Bills Central

Davis Webb's Coaching Journey Nearly Started With Bills

Davis Webb, the newly-minted quarterbacks coach for Sean Payton's Denver Broncos, nearly had the same job with the Buffalo Bills after backing up Josh Allen.

Geoff Maggliocchetti

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Davis Webb's football journey has been defined by travel and movement. It's perhaps only appropriate that his occupation within the gridiron realm is undergoing a makeover.

Webb, who spent three years with the Buffalo Bills during quarterback Josh Allen's rise to prominence (2019-21), is the Denver Broncos' new quarterbacks coach at age 28, joining Sean Payton's staff as the team tries to salvage the passing career of pricey new franchise quarterback Russell Wilson after a brutal debut this past season.

The Bills were the penultimate top of Webb's six-year playing career in the NFL sandwiched by stints with the New York Giants. Prior to his NFL entry, Webb battled fellow freshman and future top NFL draft pick Baker Mayfield for the starting job at Texas Tech before Patrick Mahomes' Lubbock takeover. Webb then spent one year at Cal-Berkeley, setting numerous passing records as a Golden Bear.

A report from The Athletic chronicling the change in career said Webb's time in a polo and headset nearly got started in Western New York, one of two big positions he turned down in the early going (the other being the offensive coordinator job at Football Bowl Subdivision mid-major Texas State). Webb had ended the 2021-22 season as a backup to both Allen and Mitchell Trubisky, making his NFL regular season debut in a blowout victory over the New York Jets earlier that season.

Webb's passing mentor Tony Racioppi mentioned that the Bills were keen on having Webb back in any role necessary, a quest that produced "six days" of FaceTime meetings. The conversation primarily centered upon Webb holding some sort of "behind-the-scenes" role in Allen's continued development, primarily looking to take over for newly-minted offensive coordinator Ken Doesey's vacated role as quarterbacks coach. Webb, however, sought one last opportunity for further action on the field.

"There were times in that conversation where he was going to be the Bills’ quarterbacks coach," Racioppi recalled to Nick Kosmider. "There were times where he was going to be a Bills quarterback and times where he was going to be a Giants quarterback. I think he said, ‘You know what? Let me give this one more shot and bet on myself.’”

That decision paid off with help from an old friend: Brian Daboll, the Bills' former offensive coordinator, brought Webb aboard to the Giants on a reserve-future deal upon taking up Big Blue's head coaching job. Webb's NFL career began when he was chosen by the Giants in the third round of the 2017 draft, the highest blue quarterback taken since Phillip Rivers 12 years prior. Rivers, of course, was later dealt to the San Diego Chargers for Eli Manning. 

Webb's dreams of extended reps were realized during the final week of the 2022-23 season. With the Giants locked into the NFC's fifth playoff seed, Webb got the start the team's Week 18 finale in Philadelphia in place of Daniel Jones. He was responsible for both of the Giants' touchdowns in a 22-16 loss, running one in from 14 yards out before finding Kenny Golladay from 25 away in the penultimate minute.

Another new Giants leader, general manager Joe Schoen, was also aware of what Webb could offer both in the present and future, recalling his busy practice sessions in Buffalo.

“He would play safety in Buffalo to give Josh (Allen) looks as a scout-team guy,” Schoen recalled. “He was already coaching and just super smart. He’s going to be a hell of a coach.”

Webb is set to return to Orchard Park this fall, as the Broncos are among the Bills' home opponents for the 2023-24 campaign. 

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags 

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Geoff Maggliocchetti
GEOFF MAGGLIOCCHETTI

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