The Buffalo Bills are wasting no time reshaping their coaching staff under new head coach Joe Brady. Less than 24 hours after bringing in Pete Carmichael as offensive coordinator, the team has landed another notable addition - Jim Leonhard is set to take over as defensive coordinator.
Leonhard, who most recently served as the Denver Broncos’ defensive passing game coordinator, now takes on a bigger role in Buffalo. According to reports, the two sides have agreed to terms, and the hire marks a significant step in Brady’s early efforts to build out his staff.
This is a homecoming of sorts for Leonhard. Before he was drawing up coverages on the sideline, he was reading offenses on the field as a safety.
After a standout college career at Wisconsin, Leonhard entered the NFL in 2005 as an undrafted free agent - with the Bills. He carved out a decade-long playing career that included stints with the Ravens, Jets, Broncos, Browns, and two separate runs in Buffalo.
He was known as a smart, instinctive player - the kind of guy who made up for what he lacked in measurables with elite football IQ.
That football brain has translated well to coaching. After hanging up the cleats, Leonhard returned to Wisconsin to begin his coaching journey, ultimately becoming one of the most respected defensive minds in the college game.
He later spent a season at Illinois before making the jump to the NFL with the Broncos. In Denver, he started as a defensive backs coach and quickly climbed the ladder, earning a promotion to pass game coordinator under Vance Joseph.
Now, he’s stepping into a big role with a Buffalo defense that has long been a strength but needs a fresh voice after a disappointing playoff exit. Leonhard brings a player’s perspective, a coach’s discipline, and a reputation for developing defensive backs - all of which should serve him well in a division that features some explosive passing attacks.
It’s also worth noting the connective tissue here. Both Leonhard and Carmichael come from the Sean Payton coaching tree, as does Brady. That shared lineage could help build early chemistry among the staff - and that matters when a team is trying to retool on the fly.
Brady’s promotion to head coach came after a sweeping change at the top, with owner Terry Pegula moving on from Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane conducting what was described as an “exhaustive” search before settling on the in-house candidate. Since then, Brady has been decisive, pulling in two coaches from the very team that ended the Bills’ season.
It might raise a few eyebrows - hiring from your playoff vanquisher - but this isn’t about revenge. It’s about alignment. Brady is surrounding himself with coaches who speak the same football language, who understand how to teach and adapt, and who have proven they can scheme at a high level.
Leonhard’s arrival gives the Bills a defensive coordinator who’s not just familiar with the franchise, but who also brings fresh ideas and a modern approach to coverage. For a team that still believes its championship window is open, this hire could be a key piece in keeping that window propped up just a little longer.