Joe Brady’s coaching journey has officially come full circle - and now, he’s at the top of the mountain.
The Buffalo Bills have hired Brady as their new head coach, a move that cements his rapid rise through the NFL coaching ranks. At just 36 years old, Brady becomes the youngest head coach in the league, taking over for Sean McDermott, who held the role since 2017 and, like Brady, has ties to the Carolina Panthers.
Brady’s path hasn’t been the smoothest, but it’s been undeniably impressive. He first made his mark in the NFL as the offensive coordinator for the Panthers under Matt Rhule.
His time in Carolina was brief - he was let go in December 2021 - but many around the league saw him as a scapegoat for a struggling offense that had bigger issues than just play-calling. Still, the dismissal didn’t derail his trajectory.
In 2022, Brady landed in Buffalo as the quarterbacks coach, working closely with Josh Allen. That partnership quickly blossomed.
By midseason in 2023, Brady was promoted to interim offensive coordinator, and the Bills liked what they saw. He was officially given the OC title in 2024 and retained it through 2025.
And the results? They speak for themselves.
In Brady’s two full seasons calling plays, the Bills’ offense ranked second and fourth in the league in scoring. That’s elite territory.
Even more telling: no team in the NFL ran for more touchdowns during that span. That’s not just about scheme - it’s about balance, execution, and knowing how to put your playmakers in position to succeed.
Brady did that consistently.
His work with Allen was especially notable. The Bills quarterback has always had the tools - the arm strength, the mobility, the toughness - but under Brady’s guidance, the offense found a rhythm that made Buffalo one of the league’s most dangerous teams week in and week out.
Before his NFL success, Brady made waves at the college level. In his final year before jumping to the pros, he was part of the coaching staff behind the most prolific scoring offense in college football history - a season that turned heads across the football world and led to his initial shot with Carolina.
Now, Brady takes the reins in Buffalo on a five-year deal, stepping into a role once held by his predecessor McDermott, who, like Brady, cut his teeth in Carolina - McDermott as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator from 2011 to 2016.
Brady brings eight years of NFL coaching experience and five more at the college level. And while he may be young by head coaching standards, his résumé - and more importantly, his results - suggest he’s more than ready for the challenge.
The Bills are betting on a fresh voice, a proven offensive mind, and a coach who’s already earned the trust of one of the league’s top quarterbacks. If Brady’s track record is any indication, this could be the start of something big in Buffalo.