ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Joe Brady, the offensive coordinator for the Bills, has learned from the challenges he faced during his initial tenure as an NFL play-caller with the Carolina Panthers, which was marked by struggles.


The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly restricted Brady’s access to players in 2020. Additionally, key player Christian McCaffrey dealt with injuries in both 2020 and 2021. Carolina also struggled with a changing list of quarterbacks, including Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, and Cam Newton. Furthermore, Brady recognized that his own overconfidence contributed to his swift decline when he was dismissed after just 12 games into his second season at the young age of 30.


Reflecting on his past experiences, Brady remarked last season, shortly after he took over Buffalo’s offense following Ken Dorsey’s mid-November firing, that trying to be overly clever backfired during his previous role. “I wasn’t going to make excuses for why it didn’t work out. I was going to figure out where were my blind spots, and what I can do better if I get the next opportunity,” he stated.


Now at 35 and with 26 games under his belt as the coordinator for the Bills, Brady is once again regarded as one of the premier young offensive strategists in the league. As Buffalo prepares for the playoffs, hosting Denver on Sunday, he is receiving attention from numerous teams searching for coaching talent. Under Brady’s guidance, the team has achieved franchise records with 525 points scored and 65 touchdowns.


A significant factor in Brady’s resurgence has been the presence of star quarterback Josh Allen. Brady frequently praises Allen as a pivotal player in the offense’s success. Beyond utilizing star talent, Brady has come to understand that fostering personal connections with players is vital when designing effective plays.


“It’s a players’ game, and when you remove yourself and try to make it about the scheme, that usually doesn’t go too well,” Brady explained. He emphasized that he was committed to prioritizing relationships with players, which has allowed him to gain their trust and buy-in for the team’s “everybody eats” philosophy. This was essential after the offense lost top receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis in the offseason.


Remarkably, the Bills stood out by becoming only the ninth NFL team to have 13 players scoring a touchdown while none surpassed 900 yards receiving. Brady notably relied on running back James Cook, who matched a single-season team record with 16 rushing touchdowns. His approach aimed to ease the burden on Allen, allowing the offense to become less predictable and more versatile.


Brady also placed importance on valuing players’ perspectives in shaping the weekly game plan. “A lot of it’s ownership, guys taking accountability,” Allen shared. He acknowledged his responsibility to execute plays Brady calls, emphasizing the significance of mutual trust. “If he’s going to go out there and be a friendly play-caller like that, we’ve got to make it work and make him look good at the same time,” he added.


One of the most significant shifts Brady introduced was a renewed focus on the running game, an area previously labeled as neglected under Dorsey. Building on Dorsey’s initial concept of offensive linemen and running backs collaborating on run-blocking strategies, Brady organized regular meetings involving the entire offensive unit, excluding coaches, to discuss potential plays and refine game plans collaboratively.


“There’s been a lot more trust among us,” center Connor McGovern noted. Bills head coach Sean McDermott offered Brady a chance for redemption by hiring him as quarterbacks coach under Dorsey in 2022. Despite their lack of prior direct experience together, both share a common background from their time at William & Mary and coaching in Carolina.


Eager to learn from McDermott’s success in transforming the Bills into a playoff contender, Brady accepted the opportunity, especially considering the team’s long history of missing the playoffs before McDermott’s arrival in 2017. Under McDermott’s leadership, the Bills have reached the postseason in seven of their eight seasons.


Brady’s past coaching successes include serving as the passing coordinator for the LSU Tigers during their 2019 national championship win led by quarterback Joe Burrow, as well as working two seasons as an offensive assistant in New Orleans under former coach Sean Payton, who is now steering the Broncos. “I wouldn’t be talking to you right now without my time spent learning from him,” Brady praised.


As for head coaching aspirations, Brady remains focused on the immediate task at hand. “Do I aspire to be a head coach? Yeah,” he admitted, yet firmly stated, “But right now, the focus is finding a way to win a football game this week.”