The Buffalo Bills have a new head coach, and it is one that is incredibly underwhelming, all things considered.
Instead of bringing in an outside candidate, the Bills promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach. This comes after owner Terry Pegula blamed the coaching staff for wanting to draft Keon Coleman and made it clear the Bills needed a new direction after falling short of reaching the Super Bowl, once again.
The backlash has been immediate from Bills Mafia, and rightfully so, frankly speaking. This is not a good hire, and it will almost certainly come back to haunt the Bills.
The Bills' passing game is bland
At surface level, the Bills' offense could be seen as one of the better units in the NFL. They finished 2025 third in EPA, James Cook was the rushing champion, and their ground attack was one of the best in the league. However, their passing game was arguably the most frustrating to watch in 2025.
The Bills ranked fifth in the NFL in wide receiver screens, as well as 11th in passes thrown at or behind the line of scrimmage, per SumerSports. They also ranked sixth in yards after the catch. Sure, it's great that they can get that much YAC, but it shouldn't be what the offense lives and dies by.
Take Khalil Shakir's career average depth of target numbers as a prime example of what the passing game has become in Buffalo:
- 2022: 13.0
- 2023: 8.1
- 2024: 5.3
- 2025: 3.4
Brady took over as offensive coordinator midway through the 2023 season. There is a direct correlation in Brady calling plays and Shakir becoming solely a screen and quick-game merchant in the offense, despite evidence that he can be much more than that.
Neutering Josh Allen
The Bills should run through Josh Allen and his ability to do things other quarterbacks simply can't. His arm is one of the biggest and best in the league, and yet the Bills have found a way to not use it.
Per PFF, his big time throws dipped from 52 back in 2022 down to 29 in 2025. Sure, it's fair to point out the lack of true No. 1 receiver in each of the last two seasons, but he had just four more such throws than Bryce Young and six fewer than Bo Nix. Neither of those quarterbacks are great, and neither had a top-tier receiving corps. However, they have offensive-minded coaches who are able to create those big plays schematically. Brady simply hasn't been able to do that.
The promoting from within problem
That brings us to by far the biggest issue with the Bills - they never look outside their own walls for solutions.
They fired defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and promoted Bobby Babich after Sean McDermott called defensive plays in 2023. They fired Ken Dorsey and promoted Joe Brady.
This issue extends beyond coaching; it reflects a broader practice embedded within the roster itself. Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips has had three stints with the team. Jordan Poyer was brought back this past season at the age of 34. Baylon Spector has played meaningful games for the Bills in four straight seasons despite being one of the worst linebackers in football. Buffalo can't possibly conceive the notion that better answers are available outside of their own network, and that way of thinking has cost them big games and chances at Super Bowls just as much as McDermott himself did.
Brandon Beane has treated the roster and coaching staff like a mom and pop pizza shop instead of running it like an NFL franchise. And when he had the chance to quiet a lot of naysayers by making a good hire outside of the Buffalo ecosystem, he went back in his shell and hired from within. In case you wanted the track record for how that has gone from teams around the league, here are some examples in terms of internal hires and subsequent records over the last 15 years
- Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 19-29
- Doug Marrone, Jacksonville Jaguars: 22-42
- Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland Browns: 6-10
- Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints: 18-25
- Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots: 4-13
Let’s be clear: the Bills aren’t going to collapse as long as Allen remains in place and is performing at an elite level. But that can’t be the benchmark. The standard is winning a Super Bowl. And when you compare Terry Pegula’s end‑of‑season messaging to the decision to simply promote Brady, it’s hard to argue the organization has moved any closer to that goal.
More NFL news:
Sean McDermott’s exit reveals long‑standing issues with Josh Allen as Bills seek new leader
Former Bills edge rusher blames Sean McDermott for 13 seconds loss to Chiefs
Another head coaching candidate tells Browns he is not interested
Mel Kiper Jr predicts Ravens will draft top wide receiver to pair with Lamar Jackson