The Buffalo Bills were in need of a change heading into the 2026 NFL offseason. They pulled the trigger by firing head coach Sean McDermott, and they eventually elevated former offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the top leadership spot. Brady had helped Buffalo build one of the league’s most explosive offenses, but McDermott’s playoff struggles and another heartbreaking exit in the postseason pushed the franchise to make a bold decision.
Why Did The Bills Hire Pete Carmichael? Who Is He?
Brady’s first major move as head coach was to hire Pete Carmichael Jr. as his offensive coordinator. That might sound like an odd name to some Bills fans at first, as Carmichael hasn’t been a hot young play-caller or a flashy offensive innovator recently, but there’s a method to the madness here.
I was with Joe Brady & Pete Carmichael in 2017 in the QB room….this is a fantastic hire.
Expect a lot of Sean Payton influence in Bills offense…under center big play action to add to Josh Allen’s game. https://t.co/JVVqeIM9Mz
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) January 30, 2026
Carmichael’s NFL coaching résumé speaks for itself. He’s been coaching in the league since 2000, starting with the Cleveland Browns and then moving through stops in Washington and San Diego before landing with the New Orleans Saints in 2006. With the Saints, he rose from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator in 2009, spending 15 seasons as the architect of one of the NFL’s most consistently potent offenses.
He later reunited with longtime boss Sean Payton in Denver as a senior offensive assistant before Buffalo came calling.
So why did Joe Brady and the Bills go with Carmichael? Here are the three big reasons:
History with Joe Brady
It’s no secret Brady came up through the Sean Payton coaching tree. When he was a young offensive assistant in New Orleans in 2017 and 2018, Carmichael was the offensive coordinator. That shared background means they speak the same offensive language and understand each other’s approach to scheming and preparing an attack.
Plenty of Experience
Carmichael isn’t some unproven up-and-comer. With 26+ years in the NFL, multiple top-10 offenses under his belt, and a Super Bowl ring from his Saints days, he brings an institutional knowledge most coordinators can only dream about.
Worked Under/With Sean Payton for 20 Years
A huge part of Carmichael’s career was spent alongside Sean Payton, one of the most respected offensive minds in football. That legacy of crafting game plans, developing quarterbacks, and running dynamic offenses, is exactly what Brady wants as he builds his own system in Buffalo.
In a league that values innovation, the Bills are banking on experience and continuity to push Josh Allen and their offense to the next level. And for Brady, having someone he trusts like Carmichael might be one of the difference makers that Buffalo’s been searching for.
