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The NFL head coaching carousel came to an end over the weekend, as each team in the league now has a man leading the way into the 2026 season.
There were some surprises, however, including the Buffalo Bills, who fired head coach Sean McDermott after losing to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round last month.
The organization was criticized by some in the football world, who believed general manager Brandon Beane should have been fired under McDermott. Instead, Beane received a promotion and led the charge to find the next leader on the bench.
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Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is 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 outside the building, the franchise opted for Joe Brady, its offensive coordinator who was on McDermott’s staff for the past few seasons. Once again, the question arose: why would the Bills hire anyone from within the organization?
Former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who has actively supported the Bills since his playing days ended, had the same questions when he saw the signing.
“When they made the move, I was as surprised as the fans,” he told Pak Gazette Digital in a recent interview. “I got text chains and stuff like that with my friends in Buffalo, and they all had the same question about what you just proposed. ‘We need a change. We have to deviate from the plan because we have to get over the hump.’ Well, you just hired someone who was in the building and was a part of a lot of this, at least in the last few years.”
Unlike those fans, Fitzpatrick has the ability to go directly to the source to answer their questions. First, it was a transparent talk with Beane.
“So what else could I do but call Brandon Beane? And I was surprised that we were able to have a conversation and just talk about it,” he said. “I asked him a lot of questions and the biggest thing was, ‘Look, Joe impressed me too.’ Because when you’re an offensive coordinator, it’s a lot different than being a head coach. As an offensive coordinator, you’re under the head coach, so you don’t get to say a lot of your opinions, how to run an organization, all those different things. I think in the interview process they learned a lot about Joe Brady.”
Fitzpatrick then connected with Brady himself.
Ryan Fitzpatrick watches from the set of TNF on Prime before 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 and talk to him,” he explained. “Maybe I said hello or said goodbye, but I never had a chance to talk to him before. You’ll feel it in his interviews when you see it; there’s authenticity there. It’s real. Guys love playing for him, and I think that will help. I think the looseness of that in maybe some of the biggest moments of the game, is something that [will be beneficial] for the Bills with him as head coach.
Since taking over as the Bills’ offensive coordinator during the 2024 season, the team ranked second and fourth in points league-wide, respectively. Brady was in Josh Allen’s helmet in 2024 when he won his first career MVP, getting creative with one of the league’s best communicators.
The Bills lacked star power in the passing game in 2025, although Brady was still able to scheme things up for Allen and the league’s leading rusher, James Cook. Buffalo was the NFL’s best rushing offense and fourth overall in yards.
But can Brady handle the entire package? Not every offensive or defensive coordinator can play a broader role effectively, but Fitzpatrick said Beane told him he didn’t want Brady to leave the building to receive that opportunity.
The Bills are confident they made the right hire, and Fitzpatrick feels better having spoken to the men in charge.
The only thing that matters, though, is what Brady and the Bills can do in September, as their championship window with Allen closes a little closer each year.
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady watches before 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 eager for at least another trip back to the Super Bowl, let alone his first Vince Lombardi Trophy.
A HAPPY ISLAND, A HAPPY FITZ
After a long football season, Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, visited Aruba for a well-deserved break to reset and recharge before the Super Bowl.
Partnered with the Aruba Tourism Authority, showcasing 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 just that and loved every minute, while experiencing the outdoor lifestyle that Aruba, nicknamed “One Happy Island,” has to offer.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, enjoyed their stay in Aruba following the 2025 NFL season. (Aruba Tourism Authority)
“My wife and I have seven kids. So we rarely get away. So when we get away, we have to make sure it’s the right place, and this is the one. It’s got white sand beaches, it’s got a 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. We hiked, we swam in a natural pool, we went and did a little searching in some caves.
“The best thing for my wife and I is that you immediately feel relaxed. Then we come home and feel that air of happiness and rejuvenation. It stayed with us.”
