Ryan Fitzpatrick explains Bills' Joe Brady hire after call with Brandon Beane

Like a lot of Bills Mafia, former quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was initially confused at the hiring of Joe Brady as head coach.

Joe Brady | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ryan Fitzpatrick played four of his 17 NFL seasons as a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. He says he remains a card-carrying member of Bills Mafia.

As such, he was among the fans confused not only when Sean McDermott was abruptly fired but also when the team this week named Joe Brady as the successor as head coach.

Unlike most of Bills Mafia, Fitzpatrick has a direct line to getting the answers.

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"I wanted to know a lot of the same stuff that Bills Mafia is asking about," Fitzpatrick said on this week's episode of his podcast. "So I picked up the phone and called Brandon Beane."

What Brandon Beane had to say

Fitzpatrick detailed his conservation with the Bills' general manager, and uncovered a couple of interesting notes. Mostly, that Brady wasn't always McDermott's replacement and the over-arching reason he landed the job.

Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick rallies the crowd before the game against the Baltimore Ravens in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

"A big part of the process is that they wanted a CEO," Fitzpatrick said of his conversation. "They weren't going to chase this guy that was a schemer or this guy that was an awesome play-caller. They wanted a CEO. "

Turns out Beane and owner Terry Pegula wanted a fresh face of the entire organization, not just an offensive mind to mesh with star quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills are hoping Brady becomes a franchise leader in the mold of Mike Vrabel (Patriots), DeMeco Ryans (Texans), Sean McVay (Rams) and Dan Campbell (Lions).

MORE: ESPN questions why Bills are following lowly Raiders in coaching search

"Was Brady the clear-cut all along? He said 'No.' He was just another candidate from square one," Fitzpatrick said. "He wanted a guy who knows what makes players tick. A guy with high emotional intelligence. He didn't want the guy who, when adversity hit, would lock himself in his office and just start scheming up plays. He wanted a guy who would have a great feel for the building."

Sean McDermott and Joe Brady speak | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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