The Buffalo Bills are making moves to solidify their offensive brain trust, and they’re doing it with a familiar face-at least to new head coach Joe Brady. The team is bringing in Pete Carmichael Jr. as its next offensive coordinator, a hire that adds a veteran presence to Brady’s staff as he enters his first full season at the helm.
Carmichael comes to Buffalo after spending the past two seasons as a senior offensive assistant with the Denver Broncos. But his most notable stretch came in New Orleans, where he served as the Saints’ offensive coordinator from 2009 through 2023. That’s 15 years of experience guiding one of the league’s most prolific offenses-years that included the peak of the Drew Brees era and some of the most innovative offensive football we’ve seen in the modern NFL.
And here’s where it gets interesting: Carmichael and Brady go way back. The two worked together in New Orleans during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, when Brady was cutting his teeth as an offensive assistant under Carmichael’s direction.
That shared history matters. It means there’s already a level of trust and philosophical alignment between the two-something that can’t be overstated as Brady looks to establish his culture and system in Buffalo.
Now, let’s be clear: Carmichael won’t be calling plays for the Bills. Brady has already stated he’ll retain that responsibility.
But that doesn’t diminish the importance of this hire. Carmichael brings decades of experience in game planning, opponent scouting, and quarterback development-skills that will be critical as the Bills look to maximize their offensive potential in a highly competitive AFC landscape.
For Brady, having a seasoned mind like Carmichael in the room is like having a second set of eyes with a deep understanding of how to build and adapt an offense over the course of a long season. It’s a move that speaks to Brady’s self-awareness as a young head coach-knowing when to lean on experience while still maintaining control of the vision.
Buffalo’s offense already has the talent. Now, with Brady calling the shots and Carmichael helping to shape the scheme behind the scenes, the Bills are building the kind of infrastructure that can support a deep playoff run. This isn’t just about X’s and O’s-it’s about creating a collaborative offensive environment that can evolve, adjust, and attack defenses in multiple ways.
Bottom line: the Bills just added a proven offensive mind who knows how to win and, just as importantly, knows how to work with the man now in charge. That’s a smart, strategic move as Buffalo enters a pivotal offseason.