In the aftermath of another underwhelming performance, the Bills are making a signficant change on the sidelines. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey has been fired, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since confirmed the move. 
The Bills have struggled to an extent on offense in 2023, Dorsey’s second year in charge of the unit. He will be replaced by quarterbacks coach Joe Brady, Schefter adds. The latter has also been in Buffalo since 2022, having previously served as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator under head coach Matt Rhule.
The departure of Brian Daboll led to questions about Buffalo’s ability to remain amongst the league’s top offenses with Dorsey at the helm. It came as little surprise when the Bills decided to look in-house for Daboll’s successor, promoting Dorsey from the QB coach position he had held with the team for the previous three years. While Buffalo has posted strong statistical showings during Dorsey’s time as OC, he has been dismissed in the hopes of providing a spark for the unit and getting the team’s postseason push back on track.
The Bills ranked second in the league in both total and scoring offense last season, a sign that the switch to Dorsey could have been one with long-term appeal. However, the team suffered a lackluster defeat in the postseason during the divisional round, and week-to-week consistency has been hard to come by in 2023. This year, Buffalo sits eighth in the NFL in both points (26) and yards (377) per game.
After recording three straight high-scoring wins starting in Week 2, the Bills have failed to score 30 points in their last six games. Turnovers have been a major issue for the unit, which has led to increased criticism of quarterback Josh Allen. Aiming to produce a rebound from their franchise passer, the team will now proceed with a new face for the stretch run. Today’s move will leave Buffalo with neither the offensive nor defensive coordinator which was in place following the end of the 2022 campaign.
DC Leslie Frazier stepped away from football in February, though he intends to return to the sidelines either as a coordinator or a head coach in the future. Head coach Sean McDermott has called plays on defense this season, and that unit has not delivered to the extent it has in past seasons. Injuries on defense have been a major storyline for Buffalo this year, but McDermott has drawn criticism on a number of fronts, including most recently the disorganization which resulted in a penalty to give the Broncos a chance to win in come-from-behind fashion last night. In the wake of that special teams mistake, McDermott will move forward with a new voice for the offense.
Dorsey will now join the 2024 coaching cycle early. The 42-year-old interviewed with the Panthers for their head coaching vacancy last offseason. Given the manner in which his Buffalo tenure has come to an end, it will be interesting to see how much of a market he generates in the winter. Buffalo, meanwhile, will aim for a step forward in efficiency with Brady at the helm.
A little too late for my fantasy football team’s prospects but here’s hoping it’s a move that pacifies Bills Mafia.
Who cares about your fantasy team.
He does. Why be a jerk?
I do. He seems like a nice fella.
New OC is gonna fix the turn over problems the Bills have.
It genuinely might, a big part of the decision making is calling plays that create mismatches and give him the opportunity to make easy decisions. Dorseys play calls just had the offense looking flat recently.
A new coach could better prepare the offensive game plan and get the team better prepared. They seem to be sleep walking their way through the first half of every game this season and Dorsey’s schemes are too basic for the NFL. Thus Allen tries to play hero ball to make up for it…
While his schemes may be lacking, players have to make plays, had to be problems behind the scenes
Yeah because that’ll fix Allen’s accuracy issues and fumbling tendencies.
First know what you are talking about
Prior to last night Allen was second in league for accuracy
Now turnovers are a different story but yes coaching can impact turnovers
The lack of Pre snap motion doesn’t allow QB to read zone or Man to man thus thinking it’s a one on one coverage while it’s not and the safety is able to slide over for Interception
The play call with 2 players running similar routs just different depths a gain allows for defensive players to jump routes
Finally the predictability of the offensive play calling allows DC’s to game plan vailed defenses at the most opportunistic times
So yes the coach definitely has an impact
Lol I’ve forgotten more than you know.
Yes, changing OC again will finally help Allen get under the 10 INT a season right? Dudes on pace for 20 INT’s blame the OC…. Blame the coaches for the player’s inabilities.
He’s arguing that coaching can help, not that it’s a magic panacea cure all.
I’m not saying it can’t help. But with a player like Allen who has not a single thought about taking care of the ball it doesn’t matter if the CB’s play on a different field in a different state…. Josh will still find a way to throw them an INT…
Football is situational…and Dorsey put Allen in more high-risk/low-reward situations than necessary. Time to let someone else do the game planning
Sounds like you have forgotten everything you know.
murf
The Bills are 2nd in the league for total TDs only behind Mia and ahead of the Ravens. They are 5th in the league in Passing and 11th in rushing. While your explanation was cute this seems like a scapegoat move. I have always thought Sean Mc as an overrated HC.
As a long time Bills fan all I have to say is it’s about blinking time. Yesterday’s offensive showing was a flipping joke. That’s something that you would consider from a team like this years Panthers team not a playoff/Superbowl offense like the Bills are built for
The offensive showing was a joke because of the execution, not the playcalling.
Have you watched the games this season? Dorsey’s game plans are more basic than many high schools employ.
If a team can’t successfully execute the basic fundamentals how is making things more complex going to achieve results?
Yeah, I’m a Jets fan so I peek in at other AFC East teams frequently. The gameplans seem to have been simplified because the OL has regressed, they lack offensive weapons, and Josh Allen plays like his butt is on fire.
Kinda hard to call a good game when the personnel lacks.
My condolences.
The Bills are 2nd in the league in total offensive TDs! Only behind Miami. This is a scapegoat move by a HIGHLY overrated HC.
The opposite argument is they could be first in offensive TDs and wins with an OC who wasn’t in over his head with a bad temperment to boot.
I guess we’ll see how they respond, but their next 3 games are against very solid defenses.
“Head coach Sean McDermott has called plays on defense this season, and that unit has not delivered to the extent it has in past seasons.”
This seems like an unnecessary criticism. Despite a ton of injuries, they’re 5th in the league in points allowed per game. Granted, they’ve been top 2 in the last couple of years, but the defense is not their problem.
Now, if the Chargers would fire Brandon Staley
Buffalo coukd fire the entire staff, it would not solve anything
The team is a Dumpster fire, I have m o idea what the cause is
Im okay with this.
I know there are things that were not under Dorsey’s control. He didn’t fumble. He didn’t throw picks. He often called good plays and Allen chose the harder routes. He didn’t drop passes.
All of that is true.
But – so many bad play calls too. 3 straight shotgun run plays on the GL when you need a foot to score? Receivers in the same area. Zero offense identity. Almost no creativity. Very predictable calls. Strange personnel packages.
The complete inability to manage the team personnel. It’s not just 2023, its last year too.
So much is also on Allen and McDermott too. Dorsey just got “volunteered “ into the volcano. Rarely is the OC the only issue.
BUT: I think we have seen enough to know a change is needed. Its not improving. It’s getting worse. Maybe Joe Brady does shake it up. A new voice. New ideas. There is too much talent on this team to be this bad. We need a direction. The Bills are likely out if the playoffs. No harm in trying something new.
Hey giants fire daboll so he can go back to bills. Lets go!!!!
Hey Mike Tomlin…. See you can fire an OC during the season.
Firing the OC won’t magically make Pickett not suck sadly.
“Everything was that guy’s fault !!!”
Buffalo will be calling their offensive unit THE BRADY BUNCH.
I hear Josh McDaniels is available.
Guess they didn’t watch the game last night. As turnovers, poor receiver play, and a bonehead special teams error was what cost them the game – none of which was Dorsey’s fault. I wonder if Allen threw the guy under the bus after the game.
The offense is clearly a problem and has been for awhile.
Alas, the Super Bowl window has closed yet again in Buffalo. Someday.
Does this mean 90% of the plays won’t end with “… throw to Diggs”?
Before the season I totally considered the Bills to be a playoff contender. In no way did I ever consider them to be in the convo of SB contender. I will admit tho, I’m jealous that they’re willing to make changes when things don’t go the way they hoped. The Bengals, adversely, could lose the rest of the season and would be ecstatic to bring back the exact same coaching staff, front office and roster that totally failed them. The lack of accountability in this organization is infuriating.
Hey Cincy,
You beat the Niners and Bills and a dropped end zone TD catch to keep you from beating Texans. Bengals will need to beat Ravens to keep alive for division. Otherwise, wild card and Bengals team can beat anybody on the road. Be happy you have a legitimate SB contender most teams don’t want to see in playoffs.
Cincinnati already has lost to Cleveland and Baltimore, plus the Bengals have yet to play Pittsburgh. Those games go a long way.
Bills downturn started end of last season. #17 trying to play hero ball to win games. Get the running game going consistently without Allen getting hurt. Bills playoff chances dwindling with real tough 2nd half schedule. Maybe Brady can make the changes to get them to 10 wins, which might squeeze Bills in playoffs. Lots of talent on this team, but injuries have really hurt this season.
The #1 excuse as always. Buffalo let Devin Singletary go to Houston as a free agent and he’s helped put the Texans into the mix.
Will the new OC be able to get Allen away from playing hero ball?
Did he tear up the office like he did when he threw a tantrum in the booth?
Maybe they will bring back Daboll next year? He was a huge loss. And it’s possible he doesn’t return in NY. Although I’d keep him. The NYG should have a high draft pick and can get a QB.
Sounds like Dorsey is just the scapegoat, McDermott had to pull something out to try to justify things, he’s now under the microscope
8th in points and 8th in yards and you lose your job? Scapegoating the OC for the turnovers doesn’t seem right. If they said their offense refuses to commit to the run, I’d get it, but still a head scratcher. To me, at least.
Not sure there are any offensive coordinators who have a better track record than Dorsey available at any price. Seems like a very rash move to me, unless Dorsey has recently developed a substance abuse issue.