Joe Brady is already under fire after becoming the Buffalo Bills’ head coach. Following another season with a playoff exit, the Bills parted ways with former HC Sean McDermott. The franchise put its faith in Brady, a keen observer of the team’s play style.. However, things are only going to be difficult for the new HC as the former Bills QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick, warns him ahead of the new season.

“Guess what Joe Brady?” said Ryan Fitzpatrick, via Fitz & Whit on X. “The expectation next year isn’t gonna be to get to the playoffs, and it’s not gonna be to win a game in the playoffs. It’s going to be to win the Super Bowl.”

Given the time Brady has spent at the franchise, Fitzpatrick’s words speak to the expectation that is on the new head coach. The Bills Mafia will surely be expecting a Super Bowl given the evident lack of a Lombardi trophy.

In 2022, the Bills hired Brady as the quarterbacks coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in two seasons. Now, with two more seasons in Buffalo, he is the head coach. In 2025, Joe Brady was the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator, refining his “Everybody Eats” system. He guided the team to a 13–4 record, 13 players scoring receiving touchdowns, and an AFC Championship Game appearance.

Since he was an integral part of McDermott’s system, the surrounding expectations do not stop until he wins the Super Bowl. McDermott ended the Bills’ 17-year playoff drought after the Bills hired him in 2017. He took them to eight postseasons in his nine years as an HC. He drafted Josh Allen in 2018 and had formed a partnership with him. Despite having an elite QB, he never got the chance to end the franchise’s Super Bowl drought.

Now, that task will fall upon Brady. He has already done a great job as an OC. In 2025, the Bills led the league in rushing offense (159.6 YPG) and were fourth in total offense (376.3 YPG). Moreover, Brady has worked with Allen. It was under his coaching that Allen won the 2024 NFL MVP.

ESPN’s Peter Schrager mentioned that Allen had a part in the hiring process. While the Bills’ owner Terry Pegula and GM Brandon Beane have put their faith in him, the HC has some challenging work to complete in the upcoming weeks.

Joe Brady needs to hire a defensive coordinator

Joe Brady has received a five-year contract as the Bills‘ head coach. To make sure the franchise has put the right man at the helm, he needs to do what is necessary. At the moment, he needs to hire a defensive coordinator who can lead the defense in Buffalo. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has put forward a name that the Bills could go for.

“Sources: Broncos defensive pass coordinator Jim Leonhard is expected to be a leading candidate to become the next defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills,” reported ESPN’s Adam Schefter, via X.

Leonhard is a former NFL safety who had two stints with the Bills. Besides the Bills, he also played for the Ravens, Jets, Broncos, and Browns before retiring after the 2014 season. Two years after his retirement, he went into coaching at the college level, until the Broncos hired him in 2024 as the defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator.

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In 2025, he was promoted to assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator. During the last season, he helped the Broncos lead the league in total sacks (68), second in total defense (278.2 YPG), and third in points per game (18.3). So, he could be a good fit to provide the Bills with defensive stability.

Besides the DC, the franchise also needs to hire a special teams coordinator. The previous one, Chris Tabor, was hired by the Miami Dolphins. Joe Brady has a lot of work to do, but of course, GM Beane will help him. It is not just Brady who is under pressure. Beane can also find himself sweating. Pegula promoted him to be the president of football operations, and he was a key figure in promoting Brady. It’s still too early to predict. For now, Buffalo’s future remains uncertain.