The Buffalo Bills and head coach Sean McDermott have finally hired a defensive coordinator, elevating long-time assistant and now-former linebackers coach Bobby Babich to the role.
“The #Bills are promoting LBs coach Bobby Babich to be their new defensive coordinator, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo,” NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday. “Babich has worked his way up in Buffalo since 2017, now lands in a prime job for Sean McDermott.”
Babich started his NFL coaching career in 2011 as an administrative assistant for the Carolina Panthers, which coincided with Sean McDermott taking over as DC for the franchise. Babich left to pursue other opportunities after 2012 but hooked back up with McDermott in 2017 when he took the Bills’ head job.
In Babich’s seven seasons in Buffalo, he’s worked his way up from assistant defensive backs coach to safeties coach to linebackers coach and finally to Bills defensive coordinator.
This move may have been a defensive move (no pun intended) as the Bills’ AFC East rival Miami Dolphins had interviewed Babich three times for their still-unfilled DC spot.
A big question about Bobby Babich stepping into this role is, how big a role will the Bills defensive coordinator have?
The prior DC, Leslie Frazier, stepped down after the 2022 season, and the team went the entirety of the campaign without a coach officially in the position. McDermott, a DC by trade, handled the defensive play-calling responsibilities. Without a dedicated DC — and with an incredible rash of injuries — the Bills defense still finished fourth in points and ninth in yards allowed last season.
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