Pittsford, N.Y. (WBEN) - As the Buffalo Bills get their 2026 campaign officially kicked off with the start of training camp at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, one of the biggest storylines heading into the season is how the team will fare under first-year head coach Joe Brady.
Brady was hired back in January as the 21st head coach in franchise history after the sudden firing of longtime head coach Sean McDermott. Brady had plenty of familiarity with the Bills prior to being named head coach, having been with the team since 2022 as quarterbacks coach and eventually offensive coordinator.
After Brady took over as the full-time offensive coordinator since 2024, the Bills offense finished second in points scored and 10th in total yards that year, and then finished fourth in both categories in 2025.
In normal circumstances, the transition to a new head coach after years under a different staff may take a couple years to establish confidence within the fanbase. However, members of "Bills Mafia" feel the transition to Brady may be as seamless as it gets.
"With Brady, we have that familiarity with the offense. I think the offense is going to be really good. I like the way he talks, I like his enthusiasm. I don't think it's a normal first-year coach situation," said Sam from Batavia.
"I loved Sean McDermott. I think he turned this franchise around. I think he was a great defensive coordinator, but I think he was a little too cautious when we got to the playoffs. I think Brady focused on the entire team, but really pushing the offense."
"I'm a 9-out-of-10. He did a great job as an offensive coordinator, so he'll take the next step and accomplish the job," said Julian from Rochester.
For fans like Sherri from Richester, she's going to give Brady the benefit of the doubt until he shows otherwise.
"He did great with Josh Allen, I think the offense was good for a few years. We're doing good, and I'm just thinking we can go on," said Sherri with WBEN. "And as long as the team atmosphere still stays as a team and not a, 'one player has to be the star,' I think we're going to do it. And we have to stay healthy."
Fans like Hoot from Syracuse also feel the offense will remain fine, especially with Allen under center. His focus will be on the defense, led by new defensive coordinator and former Bills safety Jim Leonhard.
"I think the offense is going to be fine, I don't think they're going to have an issue there. And I'm very excited to see what this defense does under Jim Leonhard," said Hoot with WBEN.
"I have a lot of faith in Jim Leonhard, I followed him in college. I think the Bills are poised to really shock the league this year," Sam added.
So what, at this point, will fans consider a successful first season for Brady as head coach of the Bills? For some, it's finding a way to get back to, at least, the AFC Championship Game.
"I don't think we can go backwards," Sam said with WBEN. "I think they should have been in the AFC Championship last year, that catch is still resonating with all the fans - or the lack of catch, I guess. But I think that's the floor this year."
Meanwhile, other fans will take more of the "one game at a time" approach to the upcoming season for Brady.
"Just winning the games, and getting to the playoffs. And hopefully getting to the big show, the Super Bowl. If we can do that, that's great. But we have to win," Sherri said.
And given the fact the Bills have a former NFL MVP in Allen, the league's leading rusher in James Cook, and other weapons on both sides of the football, some fans still feel it's a "Super Bowl or bust" mentality when approaching the upcoming season. Are those expectations a bit too high for fans?
"It's not too lofty, but I'm also a realist. They get hurt, the ball bounces funny, it's not a round ball so it bounces funny. Things can happen, but at least the AFC Championship. And we'd love to see them in the Super Bowl, and ultimately win it as well," Julian said with WBEN.
"I think that the window is more now so before New England gets built back up, before if Miami ever gets up or the Jets. I'm saying the division's still wide open. We need to capture it, and it is time to make that deep run to finally get over that hurdle back to a Super Bowl. And let's get rid of that curse that we suffered from in the '90s," Hoot said.
