Report: Bills expected to hire Jim Leonhard as defensive coordinator

Jim Leonhard has been a coveted assistant since getting into coaching after retiring from the NFL after the 2014 season. Now, he’s receiving his biggest job yet.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Leonhard is headed to Buffalo to be the Bills defensive coordinator under Joe Brady: “ESPN sources: the Buffalo Bills are expected to hire Broncos defensive passing game coordinator and assistant HC Jim Leonhard as their defensive coordinator,” the ESPN reporter noted. “Leonhard visited the Chargers and Ravens, but now will be in charge of the Bills’ defense.”

Leonhard was highly sought after, interviewing with multiple teams are becoming a top candidate for many. Some theorized he could stay in Denver and be elevated to defensive coordinator of the Broncos if Vance Jospeh got a head coaching gig, but instead he’s moving on to Brady’s Bills.

Before his time in Denver, Leonhard spent 2016-2022 with his alma mater in Wisconsin. He started as the defensive backs coach, but he quickly rose up through the ranks, elevating to defensive coordinator before serving as the interim head coach at the end of his time in Madison. He was 4-3 at the helm.

After impressing everywhere he’s been, Leonhard is hoping to bring the Bills defense to a championship standard. Whether he’s able to or not remains to be seen, but Buffalo got a good one with their new defensive leader, it seems.

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Meanwhile, Brady has found his first lieutenant on offense, as well. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Pete Carmichael will be Brady’s offensive coordinator.

Pelissero noted that it’s a reunion of sorts, as Carmichael had Brady on staff for two seasons during his 15-year run as an offensive coordinator in New Orleans. After spending the last two seasons with Sean Payton in Denver, Carmichael will now head to Buffalo.

It’s a major boom for the Bills’ staff. Brady, after agreeing to a five-year deal to lead Buffalo, is hoping to bring the team over the hump and to the Super Bowl next season.

He’s been a member of Buffalo’s staff since 2022 and has served as its offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. He first gained national prominence as LSU‘s passing game coordinator & wide receivers coach on the historic 2019 National Championship team.

With Brady calling plays over the past two seasons, Buffalo posted a 28-11 record and won three postseason games. The Bills’ offense ranked Top 10 in both yards per game and points per game in both seasons.