The Buffalo Bills rocked the NFL by firing coach Sean McDermott after nine seasons, but they didn’t go out of their way to make a splashy hire.

Instead, the Bills promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach after a search that included former OC Brian Daboll and 30-year-old Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, among others.

Brady becomes the NFL’s youngest head coach at 36, but he already has four years of familiarity with Josh Allen and Bills Mafia.

The Bills are introducing Brady on Thursday, barely a week after owner Terry Pegula and GM Brandon Beane gave a controversial press conference explaining McDermott’s firing.

The Sporting News is tracking Brady’s introductory press conference. Follow along below for the latest updates.

Joe Brady press conference updates

All times Eastern.

12:26 p.m.: When asked about why he hired in-house, Beane said “Some people have a problem where they view you as what you were and not what you can be.”

The general manager went into how they spoke about most topics besides the Bills offense, going into every single detail about “what this operation is going to be.”

12:23 p.m.: “Josh Allen is the best player in the NFL, and I have to grow,” Brady says. “All I want is for him to get everything he deserves. That’s all I do for him.”

12:21 p.m.: When asked about what he will change, Brady said he’s not necessarily focused on changing things and more on where the team can go from here.

12:18 p.m.: Beane said that when interviewing candidates, everyone started from scratch.

He wanted to be fair to every candidate, getting Brady back on a zoom call. He then went on to say “about halfway through that process, I was like ‘he’s our guy.”

12:15 p.m.: When talking about the culture, Brady said “it starts with 17.”

He said he understands that it’s a new year and the team has to start over. 

12:14 p.m.: First, Brady was asked about his staff, and he said they are in the works of putting it together.

12:13 p.m.: Brady ends his opening statement with seven words:

“I love you guys, and Go Bills.”

12:12 p.m.: Lastly, his players. Brady takes a big sigh.

“I’m no longer the offensive coordinator,” Brady said. “I can’t wait to grow … I’m in it with you guys now.”

12:10 p.m.: “I didn’t take this job to shy away from expectations,” Brady said.

“I want what this city wants, I want what Mr. Pegula deserves.”

12:09 p.m.: The mentality and vision for Brady: teams have to play the Buffalo Bills, not the other way around.

12:07 p.m.: When going through his thank yous, Brady took a second to “thank and recognize Sean McDermott.”

The former Buffalo head coach brought in Brady in 2022 and he “has learned a tremendous amount of things from coach McDermott.”

“The past nine years of this organization matter,” Brady said. “They matter deeply and they deserve respect … I love coach McDermott, and I’m going to do everything I can to build upon the foundation he laid.”

12:05 p.m.: Brady takes some time to address his wife Lauren and all the sacrifices she makes.

12:03 p.m.: Joe Brady has come on stage as the new head coach of the Buffalo Bills.

Before he starts his opening statement, he takes a sip of water and takes a deep breath.

12:02 p.m.: General manager Brandon Beane started the presser with saying that they wanted a “CEO” with a new vision for the Buffalo Bills.

Words like “culture” and “collaboration” have also come up in the opening statement.

12:00 p.m.: The press conference is underway in Buffalo. 

Joe Brady will take the stage soon.

11:58 a.m.: Josh Allen is in the house, and it’s fair to say he took quite a beating.

11:52 a.m.: A few Bills players have trekked through the cold to be in attendance at Brady’s presser.

11:43 a.m.: Before he becomes the official head coach of the Bills, let’s take a look at Brady’s career timeline.

After being part of LSU’s 2019 national championship team, the coach quickly moved up the ranks in the NFL. As Buffalo’s official offensive coordinator, he led the Bills to a top-five scoring offense in two straight seasons.

11:00 a.m.: We are an hour away from Joe Brady’s introductory press conference as the next Buffalo Bills head coach.

10:04 a.m.: With his hire, Brady is now the youngest head coach in the NFL. 

He surpassed the New Orleans Saints‘ Kellen Moore for the title of the league’s youngest current coach, continuing a rapid career ascent that saw him coordinating record-breaking offenses at both the college and professional levels.

While Brady currently holds the crown for being the youngest active coach, the all-time record still belongs to Sean McVay, who was famously hired by the Los Angeles Rams at the age of 30.

9:30 a.m. — Brady was in the Bills facility before sunrise this morning, and he arrived in shorts despite 12-degree weather.

Why did the Bills hire Joe Brady?

The Bills weren’t satisfied with their constant playoff disappointments, Pegula explained in his press conference last week, but they evidently did not pin the blame on Brady after axing McDermott.

While the Bills changed their offensive approach when Brady replaced OC Ken Dorsey in 2023, focusing more on the running game and unlocking James Cook wile trying to curb Josh Allen’s turnovers, the defense was often more of an issue than the offense in big moments under McDermott.

After all, Buffalo still scored 30 points on the road against a tough Denver Broncos defense in its playoff loss, even while committing five turnovers. 

By promoting Brady, the Bills are giving Allen some continuity and familiarity while giving the young offensive mind a chance to reshape the culture of the locker room.

MORE: 26 fun facts for Super Bowl 60

How to watch Joe Brady press conference today

The Bills will broadcast Brady’s introductory press conference live on their website and app as well as their X and Facebook accounts. For fans in the Buffalo market, the presser will air live on local CBS affiliate WIVB (channel 4). 

Additionally, NFL Network tends to cut into all introductory press conferences for new head coaches and can be expected to air the bulk of Thursday’s event.

Share this post

Subscribe to our newsletter

Keep up with the latest blog posts by staying updated. No spamming: we promise.
By clicking Sign Up you’re confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.

Related posts