Joe Brady‘s two months as the Bills’ interim offensive coordinator have landed him back on the head coaching radar. The Buffalo assistant received a request from the Falcons regarding their HC position, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
In his second season with the Bills, Brady has not interviewed for an NFL HC job since 2021. That offseason brought a host of interviews for the former Panthers OC. The Eagles, Chargers, Jets, Texans and Falcons met with Brady about HC vacancies. After firing the coach they hired during that cycle (Arthur Smith), the Falcons want to check in on Brady once again.
The Bills hired Brady, 34, as quarterbacks coach in 2022, doing so after they promoted Ken Dorsey to OC to replace Brian Daboll. Dorsey’s stretch did produce impressive statistics, and the Bills went 13-3 last season — one that saw a game removed from their schedule following Damar Hamlin‘s life-threatening injury. But Buffalo flamed out in the divisional round and began this season making mistakes that pushed this year’s team to the wild-card fringe. This led to the Bills firing Dorsey and promoting Brady in November.
While the offensive statistics have not spiked under Brady, the Bills are 6-1 in his OC tenure — with the loss featuring Josh Allen accounting for 420 yards against the Eagles. The team has also leaned more on James Cook, who finished with 1,567 scrimmage yards — the most by a Buffalo running back since LeSean McCoy in 2017.
A former pass-game coordinator with LSU’s unbeaten 2019 national championship team, Brady spent two seasons as Panthers OC before being fired during the 2021 campaign.
The Falcons have already gone far down the road with Bill Belichick. The NFL’s second-winningest coach is meeting with team brass this weekend, making it possible the team will not get to all of its interviews requested. Courtesy of PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how Atlanta’s candidate list looks as of Friday afternoon:
- Bill Belichick, former head coach (Patriots): To conduct second interview
- Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/13
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interviewed 1/14
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/19
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Interviewed 1/16
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Brian Johnson, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/18
- Mike Macdonald, defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/12
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): To interview 1/20
- Antonio Pierce, interim head coach (Raiders): Interview requested
- Bobby Slowik, offensive coordinator (Texans): Interview requested
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Mentioned as candidate
- Anthony Weaver, defensive line coach (Ravens): Interviewed 1/14
- Steve Wilks, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/13
Meh. Just an OC at this point.
Could they just be doing their due diligence to hire him as an OC to Belichick or whomever the hire as HC? He’s only interim, so I don’t think the Bills could block it, right?
Given the choice, Brady would likely remain in Buffalo where he has more autonomy instead of being under BB’s thumb.
Sam, you can probably cross Antonio Pierce off the candidate list since he took the Raiders job.
Falcons are also set to bring in:
Just to be on the safe side……..
Mike Brady
Greg Brady
Peter Brady
Bobby Brady
AND
Tom Brady
The Team is gonna interview a BUNCH of BRADYS
Marcia satisfies a Rooney Rule interview…
(Brady Anderson clears throat)
How ’bout no