Bills play-caller Joe Brady focused on playoffs while receiving head coaching interest

Joe Brady implemented the everybody eats slogan for his offense.

Now it might be time for Brady to serve himself.

Once considered to be among the hottest prospects in coaching, Brady was fired after 28 games as offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers.

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After being fired by the Panthers in 2021, Brady spent 2022 as Buffalos quarterback coach and replaced Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator 10 games into 2023.

After helping the Bills to a 13-4 record with an offense ranked second in points (30.9) and 10th in total yards (359.1), Brady has drawn interest as a head coach.

Multiple outlets reported the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets requested permission to interview Brady for their vacant head coaching jobs, which was confirmed by Brady and Bills coach Sean McDermott.

And while Brady didnt hide his desire to become a head coach, he also said his main focus was Buffalos wild-card matchup with the Denver Broncos at 1 p.m.

Sunday.

Do I aspire to be a head coach? Yeah, I would love to, given the right opportunity, Brady said.

Im honored for my name to even be thrown out there.

But right now, my focus is to find a way to win a football game this week.

NFL rules allow coaches for non-playoff teams and those for top seeds in each conference to interview three days after the conclusion of the regular season, while those playing this weekend can begin interviews Jan.

15.

Bradys name first became known when he was the play-caller for LSUs 2019 national championship team that featured Joe Burrow, JaMarr Chase and Justin Jefferson.

He was awarded the Broyles Award as college footballs top assistant that season and parlayed it into the offensive coordinator job for the Panthers.

The Carolina job was an untenable situation, though, as the Panthers won 10 games while Brady was there and they used five starting quarterbacks during that stretch.

The COVID-19 pandemic also stunted his growth from the jump as he wasnt able to meet with players in person during the offseason of his first year.

And a year after Brady was let go, head coach Matt Rhule was also fired.

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Relationships with players is the area Brady, 35, feels hes grown the most during his time with the Bills.

While acknowledging he needed to improve schematically, Brady also said he needed to do a better job understanding players and making them feel comfortable coming to him with an issue if he got a second chance.

Brady has done this by letting players tell him on Fridays what plays like or dont like in the game plan.

When I first entered the profession that it was so much about the scheme, Brady said.

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Its a players game and when youre able to remove yourself and make it about the scheme, it usually doesnt go too well.

Thats a level I need to continue to grow on, but its something Im trying to continue to work on.

Brady saw it firsthand Sunday when the Bills ensured Mack Hollins, Sam Martin and Von Miller hit contract incentives.

Meanwhile, the Bills also made it a point for running back James Cook to tie the franchise single-season record for rushing touchdowns (16), even after he was taken out of the game in the first half.

The Bills have also not shied away under McDermott of allowing assistants to interview for other jobs.

Former coordinators Brian Daboll, Leslie Frazier and Dorsey were all granted opportunities to interview for head coaching jobs while in Buffalo, while former defensive line coach Eric Washington accepted a job as Chicagos defensive coordinator job and Bobby Babich had multiple coordinator interviews last season before accepting the same job for the Bills.

Were going to keep the Buffalo Bills and the business of the Buffalo Bills at the top of our priority list and then always wanting the best for Joe, McDermott said.

Hes a guy thats done a really good job here and deserves the attention hes gotten.

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Well see where it goes in the days and weeks ahead.

Now Brady is set to partake in a game with the coach (McDermott) who helped reset his career and the coach who gave him his first NFL job, Broncos coach Sean Payton.

Bradys first NFL job came as an offensive assistant for the Saints, then coached by Payton, in 2017 and 2018.

When youre in a system working for a Hall of Fame coach, it doesnt get much better than that, Brady said.

None of that really matters come Sunday.

Were both going to try to find a way to get the win.

Return specialist Brandon Codrington is dealing with a hamstring injury, but McDermott says the team is still getting more information.

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WR Amari Cooper has not returned to the team yet after missing Sunday with a family matter and the Bills hope hes able to play Sunday..

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