Since the Buffalo Bills lost to the Denver Broncos in this past season’s Divisional Round of the playoffs, it’s been anything other than status quo at One Bills Drive. Gone is head coach Sean McDermott. In his place is Joe Brady, promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach in a move that surprised many observers.
To those outside the building, it felt too similar to status-quo in ultimately promoting Brady, but a look deeper reveals that Buffalo’s latest group of coaches is anything but the same old same old of the last nine seasons. Brady has begun assembling a nuanced team of coaches, both those relatively new to their respective roles, and others who have a wealth of experience.
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A familiar name to many Bills fans, Jim Leonhard returns for his third tenure at One Bills Drive — though this journey is as a first-time NFL defensive coordinator. Leonard is expected to usher in a near-complete overhaul on defense, and one that may allow him to take better advantage of certain skill sets among Buffalo’s current defensive roster. Though many expect the Bills to switch to a 3-4 base system under Leonhard, what the defense ultimately looks like and how it operates is likely to keep everyone on their toes as it seeks to attack opposing offenses.
During Leonhard’s introductory press conference, he touched on that and more, including the versatility that he sees within the current roster while acknowledging that change is imminent for a group of players who’ve played within the previous system for a very long time. Leonhard noted that it’s a move he’s confident will be “best for their skill sets and fits their personalities.”
As a former NFL safety who played 10 years in the league for five franchises, Leonhard understands the challenges of adapting to new defensive goals and he’s ready to lead a unit that’s far more talented than any he played with as part of Buffalo’s defense in two previous stops. Leonhard understands that “the biggest stat in football is turnovers” and he intends to unleash defenders with that goal in mind.
So how did Leonhard end up in Orchard Park, NY again, and what is it about the Western New York area that stands out most to him — and especially as it relates to coaching the Bills? Notably, Leonhard mentioned the camaraderie in the building and interactions away from it being different from other places he’s been as playing a huge role in his return.
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“And then outside of that, it’s the fan base, they just want to win. Right? They want to support this team, they want to just be part of a Super Bowl champion team… and they’re gonna get on you when you are not playing well. Right? They’re gonna have answers when you’re struggling, but deep down they really just wanna watch you succeed, and they want these players to play a certain way. Right? They want the players to act a certain way. Right? To respect what this place really is.”
In a near-37-minute interview, Leonhard touched on all that above, plus what role nickel cornerback Taron Johnson may play for Buffalo’s defense moving forward, what he sees in safety Cole Bishop and the opportunity to now work with him, whether he sees potential for cornerback Christian Benford to ascend to the level of Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, and a whole lot more.
Catch up now with all Jim Leonhard had to say in his first press conference, embedded below.