Orchard Park, NY (WGR550) - Now that Joe Brady has been named the new head coach of the Buffalo Bills, his next task will be to fill out his coaching staff - whether that means retaining some current members of the staff, or hiring new coaches to come to Buffalo.
One of the first names being reported to join Brady's staff in Buffalo is former Bills safety Jim Leonhard, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Bobby Babich is currently the team's defensive coordinator.
Leonhard played for the Bills from 2005-to-2007, when he made the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie out of the University of Wisconsin.
He went on to have a 10-year NFL career, playing for the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns, and even a return to the Bills in 2013.
In Baltimore and New York, Leonhard played for Rex Ryan from 2008 through 2011, when he was the defensive coordinator of the Ravens and then head coach of the Jets.
After his playing career, Leonhard began coaching at his alma mater of Wisconsin in 2013, starting off as the defensive backs coach before moving up to defensive coordinator, and eventually the interim head coach in 2022.
The 43-year-old Lady Smith, Wisc. native then spent one year as a senior football analyst at Illinois before making the jump to the NFL, where he's worked for the Denver Broncos over the last two seasons.
For the Broncos, Leonard served as the defensive back coach and defensive pass game coordinator in 2024, then was given the added title of assistant head coach this past season.
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