After nearly two weeks of hunting, the Buffalo Bills‘ coaching search is finally over with the promotion of offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Keeping Brady around should help the Bills have a top offense again in 2026.
But what about the defense? After all, that was Sean McDermott’s specialty. In other words, now the Bills need to make sure they find a capable leader who can help their defense remain a top-ranked unit too. Yet, the Bills have already registered interest in a top defensive leader from an elite unit.
According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, current Denver Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard “is expected to be a leading candidate to be the next defensive coordinator of the Bills.” Leonhard helped the Broncos finish with the third-fewest points allowed in 2025, and their pass defense allowed the fewest yards per attempt.
Leonhard, a former NFL safety who played for the Bills, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Broncos, and Cleveland Browns across 10 seasons, was known for being a hard hitter during his playing days. The 43-year-old’s NFL playing career wrapped up after the 2014 season.
Yet, he nearly immediately got involved in coaching, getting hired as the defensive backs coach of the Wisconsin Badgers in 2016. A year later, he was promoted to defensive coordinator while also retaining his position as DBs coach, a position he held for six seasons. He even finished out the 2022 season as their interim head coach.
A year later, he became a senior football analyst with the Illinois Fighting Illini. In 2024, Leonhard earned his first job in the NFL as the Broncos’ defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator. A year later, he was promoted to assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator.
Now, he could be looking at his first NFL defensive coordinator position, and it could happen with the team that gave him his first playing opportunity as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2005.
Related: Sean McDermott’s ‘Likely’ Next Move May Not Involve NFL
