The Buffalo Bills agreed to terms with new head coach Joe Brady, who was previously the team's offensive coordinator, on Tuesday, Jan. 27. NFL analysts immediately weighed in on the Bills' decision to promote Brady once the news broke.
Brady will be introduced as the head coach during a press conference at One Bills Drive on Thursday.
Here's what they said about Brady becoming the Bills' 21st head coach:
‘A different energy’ | Evan Washburn, CBS Sports
On "One Bills Live," CBS Sports' Evan Washburn discussed what Brady brings to the table. One thing he emphasized was the energy he brings, both due to his age and background on offense. Washburn also said that the promotion from offensive coordinator to head coach is also indicative of putting quarterback Josh Allen in the best position as he enters year nine in his NFL career.
"A different energy. And that's not to say Sean [McDermott] didn't have energy and didn't have an effective energy, obviously it worked at a high level for a number of years there and got this team to the precipice of a Super Bowl a number of times, but I would say in my experiences with Joe [Brady], he has a different energy to [McDermott] … That will be a different energy for that locker room, for that building … then beyond that, it speaks to what they want to get out of Josh Allen and to maximize very aspect of, not just his game, but how they can tailor everything on both sides of the ball to allow him to continue to take this team to new heights."
It’s not a Super Bowl or bust for Brady | Stephen A. Smith, ESPN
While hitting the "proverbial playoff wall" was something owner Terry Pegula emphasized during his press conference after relieving former head coach Sean McDermott of his duties, that doesn't mean Brady must take Buffalo to the Super Bowl in his first season. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith agreed, but also said that consistency is the bare minimum.
"It's not like [a Super Bowl] has to happen next year … You can't be that way with Joe Brady in year one … as an offensive coordinator, he did his job. They were one of the lead offenses in the game. That can't dissipate. You got to improve the defense. You're $12 million over the cap. You got to figure out something defensively … They can't dip. You definitely want them going for it, but it's not like, 'Oh my god, if you don't get it done next year, well Joe Brady wasn't the answer because you didn't get it done in year one.' I think that's a bit extreme."
‘There’s continuity’ | Mike Florio, NBC Sports
NBC Sports' Mike Florio said it won't be an easy ride for Brady in year one, but continuity from his time as offensive coordinator into his first season as head coach is critical in helping him achieve Buffalo's ultimate goal.
"They're not going to accept a step back. They believe that from within the coaching staff, they have an answer to how to get better … Maybe Joe Brady is going to be the Super Bowl winner that the Bills have been longing for, for decades. We'll see. There's continuity – and that's always one of the key things when it comes to making that coaching change … The first job for Joe Brady is going to be to get to the playoffs. That's not easy … There are going to be a lot of great teams in the AFC, it's not going to be easy to just get back to where they already were."
‘A product of destiny’ | Nick Shook, NFL.com
Brady implemented a dominant offense through his time working with Allen, and the Bills gave him an opportunity to get himself back on a head coach caliber. Nick Shook called Brady's climb to this position "a product of destiny."
"Brady's promotion should increase their chances of retaining any staff the club deems essential to their future operation … Brady's ascension feels more like a product of destiny than a traditional hiring process … It didn't take long for his impact to show with the Allen-led offense, regenerating buzz for his candidacy as a head coach. In the end, he didn't have to pack his bags and move again in order to realize those ambitions. We'll see if it ends up being the change the Bills needed."
‘This is good for Buffalo’ | Marcus Spears, ESPN
Marcus Spears appeared on The Rich Eisen Show to discuss his thoughts on the Bills hiring Brady. He said given the expectations on the Bills, having someone in-house who knows exactly what lies ahead of them is a benefit to this hire.
"I like it from what I know about Joe Brady … It's a daunting job because … the only way you consider success for this next head coach is to reach a Super Bowl. So, Joe Brady understands what he's walking into. The good thing is, he's been in the organization … that much success from an offensive play caller standpoint, the natural progression was to become a head coach. But I think this is good for Buffalo. Now, I got to say this with a little bit of caveat: I love Joe Brady … From what I know, this team has got a real dude. One that can connect with players, one that probably needed a little more time than I was ready to give to become a head coach; and I'm assuming through these interviews and what they knew about him in the building already, that it was comfortable enough for Brandon Beane and ownership to make this decision."
Big Bills winners | Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY
Aside from the offense as a whole, Tyler Dragon said Allen and running back James Cook III are the biggest winners from this development. Cook, specifically, had his best season in the NFL, winning the rushing title and being the driving force behind Buffalo's No. 1 rushing offense.
"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 … 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 … Brady emphasizes the run game and Cook is a big beneficiary."
‘You keep him in-house’ | Tony Romo, CBS Sports
Brady had other interviews with other teams, including the Ravens and Raiders. As continuity is the highlight of this hire, Tony Romo believes this was one sure way of making sure Brady stays with the Bills.
"This is the only reason that you [part ways with Sean McDermott] because you have a stud in your building who might get a head coaching job somewhere else. You keep him in-house. The only way to do that is to hire him as your head coach …what Joe Brady did when he came on really changed the fortunes this offense for the last year and a half. It's been outstanding. They have a run game, they have the ability to play action. Josh Allen … played the best football of his career the last year and a half, two years."
‘The key word here: continuity’ | Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated
Like other analysts, Albert Breer discussed the importance of continuity. Not only does hiring Brady ensure continuity on offense and for Allen, but also with the front office.
"The key word here: continuity. And it's continuity for Josh Allen, of course, and that the scheme is not going to change drastically. The two have a relationship … Allen gets to move forward now in a system that he's been playing in; and they get to build on what they had, which was an offense that ranked top five in the NFL the last two years. So, there's the continuity there. There's also the continuity organizationally with the scouting department. And that head coach-general manager relationship is an important one in any organization. That relationship between Brady and Beane is already in place.
