The NFL world went into a huge shock when the Buffalo Bills decided to fire Sean McDermott just two days after their season-ending loss to the Denver Broncos in the playoffs. It marked another heart-breaker for Bills fans in January and Terry Pegula had enough.Â
Even though McDermott is arguably the most successful head coach in Bills history along with Marv Levy, McDermott was never able to reach a Super Bowl. His defense always fell apart in different ways and even though Josh Allen and the offense managed to keep them in games, the defense couldn’t do their job.
The fanbase was split on the decision to fire McDermott, but with him being a defensive-minded coach and the defense being the biggest liability every single season, it was time to make a change.
Joe Brady now takes over as the head coach, keeping some continuity as he has been the team’s offensive coordinator since the middle of the 2023 season.Â
When a team typically fires a head coach and hires a new one, there usually are not high expectations because there tends to be change and there will be some growing pains. However, that isn’t the case with Brady at all. With the continuity being there with Josh Allen and the additions in free agency up to this point, Brady will have to take the Bills further than McDermott ever did to show that Buffalo made the right decision.
Joe Brady faces pressure to keep Bills as true contender
Gary Davenport from Bleacher Report set realistic record expectations for first-year head coaches that were hired this offseason after the first initial wave of free agency. New coaches like Mike LaFleur, Todd Monken, Klint Kubiak and Jeff Hafley were listed as not expected to have successful seasons.
However, Brady was set at a 12-5 expectation record along with new Ravens head coach, Jesse Minter. Both of these new head coaches take over winning programs who have Super Bowl aspirations and have a lot to utilize right away. For Brady, he knows the expectations that Bills Mafia wants to see.
"Brady offers a measure of continuity to a team that was hardly floundering—the Bills won 12 games in 2025. Buffalo endeavored to give Allen the "go-to" wideout the team badly needed with a trade for D.J. Moore. Buffalo also tried to bolster the pass rush with the addition of edge-rusher Bradley Chubb." said Davenport.
Through free agency, the Bills have added defensive help in the secondary with three new defensive backs and also brought in Bradley Chubb from the Dolphins. More work needs to be done, but the Bills atleast have started their new foundation on defense under Jim Leonhard.
As for the offense, Buffalo acquired D.J. Moore to be the No. 1 receiver for Josh Allen, extended both Dawson Knox and Connor McGovern, and will be returning a great amount of continuity. The offense should be elevated now that Moore is in the building.
Despite Brady not just being a first year head coach but also being a first time one, he will have very little room to make mistakes. With McDermott being fired because the Bills couldn’t make the Super Bowl, Brady faces a ton of pressure to do what McDermott couldn’t do.