the sideline during a game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Buffalo Bills’ head coach Joe Brady is on a heater in his first year leading a franchise in the National Football League.

After orchestrating an offensive attack to help franchise quarterback Josh Allen come away victorious on the road against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium for the first time in his career in Week 1, Buffalo’s new head man managed to lead the team to a second-straight win in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions during the home opener at Highmark Stadium.

Brady’s accolades piling up quickly

Detroit Lions' head coach Dan Campbell (right) shakes hands with Buffalo Bills' head coach Joe Brady after a 41-31 loss at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

And, not only did it signify the first regular-season win by the team at its new multi-billion dollar home venue, but it also marked the first time that a Bills’ head coach has ever started their tenure in Western New York with a perfect 2-0 record.

In addition to accomplishing that shocking feat, Buffalo’s 77 points through two weeks are the fourth-most points scored by a team under the guidance of a rookie head coach in its first two games of any season during the Super Bowl era.

Cleveland’s Bud Carlson (89 pts in 1989), Miami’s Dan Campbell (82 pts in 2015), and St. Louis’ Mike Martz (78 pts in 2000) are the only coaches to ever top the mark.

Brady can join elite company by moving to 3-0

Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills' head coach Joe Brady walks off the field after a game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s been an impressive showing from Brady, to say the least, and apparently he has the chance to continue piling onto his accolades in Week 3 as he has the chance to become the fifth-youngest coach in the Super Bowl era to ever start his career off with a 3-0 mark.

Three of the four coaches—John Madden (33 y/o), Bill Cowher (35 y/o), and Mike Tomlin (35 y/o)—each went on to win Super Bowls during their coaching careers, while the fourth and most recent coach to accomplish the feat—Josh McDaniels (33 y/o)—registered just a measly 20-33 record through his four seasons as a head coach, which came in 2009-2010 with the Denver Broncos and 2022-2023 with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Dec. 23, 1972; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Oakland Raiders' quarterback Daryle Lamonica (3) talks with Raiders' head coach John Madden during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1972 AFC divisional playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Despite that unfortunate fact regarding McDaniels’ coaching tenure through two different stops, the other company that Brady finds himself amongst is elite.

Madden (112-39-7 in 10 yrs), Cowher (161-99-1 in 15 yrs), and Tomlin (193-114-2 in 19 yrs) each had over a .620 winning percentage for their careers with at least seven division titles to their name, as well.

Switch from McDermott to Brady is moving the needle

Sep. 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills' head coach Joe Brady reacts during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The now 37-year-old Brady, who is the youngest head man in the NFL—and the second youngest across the four major sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL) in North America after his birthday on Wednesday—still has a long way to go to reach the status of those other three legendary coaches, of course, but it’s been a stellar start.

Nobody can deny that fact at this point.

And, who knows?

Maybe Bills’ owner Terry Pegula knew what he was doing after all when he decided that enough was enough with former longtime head coach Sean McDermott this past January.

The proof is always in the pudding, as the saying goes, and so far that pudding is tasting awfully sweet in Western New York.

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