On Wednesday morning, the Bills promoted Leslie Frazier from defensive coordinator to defensive coordinator/assistant head coach. The new title likely comes with a pay bump for the veteran coach, who has guided a very effective defense in recent years. 
“Upon taking the job in Buffalo, it was important to me to add a coach with previous head coaching experience like Leslie,” head coach Sean McDermott said in a press release. “His fingerprints are all over our operation and I’m extremely grateful for all the years we have worked together. Leslie’s impact on our team is felt every day through his guidance, wisdom, and his genuine care for people. He is a great example to everyone within our organization.”
The Bills’ D has ranked top 5 in the league for the past two seasons. Last year, they placed third in the league overall and second in points surrendered. They were also top 10 in first downs allowed, third down defense, sacks, and total takeaways, something they had not done as a franchise since 1999. For his part, Frazier says he’s excited about the new title.
“It definitely highlights that my role here goes beyond just being the defensive coordinator,” said Frazier. “What message it sends to owners I’m not all together sure, but it helps illuminate what my role is here in Buffalo.”
He’s a heck of a coach!!
I’m surprised he didn’t even get a head coaching interview this offseason
I’m surprised my children still speak to me
He went 21-32 as a head coach. Some guys are just much better suited at being coordinators.
He’s also 60 and seems quite good at being at DC. It’s certainly possible that he’s not even interested in being a head coach again. Some guys aren’t.
If you look at the numbers, there’s been a large number of coaches that improve AFTER getting their first shot as a head coach..They learn from their mistakes the first go around, they’re able to build off their previous knowledge, and in turn, they end up having more success the second go around.
Even with that being said, you are right, some coaches are just better off as coordinators. Whether it is due to their communication skills, leadership skills, not hiring the right assistants, a non cohesive front office/owner, a lack of talent, inexperience, or whether it is just not being able to handle multiple roles, these are all reasons some coaches fail after transitioning from being an excellent coordinator over to being a head coach.
Also, like you mentioned, some coaches really just dont care to be head coaches. I dont know him personally, but I dont think that’s the case with Frazier. Even going off the comment mentioned in the article, Frazier takes alot of pride in being a leader of men.
The NFL should be embarrassed that he wasn’t even brought in for an interview. Frazier is one of the few coaches that can come in and immediately change the atmosphere around the team.
If he gets a second opportunity, and if he hires a good offensive mind to run his offense, then I could easily see Frazier as being a very successful head coach.
I hope he ultimately gets that chance, if he does in fact want another shot. His players love him, yet he also runs a tight ship and immediately earns their respect.
Happy for Frazier though, and congrats goes out to him and his family..!!
To expand on that a little, there are currently three minority coaches that I truly believe could eventually become solid and great head coaches..Eric Bieniemy from Kansas City, Joe Woods in Cleveland, and the aforementioned Leslie Frazier.
All three are excellent candidates, and even better men and leaders; however, Joe Woods is my favorite of the three. That is only because of my bias to his work in San Francisco, and how he was able to come in and completely transform the back end of their defense.
He has been a coach for over 26 years, and has mentored, ran, and helped create two excellent and notorious sets of secondaries his past two stops in Denver and SF. Statistically speaking, what he did last year was a feat unmatched by anyone in recent NFL History. He was able to take one of the worst secondaries in the NFL, and without any changes to their personnel, except Woods, he quickly turned them into an absolute force and one of the league’s best.
He basically only had one household name to work with, Richard Sherman, and the rest of the players at his disposal were mostly unknown. Tartt and Ward had previously had some levels of success, but K’Waun Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon, Mercel Harris, Emmanuel Moseley, T.Moore, etc. All had career years under Woods…
He’s finally getting his shot in Cleveland as a DC this year, and they got a great one!! Stefanski made an excellent move and the Browns will be all the better for it!!