Bills hire former player Jim Leonhard as defensive coordinator

The Buffalo Bills hired erstwhile subordinate Jim Leonhard arsenic their caller antiaircraft coordinator connected Saturday, signaling a wide displacement connected defence aft Sean McDermott was fired pursuing 9 seasons starring the squad and calling the defense.

Leonhard, 43, comes from the Denver Broncos, wherever helium served arsenic antiaircraft walk crippled coordinator and adjunct caput coach. Denver’s defence was among the league’s astir productive this season, signaling 68 sacks, 4 shy of the NFL’s single-season record, and allowing the second-fewest yards per crippled astatine 278.2.

Leonhard joined the Broncos’ unit successful 2024 arsenic the antiaircraft walk crippled coordinator and antiaircraft backs coach. His enactment rapidly stood out, placing him connected the radar of respective teams looking to reshape their defenses.

Familiar look with heavy ties to Buffalo

Leonhard is nary alien to the Bills. An undrafted escaped cause retired of Wisconsin, helium played for Buffalo from 2005 to 2007 and again successful 2013. Over a 10-year NFL career, helium besides suited up for the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Broncos and Cleveland Browns, carving retired a relation arsenic a reliable information and peculiar teams player.

After retiring, Leonhard moved into coaching and analysis. He spent clip arsenic a elder shot expert astatine Illinois and coached astatine Wisconsin from 2016 to 2022, serving astir wholly arsenic antiaircraft coordinator and concisely arsenic interim caput manager during the 2022 season.

Leonhard becomes the 2nd Broncos manager added to caller Bills manager Joe Brady’s unit successful a coordinator role. Buffalo besides hired Pete Carmichael arsenic violative coordinator. Brady and Carmichael antecedently worked unneurotic nether Sean Payton successful New Orleans.

Brady said the determination was astir acceptable and prime alternatively than familiarity. “I lone get 1 accidental to beryllium a caput shot coach,” Brady said during his introductory quality conference. “I'm not successful the concern of hiring my friends, and making definite I privation to get the champion shot coaches for these players origin they merit that, and so, that's what's important to me.”

Leonhard besides interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens earlier choosing Buffalo.