The Buffalo Bills are wasting no time reshaping their identity after yet another postseason letdown. Following their 2025 Divisional Round exit, the organization made a bold move-parting ways with longtime head coach Sean McDermott and promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the top job. Now, Brady is building out his staff, and he's turning to a familiar face to help guide the next chapter of the Bills' offense.
Buffalo is bringing in Pete Carmichael as their new offensive coordinator, a hire that reunites Brady with his former mentor. The two worked together in New Orleans from 2017 to 2018, during Carmichael’s lengthy 15-year tenure with the Saints. That stretch in New Orleans was marked by consistency and creativity on offense, and Brady clearly sees value in rekindling that connection as he takes the reins in Buffalo.
Carmichael most recently served as a senior offensive assistant in Denver under Sean Payton from 2024 to 2025. While the Broncos didn’t exactly boast a star-studded cast of offensive weapons, their unit was one of the more efficient groups in the league last season. That’s a credit to the structure and adaptability of the Payton-Carmichael scheme, which helped rookie quarterback Bo Nix navigate the NFL learning curve with surprising poise.
Now Carmichael steps into a very different situation in Buffalo-one with a franchise quarterback already in place. Josh Allen remains one of the league’s most dynamic players, and he’ll turn 30 before the 2026 season kicks off.
The urgency to capitalize on his prime is real. Pair Allen with a rising star in running back James Cook and a versatile group of pass-catchers, and the Bills have the pieces to be one of the most dangerous offenses in the league.
Brady will handle play-calling duties, much like Payton does in Denver, which allows Carmichael to operate in a strategic support role. His experience designing and adjusting game plans could be a huge asset, especially in high-leverage moments where Buffalo has fallen short in recent years.
The Bills know that if they’re going to finally break through and reach a Super Bowl, it’s going to start with the offense. They’ve been close-painfully close-but something’s always been missing when it matters most. This new setup, with Brady at the helm and Carmichael in his corner, is designed to get the most out of Allen and the talent around him.
On the other side of the ball, the picture isn’t quite as clear. Buffalo has yet to name a new defensive coordinator, though reports indicate that Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard is a leading candidate. Leonhard, a former NFL safety with a sharp defensive mind, would bring a fresh approach to a unit that’s struggled to stay healthy and consistent in recent seasons.
As the coaching carousel continues to turn, the Bills are positioning themselves for a reset-not a rebuild. With Brady and Carmichael steering the offense and a potential defensive hire on the horizon, Buffalo is signaling that the window is still open. The question now is whether this new staff can finally get them through it.