After years of hitting a postseason wall, the Buffalo Bills‘ new era under Joe Brady begins with a fundamental shift in power for quarterback Josh Allen. While speaking on Fitz & Whit, Brady did not waste time outlining his vision. Most importantly, he confirmed that Josh Allen will take on added responsibility, a move rooted in the close bond the two have already built.

“I’m not going to probably be with him as much, but every decision that we make is with him in mind, or he’s going to be involved in it,” Brady said. “When I was in New Orleans, coach Peyton didn’t make a decision without Drew Brees’ thoughts. And look, they were together for so long that they got to know that. But I think Josh needs to understand. And there’s a lot of ownership in that.”

Since arriving in Buffalo in 2018, Allen has become the face of the franchise and has earned credibility across the locker room and throughout the building. Because of that, the Bills quarterback was part of head coaching interviews, a rare sign of organizational respect. Even so, Brady admitted the vision makes sense on paper, though living it out will not be simple.

“If I’m coming to you with this and I’m asking you with, you have a great pulse of the locker room,” Brady added. “Like, what do you think this needs to look like? And I think that’s another evolution for him [Allen] as a leader, growing and getting a feel of that. But look, I’m still going to be calling plays, so it’s important. He needs to know the why and my thoughts, and I need to know how he’s feeling about things and him understanding when I’m calling, what I’m calling.”

At the same time, Brady is stepping into enormous shoes. Sean McDermott left behind a towering résumé, posting a 98-50 regular-season record and going 8-8 in the playoffs. More than that, he transformed the Bills into annual contenders at Highmark Stadium, second only to Marv Levy in total wins.

However, postseason frustration ultimately forced change. That same frustration convinced owner Terry Pegula to act after what he called “the proverbial playoff wall.” Consequently, owner Terry Pegula dismissed McDermott just two days after a 33-30 overtime loss in Denver during the divisional round.

That defeat marked Buffalo’s third straight playoff loss by three points. Even more striking, the Bills became the first team in NFL history to win a playoff game in six straight seasons without reaching the Super Bowl. That frustrating history now puts even more pressure on Brady and Allen to deliver a breakthrough

Joe Brady sends a clear message to Josh Allen

Soon after taking over as head coach, Joe Brady sent a firm message to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. The message was not about scheme or play design, but about mindset. Brady stressed that real change must start in the locker room, especially mentally. Having already served as offensive coordinator, he knows where the scars come from, and the postseason struggles still haunt the franchise.

“That doesn’t mean changing the culture,” Brady said on The Rich Eisen Show. “It’s not to say that what we did wasn’t working. It’s just to say that there needs to be a different element and a different mindset within the organization so that ultimately we can get what we want and what the city of Buffalo deserves. There is going to be a change, and I think the players are going to feel it.”

From there, Brady pointed toward a new energy heading into the 2026 season. He made it clear that his methods will push players to think differently, both as individuals and as a group. At the same time, he emphasized that this is not a teardown. The offense will not be stripped down or rebuilt from scratch, even as expectations rise.

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Because of that continuity, the Bills will stick with the same system installed last season. Under Brady’s guidance, calling the offense, Allen delivered steady production, posting a 102.2 passer rating with 3,668 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. That consistency matters as the team looks to take the next step. With Brady calling plays, Buffalo’s rushing attack led the NFL in attempts, yards, and touchdowns.

Now, as the new voice in charge, Brady and Allen face a shared challenge at Highmark Stadium: turning regular-season dominance into the playoff breakthrough the Bills Mafia has waited for.