Bills head coach Joe Brady is already showing regret for comments he made on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
The recently promoted former offensive coordinator was perhaps trying to distinguish himself from former Bills head coach Sean McDermott, who was fired by the team after losing in the AFC divisional round to the Broncos.
Brady appeared on McAfee’s program shortly after his hire and was asked about how he plans to position himself with Buffalo’s players on both sides of the ball.
Brady tried to convey that his leadership would not favor one unit over another, but the example he chose was one he regretted instantly.
“I’m not an offensive head coach. I’m a head coach,” Brady said. “And I just told the guys out there, like, I can’t wait for the first practice, to get out there and Josh Allen to throw a f–king pick, and I get to celebrate with the defense. I can’t wait to talk s–t with our offensive tackles who get beat. I need them to know that I’m in it with them now. And it’s not like I’m going out to practice and I’m just yelling at the defense. It’s like, no, no, no. Let’s go, and I want them to feel that.”
While Brady’s intent was to show competition within the team, the specific reference to celebrating Allen’s mistakes probably was clunkier than he realized in the moment.
On the “Fitz & Whit” podcast this week, which is hosted by former long-time NFL veterans Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth, Brady acknowledged that he regretted how he expressed himself.
“I regretted that,” Brady said. “Call BS, I do. That’s gonna piss me off. But I regret that, I’m not gonna lie.”
He reiterated that while he still wants to support all phases of the team, the phrasing was poorly chosen and not reflective of the respect he has for Allen, who committed four turnovers in the Bills’ season-ending loss.
“I want to celebrate with the defense, and the only way I can celebrate with the defense is if James Cook fumbles or Josh throws a pick,” Brady said. “I’ve got to sort through that, but as soon as I said that, I was like, ‘I’m gonna be pissed off.’ It’s gonna be one of those where I’m celebrating, and then I’m coming back, and I’m like, ‘Yo, what are we doing?’ I’ll take it back.”