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The NFL head coaching carousel came to an end over the weekend as every team across the league now has a man leading the way into the 2026 season.
There were some surprises, however, among them the Buffalo Bills, a team that fired head coach Sean McDermott after falling to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round last month.
The organization came under fire from some in the football world who believed general manager Brandon Beane should have been fired with McDermott. Instead, Beane received a promotion and led the charge to find the next leader on the sidelines.
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Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady stands on the field before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Miami Gardens, Florida on Nov. 9, 2025. (Doug Murray, File/AP Photo)
Instead of hiring from outside the building, the franchise went with Joe Brady, their offensive coordinator, who has been on McDermott’s staff for the past few seasons. Once again the head followed – why would the Bills hire anyone in the organization?
Former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who has actively rooted for the Bills since his playing days ended, had the same questions when he saw the hire.
“When they made the move, I was as shocked as the fans,” he told Pakinomist Digital in a recent interview. “I was texting and stuff with my friends in Buffalo and everybody had the same question about what you just suggested. ‘We need change. We need to deviate from the plan because we need to get over the hump.’ Well, you just hired someone who was in the building and a part of a lot of this, at least for the last few years.”
Unlike those fans, Fitzpatrick has the ability to go directly to the source to answer his questions. First it was a transparent chat with Beane.
“So what else could I do but call Brandon Beane? And I was surprised that we had a conversation and just talked it through,” he said. “I asked him a lot of questions, and his biggest thing was, ‘Look, I was blown away by Joe, too.’
Then Fitzpatrick connected with Brady himself.
Ryan Fitzpatrick watches from the TNF on Prime set prior to an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on November 20, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“I had a few moments to sit down and talk to him,” he explained. “I might have said hello or goodbye to him, but never really had a chance to talk to him before. You’re going to feel it in his interviews when you see him — there’s an authenticity there. He’s genuine. The guys love playing for him, and I think that’s going to help. I think just the looseness of it in some of the game’s maybe the biggest moments, [will be beneficial] for the Bills with him as head coach.”
Since taking over as the Bills’ offensive coordinator, which came during the 2024 season, the team ranked second and fourth, respectively, in points in the entire league. Brady was in Josh Allen’s helmet in 2024 when he won his first career MVP, getting creative with one of the best signal callers in the league.
The Bills lacked star power in the passing game in 2025, though Brady was still able to scheme things up for Allen as well as the league’s leading rusher, James Cook. Buffalo was the best rushing offense in the NFL, and fourth overall in yards.
But will Brady be able to handle the whole package? Not every offensive or defensive coordinator can translate to that bigger role effectively, but Fitzpatrick said Beane told him he didn’t want Brady out of the building to get that shot.
The Bills are confident they got the hire right, and Fitzpatrick feels better about having spoken to the men in charge.
All that matters, though, is what Brady and the Bills are able to do in September as their championship window with Allen closes a little more each year.
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady looks on prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio on Dec. 21, 2025. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Brady knows the fan base is hungry for at least one more trip back to the Super Bowl, let alone their first ever Vince Lombardi Trophy.
A HAPPY ISLAND, A HAPPY FITZ
After a long football season, Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, visited Aruba for some well-deserved relaxation to reset and recharge before the Super Bowl.
He partnered with the Aruba Tourism Authority, which demonstrates the island’s commitment to responsible tourism, which includes protecting the island’s natural environment, celebrating local culture, and inviting guests to travel mindfully through the Aruba Promise and Guest Guidelines.
Fitzpatrick did and loved every minute of it as he experienced the outdoor lifestyle that Aruba, nicknamed the “One Happy Island,” has to offer.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, enjoyed their time in Aruba after the 2025 NFL season. (Aruba Tourism Authority)
“My wife and I – seven kids. So we very rarely get away. So when we do get away, we have to make sure it’s the right place, and this one hit. It’s got the white sand beaches, it’s got the resort, which is great. But it’s also got the adventure. I’m not a guy who likes to just sit on the beach and get a tan all day long, we were swimming in a little cave and we were looking for a little cave. a little.
“The great thing for my wife and I, you feel relaxed right away. Then we come home and there’s this air of happiness and rejuvenation that we feel. It stayed with us.”
