On January 19th, 2026, fans of the Buffalo Bills experienced something that they did not have since December of 2016. That was hearing the news that the head coach for the Bills was being fired. Near the end of the 2016 NFL season, the Bills fired Rex Ryan after an embarrassing two years. Sean McDermott would eventually replace him and it was a major upgrade.
However, after years of falling short in the playoffs and repeated heartbreaks, McDermott was fired by the Bills two days after their Divisional Round loss to the Denver Broncos. While McDermott was fired, general manager Brandon Beane was promoted to President of Football Operations and he led the search for the team's new head coach, and would be overseeing the coaching staff as well with the new coach.
After an extensive search that featured multiple candidates, the Bills decided to stick inside the building by promoting Joe Brady from offensive coordinator to head coach. There were mixed reactions on the move, but it was solidified and it was time to start the new chapter of the Bills.
Changes in Bills organization was a lot (but necessary)
While there are people that may be saying that wrong moves were made by the Bills, moves needed to happen regardless. The Bills have been knocking on the Super Bowl door for years, but have yet to open it. Brady enters a tough situation because even though the Bills made a lot of changes in the coaching staff and the roster, he has to prove to the front office and the fans that he is the one that can do what Sean McDermott couldn’t do.
Bills fans saw a lot of changes with the coaching staff (new coordinators across the board), and then they saw a lot of change in the roster. Even though change can be scary, it can also be an exciting time because it’s something new. At the same time, any Bills fans who are concerned about this season, definitely have the right to feel that way.
NFL panic meter shows Bills still have great expectations despite changes
Typically, when a team makes a bunch of changes like the Bills did, there is usually an understanding that they may need some time for things to work out. Clearly, that isn't the case for the Bills because they do have their Super Bowl window open as long as Josh Allen is in his prime.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report recently rated each NFL fanbase's "panic meter" going into this season, and Gagnon has given the Bills a 6 out of 10 on the meter.
"Josh Allen should have many good years ahead at 30, and the Bills are experimenting with a tweaked coaching staff. This remains in check for now but likely shoots up to 9 if they fall short of the Super Bowl again in 2026." said Gagnon.
Let's not forget, Bills owner Terry Pegula back in January said that he felt the Bills "hit the proverbial playoff wall" per Sal Capaccio, relating it towards McDermott. That is fair to say. However, the promotion of Brady, who was on McDermott's coaching staff hasn't always sat well with fans because a true change could have been bringing in someone who was outside of the building.
While you could say that Brady faces unrealistic expectations in his first year of being a head coach, it's also a situation where Brady takes over a situation than when McDermott did back in 2017. Having the panic meter at a 6 is fair because it still sets the pressure at a high level without it being all or nothing. At the same time, the offseason overhaul will be talked about whether or not it was worth it.
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