Bills promote LB coach Bobby Babich to defensive coordinator
Buffalo is once again looking from within to fill its other vacant coordinator role.
Bills linebackers coach Bobby Babich has been promoted as the team’s new defensive coordinator, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported on Tuesday, per sources. The team has since announced the promotion.
Babich has been on Sean McDermott’s staff since Buffalo hired the head coach in 2017. McDermott took on the DC role in 2023 after Leslie Frazier’s decision to take the year off from coaching.
The 40-year-old Babich began as an assistant defensive backs coach during his first season with the Bills. He then went on to coach safeties for the next four seasons until 2022 when he started overseeing linebackers.
Both position groups have seen tremendous growth under Babich’s direction.
The Bills finished third in the NFL in takeaways (25) and seventh in interceptions (15) in 2020 before becoming the league’s top defense in 2021, a unit that finished first in passing yards allowed and passing yards per play.
Bills linebacker Matt Milano turned in an All-Pro season in 2022, his first under Babich’s direction. Following Milano’s season-ending knee injury in Week 5 of the 2023 season, Babich was instrumental in keeping the Bills defense afloat with the development of Terrel Bernard and Tyrel Dodson.
Babich’s promotion comes two days after the Bills removed the interim tag on offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who took the role on after Buffalo fired OC Ken Dorsey midway through his second season.
