The Buffalo Bills are officially in the Joe Brady era, and the first major moves of his coaching staff are starting to take shape. Brady, who was recently promoted to head coach, is wasting no time assembling a group that reflects his offensive vision - and he’s turning to familiar faces to do it.
The Bills have agreed to terms with Pete Carmichael Jr. to become their new offensive coordinator, according to a league source. Carmichael brings with him a deep well of experience and, perhaps more importantly, a shared history with Brady that could help fast-track the team’s offensive transition.
This is one of the cornerstone hires for Brady as he builds out his staff. The defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator roles are still open, but locking in an offensive coordinator - especially one who understands Brady’s background and philosophy - is a foundational step.
Carmichael’s most recent stop was in Denver, where he served as a senior offensive assistant under Sean Payton. But his connection to Brady goes back further.
The two first worked together in New Orleans, where Carmichael was the offensive coordinator and Brady was just getting his NFL start as a coaching assistant in 2017. Brady stayed with the Saints through 2018 before heading to LSU, where he helped engineer one of the most explosive college offenses in recent memory.
Carmichael spent 13 seasons as Payton’s offensive coordinator in New Orleans, helping guide some of the most consistently productive offenses in the NFL. Now, he’ll be tasked with helping Brady bring that same kind of efficiency and creativity to Buffalo.
At his introductory press conference, Brady spoke openly about the influence Payton had on his coaching career - and by extension, the impact of Carmichael as part of that Saints brain trust.
“I was a coaching assistant [in New Orleans], right? I was bottom of the barrel, sleeping at the office, loving life,” Brady said.
“But I got an opportunity to learn everything from him. And there’s no way in hell I’d be sitting in this chair right now if I didn’t get that opportunity to be his coaching assistant.”
That mentorship clearly left a mark. And now, Brady’s bringing in someone who not only shares that lineage but who also knows how to execute within it.
Payton himself had high praise for Brady this week, saying, “I hired him right out of college. Proud of him. You want to see guys that come in and work, that are a part of your staff - you want to see them have success.”
Brady will be calling plays himself, just as Payton did in New Orleans, but he made it clear that he’s looking to delegate more than he did as offensive coordinator. That’s where trust comes in - and why Carmichael’s hire makes so much sense.
“I’m not the offensive coordinator anymore,” Brady said. “It’s important when I put together this staff that I put together guys that understand the vision that I am looking for, with different ideas. I’m putting it together so that I don’t live and do everything like I did as the offensive coordinator.”
Carmichael has been in that supporting role before - helping Payton execute his vision while also bringing his own flavor to the offense. Now, he’ll be doing the same for Brady in Buffalo.
But the offensive coordinator isn’t the only key hire the Bills have made. The team has also agreed to terms with Pat Meyer to become their new offensive line coach, per a team source. Meyer most recently held that same role with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he spent the last four seasons.
There’s familiarity here, too. Meyer and Brady worked together in Carolina, where Brady was offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021 and Meyer coached the offensive line. That shared experience - especially in the trenches - will be crucial as the Bills look to stabilize and elevate their offensive front.
This will be Meyer’s second stint in Buffalo. He was part of Rex Ryan’s staff in 2015 and 2016 as an offensive assistant. Now, he returns to take over for Aaron Kromer, who retired at the end of the 2025 season.
Brady also noted that some members of Sean McDermott’s previous coaching staff will be retained, though he didn’t name anyone specifically. That blend of continuity and fresh perspective could be key as the Bills look to maintain their competitive edge while evolving under new leadership.
With Carmichael and Meyer now in the fold, Brady has two trusted voices beside him - coaches who not only know the demands of the NFL but also understand the kind of culture and system he’s trying to build. It’s early, but the pieces are starting to fall into place in Buffalo. And if the chemistry between Brady and his new hires clicks the way it did in the past, the Bills could be gearing up for a new era of offensive firepower.