Joe Brady - Offensive Coordinator, bills Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-15 | Full transcript (primary source).
On September 15, 2026, Joe Brady addressed the media during a press conference following a practice session at the team's new stadium. The discussion focused on the team's preparation and mindset as they approached their upcoming game, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus despite the excitement surrounding the venue's debut.
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Transcript
Brady: Just want to get one last look at this practice in one in the stadium before everything gets those like kind of yeah, you know, we're obviously it's you know, we're just walking and stuff like that and not getting like a full practice but I thought it was just good for the guys to get in there one more time and you know, there's some guys that haven't haven't been in the stadium before that, you know, there's guys that we know, Greg Dorch, we played him last week, you know, he's never been in here, right? So all those things and yeah, switch up the these are long days, short short weeks, long days. So just switch up the scenery as well.
Reporter: Any worry that this team is going to want to put on a show given how much anticipation there is for moving into the stadium and just knowing Josh's competitive nature. Is there any fear about that that actually happening?
Brady: No, I mean, look, I hope, I hope that, you know, we have the type of team and look, I'm figuring out figuring that out. But I hope that we have the type of team that we the environment is going to be outstanding, like everything is going to be as it should be. And that's part of why this is built. And we can allow the environment to change. And but we can't write like there's there's the reason that we've been in here. And there's just standard by how we play. And, and it shouldn't shouldn't have anything to do with what happened in the outcome this past Sunday. And so a lot of stuff for us to clean that we had to clean up. And I hope that we approach Thursday as it's the most important game of the season because it's the next one. And if we make it about more than it is, then then I'm not doing a good enough job. And usually that's not going to end with the right result.
Reporter: Joe, a lot's been made of the grass and you know, they redid it. How do you get a better feel for that and feel comfortable for lack of a better term of what you'll be playing on Thursday night?
Brady: Yeah, I really don't have many concerns with it. Like I didn't we didn't know there wasn't a lot of concerns with it the first go around with it in terms of but there was stuff that was moving and you know, I credit our leadership that they understand that they want to have the best surface out there and be able to make the decision and kind of go with it. But yeah, there'll be no concerns come Thursday. And our guys are are excited just to be on grass, you know, with it. So yeah.
Reporter: Joey put up the estimated injury or history in there. Is there anything in addition to what was put up yesterday?
Brady: TJ Sanders, he won't be he'll be the one that won't be out there today. Not not his injury related more of an illness. You know, so we sent him home today, but everybody else will be out there today.
Reporter: What do you make of the Lions offense and the challenge that awaits the defense for you guys?
Brady: Yeah, I mean, they've been they've been a dynamic offense for a lot of years. You know, Jared Goff does an outstanding job running the show and you saw what Gibbs was able to do. You know, he's been able to do but just, you know, putting it to him on his back and the amount of carries that he was able to do, you know, he's a true number one running back and then you got to defend all the guys on the outside. I mean, they're as dynamic as it gets offensively and, you know, they obviously didn't skip a beat with a new coordinator. And like I obviously I was I was with Dan Campbell in New Orleans, right? So I had my first year I was his coaching assistant. So, you know, he's going to have his guys ready to go. He knows, you know, the style of offense that he wants to play. And that's why they've been dynamic for some years.
Reporter: What is it about Dan's personality? Each coach is different. It's different than yours. But what is about Dan's personality that that that gets gets that gets right for him?
Brady: He is who he is. He's authentic. He doesn't care to be somebody that he's not. He knows his strengths. You know, he's aggressive. You know, he'll he'll go front and forth down anywhere on the field. He'll, you know, him and, you know, special teams, little fake fake punts, you know, in around the field. It's it's part of his personality and right wrong or indifferent. He knows that he can go to bed at night, you know, being who he is and have all the respect for Dan. Dan was huge for my career and there's a reason that he's been able to do what he did, you know, in that franchise and get him to the place they are right now.
Reporter: Which of y'all has some more chaotic caffeine intake? On a short week, that'd be a great question for both of us to compare.
Brady: I'll probably take it right now where I'm at.
Reporter: Do you have to consider, you know, who you're coaching against when you're managing the game because in certain situations, Dan Campbell going to do things that somebody else you're coaching again wouldn't?
Brady: Yeah, I think every week, every week, there's a way to win the football game and you got to understand that both offense, defense, and special teams, the different dynamics that some of the teams have. You know, like I said, this team, they've run a lot of fake punts, you know, there might be another team that doesn't and that might change some things that you do. You know, last week, you got David Montgomery throws a lot of passes and, you know, a lot of things that kind of go into it. But at the end of the day, right, we have to understand what our identity is and that they have to play us and not the other way around and make sure that, you know, we stay aggressive from our personality and not necessarily change who we are because of them.
Reporter: Joe, John asked a question about it a little bit ago, but is there a message you tell your team getting ready to play the first game here? You know, obviously, it's a really big stage. Do you say something about it, the stage itself, as opposed to just the game?
Brady: Yeah, I said the same. I told the team last week, I said, look at it, the environment going to Houston is going to be, it's going to be an outstanding environment. It's going to be loud. Like you got to walk out there and they're going to boo and you got to love it. And then we have to be poised in the noise. Like we have to be able to handle that offensively. And on this week, it's just it's the same, but it's just flipped down. Like our defense has to be able to handle the poison the noise, right? It's going to be outstanding energy. You know, the city of Buffalo is this, it's a night that they deserve, right? And it's going to be an outstanding environment. And it's it's where we want to be. And we want to play under the lights. And we want to do all that. So let's embrace it. You know, and now it's an opportunity for us to show kind of our conviction of what we believe in and not feel like we have to put on a show more concerned with trying to put on a clinic.
Reporter: As a coordinator, is there something about it that that you want to focus on for your team both physically and mentally because it comes up quick. You're on the road Sunday. You're back right here on Thursday. The way you want to approach it this week to make sure everybody's ready, but not too much on them for a game that quick.
Brady: Yeah, I think I think every Thursday night game is a little different depending on where you are in the season. Sometimes you have a lot of time on task, some plays that you can just carry over the unique thing in week two. And look, it's going to be the exact same for them, right? The unique thing for week two is a lot of guys played a lot more plays than they have in the past. They haven't accumulated the reps that they do say week 10 of a season, right? And understanding that their how their bodies feel right now is a little different than it would be, you know, later in the season. But we're both playing the same, you know, the same game right now. And it's the most important thing is getting our guys as fresh as we can, you know, go into Thursday and a lot of guys in a normal season, their bodies start feeling good, you know, come Thursday. So there'll be no excuses. The guys will be ready to go and it should be a great opportunity for us.
Reporter: In studying the tape, what makes Aiden Hutchinson such a talented pass rusher?
Brady: Yeah, I mean, he finds his way to the, he can wreck a game. And, you know, he's been doing that since his college days. And, you know, you have to have all eyes on him at all times. And, you know, and I feel like that's the name of the NFL now. As you know, I feel like every week we wake up and, you know, the guy that has 14 and a half, 18 sacks, those type of things. And he has a tremendous motor, has great, you know, you know, pass rush moves and he has an arsenal to be able to get to the quarterback. And, you know, the run game is just as important to him as the pass game. And so another challenge for our offensive line and for offense and to not allow him to wreck it.
Reporter: If you reflect back to working under Dan, could you have envisioned, you know, this, you know, you two facing each other as NFL coaches nine years later?
Brady: I mean, I knew he was going to be a head coach. I was more concerned with not messing up whatever he needed for me for the meeting and whatnot. Now, Dan, everything about who Dan Campbell is, it's been really cool to witness his career in terms of how he is still the same guy. And that's kind of who he was as a tight end as a player. And, you know, his team displays his personality and that's something that, you know, he should be really proud of. And that's what every head coach kind of wants.
Reporter: You had Frank Gore out in the field in some pretty critical situations. And I know Ty usually, just can you talk about the confidence you had in him to put him in those situations playing for Ty?
Brady: Yeah, if you think back to last year playing in the playoff game and Frank didn't play all year and I felt confident playing him in the playoff game and, you know, you know, you even had a reception in that situation. It's, to me, if you're on a rock, if you're on our football team, you have to be ready to go. And I have to have the confidence that if guys are up that they can get the job done or else, you know, Brandon, they wouldn't be here. And Frank is a guy that just always does the things right. And the unfortunate thing for him is he's just been in a room the last couple of years that has been a really talented room, you know, with guys that have had roles, but that in no way, shape or form is reflective of him not being good enough or talented enough. And so, you know, obviously unfortunate for Ty last week, but, you know, had an opportunity for Frank to go on there and make some critical blocks in some of those situations. And, you know, he's a team guy and you see the big catch, you know, down the field at the end of the game, he's the first one down celebrating and kind of just speaks to kind of who he is.
Reporter: What makes the decision to get IGBs some series in place of the max?
Brady: I think early in the season, I think it's important to play as many guys as possible. We're going to, it's the same thing I talked about, you know, you end up going, I think our defense ended up playing 80 plays, 81 plays, like that's a lot of plays from the amount of the accumulation of reps that they're getting throughout a training camp. And I think as much as we can allow our guys to be fresh, you know, throughout the game and the reality of it is you go through a season and if you're not allowing guys to play and play early when their time is called upon, they don't have a lot of those experiences to fall back on. And so we felt that that was important. IGB had a really good camp and it was important for him to be able to get out there and get reps. So when that first opportunity or that first time does happen, it's not, he's coming out cold and hasn't got any game experience. And so I think it's important to get the young guys out there.
Reporter: Is that a plan to continue to do with those two?
Brady: Yeah, I mean, it's no different than I think we talked, I think it was yesterday with, you know, offensively personnel groupings, like every week's going to be a little different. And some of that is matchup, matchup based offensively defensive. Some of that is injury, you know, if it was up to me, I'd love for everybody to get in there, you know, and just to get the reps and get the experience and go through the good and go through the bad. It is up to me. But what I mean by that is like, hey, each week might be a little different. Like there might be some, there might be some matchup situations where it's like, hey, you know what, this is, we need to play this guy a little more this week. You know, this isn't a good favorable matchup for that. And we're not just going to go through it just so that this guy can just get some reps. But there are some situations where it's like, man, we need, we need to see what this guy can do in the, you know, through the dirty work and look, IGB going on the road his first game. I thought he played really well. And I was pleased how he came out of it.
Reporter: He's put one on the ground on Sunday. What have you seen from him the last couple of days or in general the beating around him over the years when there's a mistake, how he responds?
Brady: Yeah, he was pissed. I talked to him on the plane with it. He knows, he knows, he knows how important he is our football team. And he understands like, I told, I told the teammate like, don't, it's the smoke detectors, right? Like we put the ball on the ground there. If our offense line isn't doing the little things that we ask and runs to the football and cyber doesn't, doesn't recover that football. And somehow we end up losing the game. A lot of people point to the fact that we fumbled and we did fumble and it can't be just because we won the football game that, oh, you know what? That didn't happen. We had no turnovers. And so James acknowledging it and for the rest of the season, people are going to say, Hey, look, man, he's going to put it out there. Right. And it came from behind and that's usually where a lot of the issues come. But I'm not going to have any restraints on giving James Cook the ball. Right. And I'm trusting him that he has to do his job and his 1 11th in the play. And there's a reason on the best backs in football. And he understands that when he has the ball, he has all of our, you know, jobs and on the line. And, uh, but yeah, no, he was, he was not happy after it because of it. And, um, you know, even through the wind, but when we got to clean that up.
Reporter: What were your impressions of first game? I'm sorry. What were your overall impressions of Max Hairston's first game in this new defense?
Brady: Yeah, it's like with every, with everybody, um, you know, it's, uh, getting the feel of the flow of the game, getting to feel the gym, um, how gyms call on it in the flow, you know, with the match ups. But, um, I think just in general with our entire defense is like, I learned a lot about kind of the personality of the guys of, um, you know, uh, I haven't been on the field, right? And so seeing, Hey, they might have gave up a touch on just seeing how the response, um, seeing, you know, how they were in a halftime. And I know their question was about Max, but it was really kind of everybody right there. It was like, you're trying to learn your football team. And through the good and through the bad, I felt like the guys that are really good job of doing what we asked and saying like, let's go play another series, you know, and, um, um, I thought that that was critical. Uh, there's obviously, there's going to be some plays, you know, talking to Max that he obviously wants back just like everybody on our football team once yesterday or a Sunday. But I thought Max came out, you know, uh, played confidently. Um, him rotating with IGB is not a product of, Hey, he's not playing well. It was more of us wanting to be able to get all of them going, because we're going to need them all. And, um, now it's about just taking another step in week two.
Reporter: I don't know if you lost it in the game because of how it went was how great special teams played overall. At least that's my perception. What did you think about overall the whole unit special teams?
Brady: Yeah, I think, um, I think we played winning football, but like I said it after the game and watching the tape, like we didn't play well enough on any face and, and that's always a product of me. And so I, and that is including me. And so, but I felt like T Bass did a good job, you know, in the kick game, right? We put them in some opportunities and we expect him to make those and he made them. And, um, you know, uh, we caught a nice break on the one at one of Tommy's punts, but, um, I thought he handled one. There was a huge part in the game where we at one point we had 10 guys on the field can't happen. And then, but, uh, Reed and Tommy didn't blink and, you know, he was able to get the pun off. We didn't have to take a delay. So there's a lot of things for us to clean up. We had two penalties, but, um, uh, I say all that to say that there's a standard and, um, you know, we got to make sure that we're challenging it and living up to it. And, you know, you got Sam Franklin and Reed Ferguson, two captains understand what it's supposed to look like and, you know, making sure that we're, we're living that, but I thought they played winning football, but they're stuff that we left out there. Like, like we did on offense and defense.
Reporter: For a while, how would you describe the trust you guys have in one another? And also what's an example, how you try to challenge him year to year to make small improvements?
Brady: Yeah, I mean, I, I, there's not a, there's not a person, um, you know, professionally that I trust more, um, uh, you know, and, and, the longer that we're together, the more like being on the field and how, how, um, I think just being able to like go up and talk to him on the games and be able to have some of these conversations that, you know, I haven't had in the past. I'm kind of pissed at myself for not being down on the, on the field the last couple years. Um, but I have so much trust in him and, um, I have trust in him that even when it doesn't go well, that, Hey, I can go right back to the well with him. And I know that he's going to find a way to get it done. And, um, he, he needs, he wants to be challenged. Like he, you know, we, we won the football game. He had the game winning touchdown, right? But he understands that play before, you know, uh, could have led to the point that, you know, we, we didn't come out of the wind, right? And, um, those, we can't just gloss over that and feel like, okay, Hey, just because, because we got the wind, that was, you know, that's okay. And so he wants to be challenged as why he's, he's as great as he can be. And we can hold each other accountable. There's plays out there that I didn't like my play calls and I'll be the first to admit that to him. And I hope that he can bring that to me and be like, what were you thinking in that situation? But, um, we have a lot of trust in one another and, um, that even when it's not going well, we're going to be, we'll both be able to figure it out.
Reporter: Why the percentage of snaps from under center league wide went up pretty significantly in week one. What does it do for your offense? What advantage do you gain offensively when you are under center?
Brady: That's good enough. I couldn't tell you one other thing that happened in football this past week. Um, and it's, it's great. Um, yeah, um, and be careful how I answer that. Yeah, no, yeah, that's, that's a good, it's a great question. And, um, it's no different than the playtime. It's, it's not a, it's, it's week to week. Hey, what are some situations that it might make life easier on an offensive lineman. It might make life easier on a quarterback. It might, um, stop a pass rush from being in gun and having an opportunity of like seeing like, okay, I can, I can tee off here and, um, there's time in place for everything. You can't overdo anything, but, um, you know, I think with the way that some of the defenses are being built nowadays, if you can get under center and you can give it, make it a little more multiple for them. Um, you know, you can run his lefts and right, you can run strong weak, you can have play action and you can change personnel groupings. It does put a little more stress on than, hey, you're living in the gun world. You're living in the running back in an offset. Okay, these are the type of runs we're going to get. And so like I said, there's a time and a place we have to be able to run in the gun and we have gun runs. Um, you know, when we have gun play action passes, do a good job moving Josh the other day. But, um, anytime you're under center, I think it allows, it might, it might slow the defense down a split second.
Reporter: Josh, on those 296 yard drives, you have averaged more than 25 yards of completion. Putting that kind of aggressive lightning fast offense on tape before an opponent, what does that do? Do you think to their defense preparation?
Brady: Um, you know, I think it shows that, hey, if the opportunity is there, you know, we got to be able to take it and, and that we will, and, um, but we got to be controlled with the aggression. It can't, we can't just throw it just to throw it. And, you know, as defenses are going to continue to ingest, what does that mean? Are they going to get, you know, further back from that? And if that is, then this opens up the intermediate passes or potentially some of the runs and, and then it kind of goes full circle and eventually they want to stop that and should open it up. But, um, you know, I, I thought Josh had an outstanding job of taking what was there and opportunities that were there and some one-on-one opportunities to trust that he had and some of the guys and some of the guys, some of the plays we talked the other day, like the DJ more, you know, you know, penalty, like that's a hidden yardage, but it's an opportunity that he trusted his guy to go one in a one-on-one situation. And, um, you know, sometimes those results might not necessarily go our way, but, um, given those guys that chance also shows the confidence in, uh, and the receiver in those situations. So, you know, I think we've shown all off season that we have the ability to push the ball, but we've got to be smart about when we're doing it, but when it is there, man, we got to pull the trigger and go be a sniper with it.
