Less than a week after promoting Joe Brady to head coach, the Bills hired former Broncos defensive passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard as their new DC. Leonhard played safety for 10 NFL seasons, including stints in Buffalo from 2005 to 2007 and again in 2013. He transitioned to coaching with stops at Wisconsin and Illinois before joining Denver’s staff in 2024 as defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. Leonhard also interviewed with the Ravens and Chargers before Brady hired him to replace Bobby Babich, who was fired after Buffalo’s 33-30 Divisional Round loss to Denver.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport: "The Bills are hiring Broncos defensive passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard as their new defensive coordinator. They have agreed to terms. A big hire for new coach Joe Brady. The former player, Leonhard, was coveted."
At Wisconsin, Leonhard served as the DC and DB coach from 2017 to 2022 and served as interim HC during the 2022 season. He spent one year as a senior football analyst at Illinois before joining Sean McVay’s staff in 2024.
Denver’s defense ranked seventh in total yards in 2024 and improved to second in 2025.
Leonhard now takes over a Bills defense that allowed the seventh-fewest yards in 2025 but finished just 20th in DVOA.
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