Bills promote LB coach Babich to D-coordinator

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills are keeping a popular defensive assistant with the team by promoting linebackers coach Bobby Babich to the role of defensive coordinator.

The Bills announced the move Tuesday afternoon, just two days after the team shared that interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady, 34, would be promoted to his role full time. Babich, 40, received multiple interview requests for defensive coordinator roles around the league but has never served in the role.

“Good coach,” coach Sean McDermott said about Babich last week. “Bobby and I have been together a number of years, going back to our time together in Carolina. And you know, his dad [coach Bob Babich] was with us for a number of years here, and good family. Bob is a good coach. He’s developed players, and I think when you evaluate a coach, [you are] taking what you have and making it better? And I think it doesn’t get any, need to get any more complex than that. And Bobby’s done that.”

The title of defensive coordinator was not used by the Bills for the 2023 season following the decision by Leslie Frazier — the defensive coordinator from 2017-22 — to take a year off from coaching. Instead, coach Sean McDermott, who was a defensive coordinator with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers in his career, took over playcalling duties. Defensive line coach Eric Washington added assistant head coach to his title but was hired this offseason as the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator with his role now open to fill on the coaching staff.

It’s unclear at this point whether McDermott will retain playcalling duties or if those will go to Babich. Players who have worked with Babich speak highly of him as a coach. During the season, McDermott noted Babich as someone who rounds up the defense at times to give an encouraging message during games.

Babich worked on McDermott’s staff during his entire tenure with the Bills (since 2017) in a variety of different roles. Before being named linebackers coach for 2022, he served as the safeties coach for four years after starting as the team’s assistant defensive backs coach. He also worked with the Panthers for two years (2011-12) while McDermott was defensive coordinator.