The Buffalo Bills are turning the page-and they’re doing it with a new defensive mind at the helm. On Thursday, the team officially introduced Jim Leonhard as their new defensive coordinator, joining forces with newly appointed head coach Joe Brady.
It’s a fresh start for a franchise that’s been knocking on the door of greatness but hasn’t quite broken through. And Leonhard, who most recently served as the defensive pass game coordinator for the Denver Broncos, knows exactly what it takes to beat this Bills team-because he just helped do it.
Leonhard was part of the Broncos staff that eliminated Buffalo from the playoffs in a 33-30 thriller, a game that left fans talking for days-especially about one controversial moment involving wide receiver Brandin Cooks and Broncos safety Ja’Quan McMillian. The play in question? A bang-bang sequence where McMillian ripped the ball away from Cooks, resulting in a game-changing interception.
Naturally, the topic came up during Leonhard’s first press conference in Buffalo. When asked about the play, the 43-year-old didn’t dodge the question-instead, he leaned into it with a mix of honesty and humor.
“It was not [a catch],” Leonhard said with a laugh. “We caught it.
Denver caught it that time. I'll have a different opinion here very soon.”
Leonhard acknowledged the awkwardness of evaluating the play now that he’s wearing Bills blue, but he kept it light, noting that the current NFL season technically isn’t over until the Super Bowl wraps up. “To me, it's still the '25 season,” he said.
“That Super Bowl hasn't been played yet. So, I have to have a little bit of loyalty there.
But ask me in another week, and I'll give you a different answer.”
That kind of candor-mixed with a touch of wit-is likely to sit well in Buffalo, a city that appreciates straight shooters and football minds who know how to get results. And make no mistake: Leonhard has the résumé. A former NFL safety with a reputation for being one of the smartest players on the field, he’s built his coaching career on defensive versatility and attention to detail, particularly in the secondary.
New #Bills DC Jim Leonhard, who was the #Broncos’ defensive pass game coordinator, was asked today whether the Brandin Cooks/Ja’Quan McMillian play was a catch or an interception.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 5, 2026
His answer 👇👇 pic.twitter.com/UrDtIwdknp
As for the Cooks play, it became a lightning rod in the days following the Bills' playoff exit. Fans and analysts dissected it from every angle, with screenshots flying across social media in an attempt to prove it was a catch.
But as anyone who’s been around the game long enough knows, screenshots rarely tell the full story. The only thing that mattered in the end was that McMillian had the ball-and the Broncos had the win.
That loss marked the end of an era in Buffalo. Head coach Sean McDermott, who helped turn the Bills into perennial contenders, was let go after the season. Now, the Brady-Leonhard tandem is tasked with pushing this team over the hump-a place McDermott could never quite take them.
It’s a pivotal moment for the franchise. The foundation is still strong, with a talented roster and a quarterback who can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the league. But the margin for error in the AFC is razor-thin, and the Bills know they need every edge they can get.
Leonhard brings a fresh voice to the defensive room, and perhaps just as importantly, a perspective shaped by recent success against the very team he’s now trying to elevate. If he can help Buffalo shore up its defense-especially in late-game situations-the Bills might finally be ready to take that next step.
For now, Leonhard is adjusting to life in Buffalo, trading in Broncos orange for Bills blue-and maybe, just maybe, rethinking his stance on what counts as a catch.