NFL analyst believes Bills could be in danger of losing OC Joe Brady next spring

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero has identified Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady as a prime candidate for head coaching vacancies.

Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Given his recent success as the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills, Joe Brady looks to be well on his way to being a hot name in the 2025 head coaching cycle.

On Wednesday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero listed 22 coaches from the NFL and college football under the age of 45 who he expects to be candidates for head coaching vacancies across the league next spring. Brady was mentioned among the immediate candidates, with Pelissero noting Buffalo's offensive success this year and the play-caller's involvement in past cycles as reasons why he could be in line for a head coaching job in 2025.

“Still one of the NFL's youngest coordinators, Brady first appeared on this list in 2020, after he'd parlayed a national title run with the Joe Burrow-led LSU Tigers into the Panthers' offensive coordinator job," Pelissero wrote. "In January of 2021, he got five head-coaching interviews (with the Chargers, Eagles, Falcons, Jets and Texans). Things went south in Carolina; Matt Rhule made a surprise decision to fire Brady in December 2021 (with Rhule himself getting fired less than a year later).

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"But Brady is a bright offensive mind who has made the most of a second NFL play-calling opportunity in Buffalo, starting on an interim basis last fall. Despite trading away receiver Stefon Diggs and going young at the skill spots, Buffalo ranks third in the NFL in scoring at 29.1 points per game. The Falcons interviewed Brady again this past January for their head-coaching job.”

Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

While there were hiccups early in the season, the Bills’ offense has looked generally solid under Brady, as they currently rank 13th in total offense; the passing game currently sits at 12th while the rushing attack is ranked 15th. Where the offense has thrived the most is on the scoreboard, as the Bills are currently third in scoring with 29.1 points per game. Potentially leading quarterback Josh Allen to his first NFL MVP Award wouldn't be a bad accolade to add to Brady's résumé, either.

Brady, then Buffalo's quarterbacks coach, was thrust into the offensive coordinator post midway through the 2023 season after Ken Dorsey was fired, and the unit has been performing well since. He got the “everyone eats” approach to the passing game to work to perfection and pushed Allen to protect the football better than he ever has in his career.

The Bills are coming off an impressive win over the previously undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11, and they are 9-2 on the season. Long-viewed as an up-and-coming coaching prospect who would inevitably land a lead gig, Brady could become a head coach next spring; Buffalo would then be left to pick up the pieces and find a new offensive czar.

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