The Buffalo Bills promoted Joe Brady to head coach, the team announced Jan. 27, with Brady agreeing to a five-year deal.
Brady was Buffalo’s interim offensive coordinator for part of 2023. He was elevated to the team’s full-time offensive coordinator role in 2024.
Brady’s promotion means Buffalo decided to hire within as it head coaching search comes to a close eight days after Bills ownership fired Sean McDermott, who compiled a record of 106-58 (including postseason) in nine years as the franchise’s head coach.
What does Brady’s hire mean for the Bills franchise? USA TODAY Sports examines the winners and losers after Brady agreed to terms to be the Bills head coach:
Winners
Bills offense
With Brady as offensive coordinator, the Bills ranked among the top five in the NFL in several offensive categories in 2025. Some of those categories include first in rushing yards per game (159.6), first in time of possession (33 minutes, 8 seconds per game), fourth in third down efficiency (44.8%), fourth in points per game (28.3) and fourth in total offense (376.3 yards per game).
The Bills offense should again be strong in 2026. Expect Buffalo to attempt to get more weapons on the outside for Josh Allen.
Speaking of Allen…
Josh Allen
Brady’s promotion to head coach means there will be continuity with the offense. The offensive philosophy, playbook and language shouldn’t change much, if at all, under Brady’s leadership.
Brady took over as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator in 2024 and helped Allen earn MVP honors. Since 2024, Allen leads the NFL with 79 offensive touchdowns.
Allen’s had a passer rating of better than 100 for two consecutive seasons (2024-2025) for the first time in his career with Brady as OC.
James Cook
With Brady as offensive coordinator, Cook’s 16 rushing touchdowns were tied for a league-high in 2024. The Bills running back rushed for an NFL-best and career-high 1,621 yards in the regular season.
Cook averaged better than five yards per carry and tallied 1,912 yards from scrimmage.
Brady emphasizes the run game and Cook is a big beneficiary.
Losers
Rooney Rule
There were NFL 10 head coaching jobs available during this year’s hiring cycle.
Seven of those vacancies have been filled. Robert Saleh, who accepted the Tennessee Titans’ head coach position, represents the only minority candidate hired as a head coach to this point.
The Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals are the only three head coaching vacancies left.
There are currently only three Black head coaches in the NFL. A stark contrast to the roughly 70% Black players on the field.
Sean McDermott
The Bills fired McDermott after nine seasons, only to replace him with his offensive coordinator.
McDermott produced a 98-50 regular-season record and won five straight AFC East titles during his tenure. Of course, McDermott left without a single Super Bowl appearance. Does he deserve most of the blame for an 8-8 playoff record as Buffalo’s head coach? There’s enough blame to go around, including some toward Allen. McDermott, however, took the hit.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals coach Zac Taylor was on the hot seat this year before owner Mike Brown announced his decision to retain Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin.
Brady would’ve been an ideal candidate to be Cincy’s head coach. Brady was the passing game coordinator and receivers coach at LSU during Burrow’s magical Heisman Trophy and national championship season in 2019.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
(This story was updated to add a video.)