INDIANAPOLIS — There is a pecking order in the NFL. It’s not the traditional player-coach hierarchy in high school or college where the coaches rule with impunity.
When the players are making more money than the coaches in some instances, that’s the way it has to be. Plus, it’s a building full of adults. Still there is a pecking order.
Joe Brady took a step forward midway through 2023 when he was elevated from the Buffalo Bills’ quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator after Ken Dorsey was fired. Brady went from being solely responsible for quarterbacks to taking command of the entire offense.
As the head coach, Brady is now in charge of everybody in the locker room and oversees the coaching staff. He could have a buddy-buddy relationship with the quarterbacks when that was his only job and he could even have a more friendly relationship as the offensive coordinator. But the head coach is the boss.
Even Josh Allen answers to the head coach.
Now Brady has to adjust his relationships with all the players, especially Allen. It’s a not-so-simple task considering Allen’s success is a big reason Brady was promoted and will be a key reason if he keeps his job.
“He can take it,” Brady said. “We have that relationship that when something’s not how it needs to be, I can go to him — he does not handle any of that in a negative way. … He understands it before it even needs to be said. … When he’s running, when the ball’s not where it needs to be and we don’t fumble, we still got to correct him and hold him accountable to it, not only when he fumbles.”
The reality is that Allen needs to be coached hard. Allen has gradually strayed from the pull to play backyard football. His foolish mistakes are not as common as they were when he entered the NFL in 2018.
Brady can take much of the praise for Allen’s improved discipline, with the 2024 NFL MVP throwing 23 interceptions in 41 games with Brady calling plays compared to 40 in his previous 43 games.
But the old Allen still creeps in sometimes, no more evident than his explicable fumble at the end of the first half of the AFC divisional round, allowing the Denver Broncos to kick a half-ending field goal in a 33-30 loss.
Not only does Allen need to be coached hard, but he responds to it. Former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll notoriously screamed at Allen for mistakes, even during games. Dorsey was also hard on Allen as both the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
“(Daboll’s) going to let you know that he loves you and he’s going to let you know you screwed up,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said. “I think that’s why Brian and Josh really connected and was a big part of Josh’s early ascension as a Bills to where he’s at. … Make sure you have thick skin, but it’s all coming from a good place.”
But Brady isn’t a screamer, nor was former quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry, who is now the wide receivers coach for the Broncos after two seasons with the Bills.
Beane said those questions came up in interviews with Brady and Daboll.
“Josh respects the position that it is and I think Joe understands that,” Beane said. “… Is it easy? No. But I think he’s aware and as long as he’s aware of that – and I think Josh will treat that as the right way as well. But I don’t have concerns.”
Brady has already gone with experience in filling the key coaching roles around Allen. He hired Pete Carmichael Jr. as the offensive coordinator after spending 19 seasons with Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees between the Chargers and Saints.
He also hired Bo Hardegree as the quarterbacks coach. The 41-year-old served as interim offensive coordinator of the Raiders in 2023 and was the quarterbacks coach for the Titans the last two seasons, helping No. 1 pick Cam Ward throw for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season.
“I was looking for a lot of people that weren’t necessarily exactly like me,” Brady said. “… You want some guys who are very black and white, where they do things one way and they can’t think outside the box. And you need someone who is an outside-the-box thinker.”