A new era for the Buffalo Bills under Joe Brady is beginning with a heartfelt goodbye from a key member of the old guard. Former assistant Christian Taylor recently opened up about his departure from Josh Allen’s team as he looks forward to taking on a bigger role in college football. In his message, he had nothing but gratitude for the team, fans, and the city he had served for the past two seasons in multiple roles. 

“Thank you to all the coaches, staff, players, fans, and community of Buffalo,” Taylor wrote on X. “My family and I loved our two years there, are very appreciative of all the incredible people we got to meet, and lifelong friendships we got to build. Go Bills! #BillsMafia.”

Taylor’s farewell message comes just a month after the University of Wyoming hired him as its next offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He moved to Laramie last week after finishing the Bills’ season, which culminated in a crushing AFC divisional loss to the Denver Broncos on January 17. He first joined the team in 2014, starting as a defensive quality control coach.

This past season, he served as an offensive advisor and defensive assistant, which gave him exposure to multiple aspects of the game. In fact, Taylor described his meaningful experience with Allen and Buffalo’s system as earning a “Ph.D. in football.” Meanwhile, Taylor’s coaching career began in 2008 at William & Mary. It’s his alma mater, which he shares with former head coaches Sean McDermott and Mike Tomlin. 

After brief stints at San Diego State, Michigan, San Diego, and Illinois Wesleyan, he returned to William & Mary in 2023. He led his offense to rank among the best and secure a spot in the FCS quarterfinals. The feat also earned him the AFCA FCS Assistant Coach of the Year. And now he’s ready to train the young talent at Wyoming. Speaking at the introductory press conference on Saturday, Taylor revealed how “tough” it was to leave the Bills. 

“My passion is courting an offense,” he said. “That’s what I love to do. That’s what gets me going when I wake up each morning, and I was itching to do that again. So, I had some good chats with (former Bills coach Sean) McDermott about it. That was the ultimate decision. I see how close this program [Wyoming college program] is to achieving some great things, and I’m hoping to come help get that done for us.”

As Taylor takes the next big step, head coach Joe Brady is making big staff moves. 

Josh Allen’s coach builds his vision with key coaching hires

Under new head coach Joe Brady, the Bills have moved fast this offseason to assemble their new coaching staff. Brady’s vision for a new-look Bills staff is quickly taking shape, starting on the defensive side of the ball with the hiring of former Broncos assistant Jim Leonhard as coordinator. A former safety who played 149 NFL games, Leonhard recently served as assistant head coach and pass game coordinator with the Broncos.

Leonhard hasn’t run a full NFL defense before. But his vast experience as both a player and coach at Wisconsin and Illinois makes him stand out. 

“You could tell how smart and versatile his secondary was when we watched [the Broncos] on tape,” Brady said on Saturday. “He is super intelligent, a great communicator, and highly regarded in this league.”

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Under Leonhard, the team may bring Jay Valai as a potential defensive backs coach. Valai currently holds multiple defensive roles at Oklahoma and has a deep background in pass defense. Moreover, Leonhard and Valai’s connection dates back to their time at Wisconsin, where they both played together. Interestingly, Leonhard is the second former Broncos assistant to join the Bills recently. 

Pete Carmichael is the Bills’ new offensive coordinator. He is a Super Bowl-winning coordinator from his years with the New Orleans Saints. He has also assisted Sean Payton for many years. Lastly, the Bills have welcomed veteran coach Jeff Rodgers as special teams coordinator. He spent the past eight seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and has enjoyed over two decades coaching in the NFL. Recently, Joe Brady revealed how proud he is of all the latest arrivals.

With a revamped coaching staff, the Bills are signaling a clear intent to retool for a serious Super Bowl push next season.