Did the Bills & Browns hire the right coaches + Why Bill Belichick got snubbed

Summary

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Scoop City: Inside The NFL

Episode Summary – January 28, 2026

Episode Title: Did the Bills & Browns hire the right coaches + Why Bill Belichick got snubbed
Hosts: James Palmer (The Athletic), Dianna Russini (The Athletic), plus guests Seth Wickersham (ESPN) and Joe Buscaglia (The Athletic)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the NFL’s most intriguing stories:

• The Buffalo Bills’ and Cleveland Browns’ head coaching hires (Joe Brady and Todd Monken)
• The behind-the-scenes tension and key factors in both organizations’ decisions
• The shocking news that Bill Belichick was not elected as a first-ballot Hall of Famer
  The hosts and guests leverage their insider access to examine what these moves mean for the NFL landscape, what’s next for major franchises, and the fallout around one of football’s most controversial Hall of Fame snubs.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cleveland Browns Hire Todd Monken as Head Coach

[02:27–11:25]

• Initial Surprise & Reaction:

  • The Browns’ decision to hire Todd Monken surprised most around the league and the Browns’ fan base, who expected either continuity with DC Jim Schwartz or a completely new offensive mind.
  • Monken is seen as "a mix of both" – an offensively-focused hire with previous head coaching experience, but not as extensive as Schwartz.

• The Jim Schwartz Factor:

  • Schwartz, the highly respected DC, was also a finalist for the job, creating awkward dynamics. His future with the franchise remains uncertain.
  • "Jim Schwartz is the reason why the Cleveland Browns have had any success over the last few seasons. So his future is a little bit up in the air." — Dianna Russini [03:42]
  • The Browns are legally bound to Schwartz for another year unless they let him out or he retires; sources suggest Schwartz might be "leaning toward" leaving after being passed over.

• Organizational Process:

  • The Browns’ search was heavily analytics-driven, with candidates submitting essays and undergoing psychological evaluations.
  • Monken’s plan for the quarterback position was a key part of his interview but not tied to any specific player (Shadur Sanders not a major factor).

• Quote:

  • "There’s always the news and then there’s a little bit of what the league is talking about—the soup. ... You’re telling me Jim Schwartz is going to interview for the head coach job and just be okay with it if he doesn’t get it and stay on staff?" — Dianna Russini [05:45]

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2. Buffalo Bills Promote Joe Brady to Head Coach

[11:25–21:30], [37:25–56:16]

• Why Joe Brady?

  • Internal interviews impressed ownership and leadership; Brady’s "attention-grabbing presence" and vision caught them off guard.
  • "[The staff] had never really seen him in that light... Joe Brady blew away the room. It was everybody. So it wasn’t a very hard decision for them to make." — Dianna Russini [12:18]

• Role of Josh Allen:

  • QB Josh Allen's thoughts were part of the process, but not decisive. He supported Brady, but the hire was not specifically Allen-driven.
  • "Apparently Joe Brady blew away the room. It was everybody. So it wasn't a very hard decision for them to make." — Dianna Russini [12:18]

• External Candidates & Search Process:

  • Buffalo considered Brian Daboll, Colts DC Lou Anarumo, and others. Daboll was viewed as a strong candidate due to his previous work with Allen, but the team ultimately prioritized offensive minds and quick transition.
  • The Bills did not wait to interview external candidate Clint Kubiak (Seattle) due to timing issues; continuity was prioritized.

• Organizational Continuity & the “Window” for a Title:

  • There’s a focus on maintaining continuity around Josh Allen as he enters his 30s, seeking to capitalize on Buffalo’s championship window without a learning curve for a new staff.
  • Joe Brady will continue to call plays as head coach—a significant responsibility for a young, first-timer.

• Concerns and Risk:

  • While Brady is highly collaborative and a “player’s coach,” there are open questions about his ability as a CEO-type head coach, especially in high-pressure situations.
  • "Are you actually going to put the iron fist down sometimes? Are you actually going to be this type of leader that can help navigate through conflict, which is such an important piece …?" — Joe Buscalia [48:20]

• Potential Staff Changes:

  • Defensive coordinator hiring is a point of interest, with Jim Leonhard emerging as a top candidate.
  • Most of the offensive staff may return; major identity change is expected defensively.

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3. Bill Belichick Snubbed from Hall of Fame—Why?

With Seth Wickersham [21:30–36:23]

• Reporting the News:

  • ESPN’s Seth Wickersham broke the news that Belichick was not a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
  • Even those close to Belichick were "in shock" but not "filled with rage"—the mood was, “this is unbelievable. Can you believe this?”

• Voters & The Process:

  • The consensus: this was a “bad slight.” Multiple coaches and insiders blasted the process for allowing personal vendettas to influence such a monumental vote.
  • “If people were going to put their emotions in their votes, then they shouldn't be voters. You can't do it. The work is what you're voting on, not your personal feelings.” — Dianna Russini [19:15]

• Potential Reasons for the Snub:

  • Deliberations explicitly included discussion of New England’s cheating scandals, particularly Spygate (“really, really Belichick centric”) and Deflategate.
  • Some voters may have assumed Belichick was an obvious lock, so used their votes for other candidates, creating a logjam and splitting the vote.

• Broader Implications & Future Changes:

  • The shock and widespread agreement across football may prompt the Hall to separate the contributor and senior categories, or to reconsider transparency.
  • “So often where we look for conspiracy, we end up finding human beings. And I have a feeling that’s what happened.” — Seth Wickersham [28:21]
  • Likelihood of a more transparent process? Skeptical—due to concern for voter privacy and public backlash.

• Tom Brady Implications:

  • The group does not foresee the Belichick snub impacting Brady’s future Hall of Fame candidacy, but points out the huge backlog for coaches (e.g., Shanahan, Holmgren, Coughlin, with Reed and Tomlin possibly soon).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cleveland’s coaching dynamics:
  • “Hey, I'm here. I'm not good enough to be the CEO, but let me make sure I support and even mentor probably this young guy who has the job I want.” — Dianna Russini [06:55]
• On Buffalo’s hire:
  • "Promoting Joe Brady from offensive coordinator to head coach. It seems like we have a lot of the same to try to find a different result.” — James Palmer [39:32]
• On Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub:
  • “They’re calling it the Belichick 11—the 11 that didn't vote for him. Like who are these people? ... And it's never gonna come out.” — Dianna Russini [20:27]
  • "Even when Don [Van Natta] got the tip, we were wondering, there's a decent chance this can't be true, right? How could it possibly be that Bill Belichick isn't a first ballot Hall of Famer?" — Seth Wickersham [24:03]
• On the backlog for coaching Hall of Fame bids:
  • “All of those guys are gonna get knocked back because ... they're all getting in line behind Belichick first. And then if Reed retires, it'll be behind Reed." — Seth Wickersham [29:53]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:27] Cleveland Browns hire Todd Monken—process and implications
• [05:45] The awkwardness of Jim Schwartz as finalist and possible exit
• [11:25] Buffalo Bills promote Joe Brady—insider details and why
• [13:47] External candidates for Bills job: Daboll, Anarumo, Kubiak (timing issues)
• [18:31] Bill Belichick snubbed: insider reaction and the politics of Hall of Fame voting
• [24:03] Seth Wickersham explains how the snub story broke and why it happened
• [28:21] Seth Wickersham: “So often where we look for conspiracy, we end up finding human beings”
• [37:25] Joe Buscalia on “Why Joe Brady?”—Bills’ thinking and risk assessment
• [45:44] Brady’s rapid rise—Willy Wonka analogy and thoughts on qualifications
• [50:25] Josh Allen’s role in head coach search and what it means for Buffalo
• [54:04] Major staff changes expected for Bills defense, possible DC candidates

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Final Thoughts

This episode provides a rich, nuanced look behind the NFL’s closed doors—from the emotional fallout of surprising coaching decisions to the human (and sometimes political) frailties inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process. Scoop City’s hosts and guests blend access, candor, and context into an episode that doesn’t just break the news, but explains its significance for fans and teams alike.

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Transcript

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[Diana Rossini]

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[James Palmer]

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[Diana Rossini]

The scariest feeling on planet Earth is being on a camera without hearing anything. And you think you're on. You don't know if you're on and you're just talking.

[James Palmer]

Just go. It's like, like when I end, they better be up and running. And you see the producer running around behind the camera like trying to like, I'm on the phone with them, dude, what do you got us do you got us because they freak out?

[Diana Rossini]

They make it worse because they're panicked and they're like doing this and you're like, I'm just going to keep talking and I'm sweating right now.

[James Palmer]

I'm just, it's pouring and the arms are staying tight and they're like, do you have Diana? Oh, welcome to Scoop City on a Wednesday. I'm James Homer. Don't forget to like and subscribe because we got all the goods. We got snubs, we got coaching hires. We got guys not getting into the hall of Fame. We have everything for you. And we're not even mentioning the super bowl today, so that's just a prerequisite. I have Diane Rossini with me, the athletic senior NFL Insider. We are going to get through what happened with the Browns pivoting to Todd Monken. Or did they not? Also Joe Brady getting the job in internal hiring there in Buffalo and also the fallout from Bill Belichick not being a first ballot hall of Famer. We'll cover all of that with Diana. We also have Seth Wickersham. We also Have Joe Biscalia giving us some information on Belichick and. And Brady coming up in the show.

[Diana Rossini]

Okay.

[James Palmer]

Diana, a lot's been going on this. This Wednesday morning. I know you've been working the thumbs. Todd Monkin, I believe this was the only head coaching interview he had in this cycle, and he lands it. Why Todd Monkin in Cleveland?

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, it's a cycle that never ends, this coaching hiring, firing. Three weeks has been a wild roller coaster, and the Cleveland Browns have landed on Todd Monkin. And I do think the reaction initially just from the fan base has been what? Because I think most believed that this organization was either going to go in the direction of what they know, which would. Which would have been Jim Schwartz, who's been the defensive coordinator. There has been a head coach before, or they were to go in the direction of a brand new fresh face, fresh play caller on the offensive side of the ball, you know, in charge and Todd Monkey and. And kind of becomes the mix of both. Right? Because now we've got the offensive minded, has experience the way Jim Schwartz has had experience. Not. Not obviously as much as Jim in that head coaching seat. But I do think there's a factor that is weighing over all of this, and we're still working on. On the details of what's going to happen. Jim Schwartz, the defensive coordinator, who's got a very strong relationship with that locker room, a strong relationship with the front office ownership, and obviously he's had tremendous amount of success over the last few years. Jim Schwartz is the reason why the Cleveland Browns have had any success over the last few seasons. So his future is a little bit up in the air. And the reason why it's up in the air is he's got another year left in on his contract. So legally, he. He's a Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator. There's only a few ways he can get out of that, and that would be if the team decides to let him out. Sometimes we've seen that happen, you know, as a act of. Of goodwill of, hey, it's okay, you don't want to be here anymore, we'll let you out. He retires, right. And just sits out this year, which I, I don't expect that to happen. But he's the factor in this, and I think he is a part of why they went with Monket. I think that we're gonna probably turn out, or this is gonna probably wrap up and we're gonna find out that Schwartz is probably gonna stay there. And. And I think that was important to Todd Monkin. That Jim Schwartz was part of this as well. So we'll see what Jim decides to do. But for now, I, with experience and this Jim Schwartz factor was the reason why Cleveland came down with this.

[James Palmer]

Yeah. And there is some familiarity. Right. He was on Freddy Kitchen staff there in Cleveland. So they did already have somewhat of a relationship with Todd Monkin and knew a little bit about him specifically ownership there. And I, I think about this, Diana, when you mentioned the Jim Schwartz factor, there were two organizations that really wanted to make sure they kept their defensive coordinator, if they could with their new head coach. One was in Atlanta with Jeff Albrecht. They were able to do it with Kevin Stefanski, keeping him on board. And I think Jim Schwartz, we know and you've said this on the show and you've been all over this with Schwarz that there are other suitors that would want him to be their defensive coordinator at other spots. Right. That's still something that would be possibly at play. But also I do, I, I do like that you laid it all out there because this is a unique situation to where he interviewed for the job. He's one of their finalists for the job. It's not as it's exactly the same as Jeff Albrick who was never in the running for the head coaching position.

[Diana Rossini]

No, I'm glad you brought that up. Let's chit chat about that. Right. Because there's always like the news and then there's a little bit of what the league is talking about, the soup. So yeah, let's dive into the scoop soup. And this was brought up to me last week by somebody who knows Jim Schwartz very, very well. And he's like, you're telling me Jim Schwartz is going to interview for the head coach job and just be okay with it if he doesn't get it and stay on staff. That this is a veteran wise head coach that's respected around the league. I'm not so sure that that would be the case was what this person was saying. Like that's probably something that Cleveland is going to have to factor in. And so when we were seeing some of these younger head coaches, head coach candidates interview, I was definitely thinking about that of you know, let's say Grant Udinsky didn't drop it out and he stayed in this thing. You know, how was that going to play? Is would Jim had immediately asked, you know, for them to let him out. You know, that would make sense. And I don't think I would fault him for that.

[James Palmer]

Like it must be awkward, right? I mean how could. Hey guys, I'M back.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. Like, hey, I'm here. I'm not good enough to be the CEO, but let. Let me make sure I support and even mentor probably this young guy who has the job I want. It's.

[James Palmer]

You guys don't love me, but you certainly like me to run your defense. Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

It's kind of like when you bring on, like, the brand, you know, the young drafted quarterback and you've got the veteran, you know, it's like Joe Flacco back in the day. Remember, he's like, I'm not here to mentor.

[James Palmer]

Yes. Yeah. I'm here to win. Win my job here.

[Joe Biscalia]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

Same. Same situation. So we'll see how this shakes out. So we'll. We'll. We'll see if he decides to stay. Look, I could see him being somebody that. That also doesn't want to be there anymore because of what we just laid out. Like, I could see. I've covered Jim a long time. I know his personality.

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[Diana Rossini]

I could see him taking this one hard. So we'll see how this plays.

[James Palmer]

Yeah. Okay, that's a. That's a really good point. Well put. Okay. The other part of it is Todd Monken is known to be someone that works well with quarterbacks. We've seen, really, Lamar Jackson thrive under him and where he's at, and we've seen Lamar Jackson play at an MVP level with what Todd Monkin has been able to do. I was always told, and I went back into my notes, Diana, to the beginning kind of of this process and was kind of told what the plan was at quarterback was a big part of what you were doing at this interview process with the Browns. Not specifically it had to be Shador Sanders or it had to be. But what your overall arching plan at quarterback was. What kind of factor did Todd Monken have with his plan, if you know, in this process? Because that is something that Cleveland is trying to sort out.

[Diana Rossini]

And once kind of Cleveland, the organization of nerds using their Bunsen burners to come up with Bunsen burners.

[James Palmer]

I haven't heard that term since high school.

[Jonathan Fields]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

Remember those things? You could, like, smell them. When the days that you knew you were doing that in science class, you're like, oh, we're doing Bunsen burns. What did we melt with those? What were we cooking with them?

[James Palmer]

Oh, usually my friend's hair. I was.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, I was trying that before.

[Joe Biscalia]

People on fire.

[Jonathan Fields]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

I would take my pencil eraser and put it on there, and the rubber scent would be in the room. Like, what's that?

[James Palmer]

Smell the big like, yellowy eraser. Pink.

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[James Palmer]

Oh, pink. The pinkish eraser. Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

But really though, what do we do? We put. We put chemicals on them.

[James Palmer]

Yeah. So I think they wanted to make sure something happened in terms of like smoke came up or something in some sort of.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. So stupid. Either way. The. The Browns obviously rely a lot on. On analytics. We know from some reporting done that they had all their candidates go through a pretty long process of answering questions and writing essays and really trying to get as much information as possible. They had a meet with the psychologist. They did a lot of different things to really try to make sure they land on this. And as this is all happening. Let me just gather some of this right now. Since it's all happening in the moment.

[James Palmer]

Do it.

[Diana Rossini]

But I think there is some thought right now, and this isn't official as of right now, but Jim Schwartz, I think is considering leaving the Cleveland Browns. From. From someone that I'm speaking to close to the Browns right now just over text message that we will see what. What he decides to do. That it's not 1,000% he's out, but it's definitely leaning towards that way. So back to how we were saying that. I could see Jim being very upset by this. It sounds like he is. And look, sometimes this happens too, like the. The sting of when things happen, the emotion of it. And I'm sure you've. You've spoken to some of these candidates after they were informed, because usually most teams call the candidates that interview to let them know that they. That they're not getting the job. Some struggle with it, you know, especially the ones that thought they did very well. And I know for a fact that Jim felt that he did very well during this interview process. So we'll see how this shakes out. But quarterback is going to be the biggest part of this because that. That's the area where they are in. In risk mode because they don't really have anything set just yet. And neither did Kevin Stefanski. And this is why even the thought of bringing back Kevin Stefanski when those conversations were happening, what was his plan for that? Because they're gonna probably have to go get one. I don't believe that this organization is all in on Shador. So we'll. We'll see what Todd Monket has in store for. For the Cleveland Browns because it's. It is not an easy job. As good as that defense is, they. They need to make a lot of improvements.

[James Palmer]

That's a great point. My two cents before we Move on is I was told early in the process, Diana, that Shador Sanders was not a major factor. I'm sorry, Pro bowl quarterback Shador Sanders was not a major factor in the decision making process on who was going to be the head coach. Obviously his potential, his contract obviously favorable. But it was not a major factor in how you were going to go about hiring this head coach. But we'll see what they do with the position as a whole. All right, Joe Brady news dropped. This one is fascinating. Again, we'll have more in depth just on the Bills and where they go next with Joe Biscalia coming up in the show. But Diana, I need your your in depth. Look at this as we are looking at an organization who wanted dramatic change after hitting the proverbial wall in the playoffs. And their change is an internal candidate at their offensive coordinator spot. Joe Brady becoming the head coach. How did they land on Joe Brady?

[Diana Rossini]

So he interviewed very well and I think most of the interviews with all the different candidates went, went fine. But from what I gather it was really Joe Brady's attention grabbing presence in the room sitting in what we'll call the head coach seat. They had never really seen him in that light and I think it caught them off guard a little bit in an impressive way where I think they may have even felt a little foolish of not having seen this in him and not really knowing that he had this vision for what the Buffalo Bills should be, could be and how a plan with how they'll get there. And I think that really stuck out. I, I think Josh Allen sitting in those meetings was helpful for, for this process too because Josh obviously has such a hold, such a high regard for Joe Brady and there's a relationship there and a comfort there. But he also had relationships with, with a lot of these candidates. And I did ask somebody there if Josh carried heavy weight in, in their decision here and it was explained that he did not that that they asked him for sure, but it wasn't like he was banging on the table. And then they made this move because that's who Josh Allen wanted. Apparently Joe Brady blew away the room. It was everybody. So it wasn't a very hard decision for them to make which is why they were able to do this actually pretty quickly considering Sean McDermott was just fired very quickly.

[James Palmer]

What is, what is the buzz, Diana, around the NFL about the Bills and this hire of Joe Brady? Now we know he's interviewed well in the past. I think he was a runner up for the Falcons a few years ago. I think he interviewed well in Baltimore. But the perception that Buffalo has had from the moment that that pass was ruled and an interception against Denver to now has dramatically changed, honestly, from what Sean McDermott built for nine previous seasons. What is the buzz around the NFL as you talk to everybody about all these jobs being filled with Joe Brady being the man who's landed this job.

[Diana Rossini]

So outside of Joe Brady, I heard that Brian D. Was being very seriously considered. Right. Makes sense. Especially because what we were just talking about, just the fact that he's obviously coach Josh Allen before he has had coaching experience. He is from Buffalo. He knows that organization inside and out. Um, but Colts defensive coordinator Lou and A Rumo was a really strong candidate. Yeah, I heard that. He just had a presence about him, an authority and energy that. That almost shocked the room a bit. Not that they weren't expecting that. I just think that he has so much experience from all the different places he's been at. He's been around some great head coaches, some bad ones too, and I think that's really helped him arrive. I. I do think Lou is going to be another name we'll see in the next cycle. This is a cycle where I think a lot of people are leaning towards offensive minded. And obviously that is where. Where Buffalo landed now.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, listen, this is team Lou right here. I mean, this show has been a team Lou.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, we have been very prolo.

[James Palmer]

We've been very pro Lou. I'm not going to lie about that. Before we jump to Bill Belichick, I do want to ask you, where does Clint Kubiak fit in all of this? Because you just mentioned offensive minds, and we just saw him put masterclass in that NFC Championship game. An offensive scheme in front of one Tom Brady, who was calling that game. But there's these. These rules within the hiring process, and Clint is still now participating in the NFL season. Nobody else is really outside of the Patriots and the Seahawks. So how does kind of the path that the Seahawks have been on. Diana, really kind of maybe slown up some things for Clint Kubiak. How has it impacted him? Because he's still. You mentioned one of those offensive names out there.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, he. He's going to wind up meeting with one of these teams at some point here. I. I've got Las Vegas circled as a team that really has very strong interest in him, and Buffalo just didn't want to wait. And I know that sounds ridiculous, but you have to understand from their perspective, things are moving. The Senior bowl is happening right now. I spoke to an offensive Coordinator this morning with a, with a team. I mean, everyone's in the building working. Like, the Bills already feel behind, so, so this makes all the sense in the world. There's not that much transition that they have to go through now. Right. They can just kind of set things up just the way it was when Shawn McDermott was there. But as for Clint, look, we're waiting for Arizona and we're waiting for Vegas. And, and you know, you, you mentioned the Tom Brady interview live on the air when we saw them in that NFC championship game. Yeah, I, I think he's really, he has a lot of support in Vegas and, and it has to do with just what he's been able to do in Seattle and the reputation he had when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. There's a lot of really good, positive vibes. We'll call it around Clint, so we'll see if he'll be able to land this. And Arizona, I'm still watching. You got Mike Laur, Anthony Weaver and Raheem Morris waiting, and I'm expecting an answer very soon, actually. So we'll, we'll see where, where that shakes they had originally wanted. Oh, and Ron Rivera was in there, too.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, that was a great nugget you had. Yeah, just a little while.

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Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. I, I don't think Ron Rivera is going to get the job, but I think he was definitely part of this coaching hiring cycle for Arizona as they were trying to basically look anywhere and everywhere to try to think outside the box a bit. Obviously, Ron is, is at Cal as the general manager there for their football program. Yeah, well, so, yeah, we'll see. I had heard they wanted to go offense, but then I heard more recently they are, they're more open minded, so we'll see where they land.

[James Palmer]

All right, that works. I wouldn't want to be Clint Kubiak's wife, Diana. Not just that I don't find so much to be married to, but I mean, this would be six teams in six years if he goes to Vegas. That's a lot of moving for the family. But that would be our first head coaching opportunity for Clint Kubiak and company. So obviously a different feel on that move real quick because I know you're slammed right now. Bill Belichick, what have you gathered about him not being a first ballot hall of Famer again? We have Seth Wickersham coming up on the show. Who broke that news?

[Diana Rossini]

Can't wait for that.

[James Palmer]

Outstanding.

[Joe Biscalia]

Yeah.

[James Palmer]

What do you think and what have you gathered from around the league.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. Great get by you guys to get Seth because he's got plenty of information and obviously a very good relationship with Belichick. So he's to bring the heat. All right, I'll just start with. With talking to people close to Belichick Last night when the story broke, they. They were. They were in shock. They were. I didn't find them to be filled with rage or angry at all. It was more like, this is unbelievable. Can you believe this? Like, obviously, this is political. There are people with personal vendettas. They're. They're aware. And here's the great part about Belichick side to this. He doesn't really need to say a thing because I tried to get him to. To speak to me on the record about it, and he doesn't need to.

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[James Palmer]

Because the rings speak for themselves.

[Diana Rossini]

The rings speak for himself. And. And every single person, I think almost every person that covers football, that watches football, that respects the game, feels the same way, which is that this was a bad slight. The process isn't great. You know, I had one head coach say, if people were going to put their emotions in, you know, in their votes, then. Then they shouldn't be. They shouldn't be voters. You can't do it. The work is what you're voting on, not your personal feelings. And the hard part. And then my pushback to this coach was. Yeah, but unfortunate. Not unfortunately. But in this case, unfortunately, it's human beings making the vote. So unless they want to make this analytical and make this just based on numbers and have some AI machine come up with answers, there's always going to be a human element to it. So it's. It stinks. But how do you patrol that? How do you police it? You can't. So, yeah, everyone around the league is just so upset about. Blown away. And when we've seen the reactions, like, I don't think I've seen something like this in a long time where the whole world was in on one story and in agreement, you know?

[James Palmer]

Exactly. I was about to say, like, it's not like everybody's debating this massive topic. It's pretty much all on one side.

[Diana Rossini]

Everyone's like, what? Like, what are we doing? What are we doing? My goal one day is to actually be a voter for. For the hall of Fame. So one day I'll get there and I will hopefully not make this same mistake, because this is a bad one. And they're calling it the Brady 11. You know, the 11 people that. Excuse me, the Belichick 11. The 11 that didn't vote for him. Like, who are these people? And, and it, they're not. It's never gonna come out because no one's gonna admit it.

[James Palmer]

No, no one's gonna admit it.

[Jonathan Fields]

That's the thing.

[James Palmer]

It's very secretive. You've had to go on record for your voting. You've had your voting.

[Diana Rossini]

Can we go one show without bringing this up? Because I really don't want to be upset. I've been so grumpy lately and now you are making it worse. James.

[James Palmer]

Sorry. I apologize.

[Diana Rossini]

Why were they made public?

[James Palmer]

I don't know.

[Diana Rossini]

And why didn't they tell us?

[James Palmer]

I thought I talked to Brandon being.

[Diana Rossini]

About it the other day, told everybody.

[James Palmer]

Listen, he was, he was laughing about it. When I talked to him about it recently. He was, he was laughing about it. So it's wonderful. You're the best. You're outstanding. I love you. Thank you so much.

[Diana Rossini]

I love you too.

[James Palmer]

Keeping the Bill Belichick conversation going with the man who broke the news, Seth Wickersham of ESPN joining us next on Scoop City. We gotta get to the bottom of this thing.

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[James Palmer]

All right, Joining us now on Scoop City, Seth Wickersham, the senior writer for espn, also a New York best selling author for American Kings. I read our quote here, by the way, from the athletic. A must buy is from the athletic here, Seth. And to make sure everybody goes and checks out American Kings for sure about the NFL quarterback position and the quarterback position as a whole. But we are talking about the head coaching spot right now is the biggest news, Seth, and you were a part of it, of Bill Belichick not being a first ballot hall of Famer. I want to know kind of how this process for you and digging to kind of get an inkling information that this was even a possibility, because I wouldn't think it would be. How did you start going down the path that there was a chance this could happen? And then what was your reaction when you finally confirmed that this wasn't going to happen?

[Seth Wickersham]

Yeah, well, you know, we wrote it with Don Van Natta, who's, you know, my. My partner in crime quite a bit on a lot of these ESPN stories. And Don actually got. It was the one who got a tip on it. And I was able to make some phone calls and get it confirmed. But I think that, like, even when Don got the tip, we were wondering is, like, there's a decent chance this can't be true, right? How could it possibly be that Bill Belichick isn't a first ballot hall of Famer? And so I think our reaction initially was very similar to, you know, what you see on social media where, you know, a lot of just, you see some outrage and you see some, you know, questioning the process, whatever it is. But mostly it's just kind of stunning because I think that everybody thought that Belichick was going to get in in his first year of eligibility. His resume is unparalleled. But I will say this is that there was someone close to Belichick who maybe I want to say two weeks ago, reached out to me and was like, hey, do you think Bill made it because they voted on January 13th? That was the sess. And I was like, I'm sure he's in. I'm not a Hall of Fame voter. If I were, I'd be disqualified because you're not allowed to talk about it or report on it. But I was just really stunned that he would be asking that question. But maybe he had gotten some information that there was more. There might be more trepidation towards Belichick being a first ballot hall of Famer than anybody really could have imagined.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, it's unbelievable. You're right. And to put this into context, Seth knows it. I've spoken to voters where they just do not talk about this at all. It's like Fight Club. You just do not talk about it at all.

[Seth Wickersham]

But I did.

[James Palmer]

I did. I did hear said honestly from like, two different voters that Was like, man, wild year. Like, that's like the extent of what I got. Like, long process. This went long, man, this is going to be a wild year. And I was like, you know, you always think players in your head going, okay, well then which players didn't get in. In your piece you said. Well, the piece essentially said that politics, essentially the idea kept him out, not a reflection of his accomplishments. I think that was somebody close to Bill, that that's kind of their thinking. Is that, do you believe accurate that those around Belichick and himself probably think that that's more of a, of a reason why he was not a first ballot hall of Famer.

[Seth Wickersham]

Well, look, I know for a fact that the cheating scandals of the New England Patriots, Spygate, which was really, really Belichick centric, and then Deflategate, which was not. But in their dynastic run, both of those cost them first round picks came up during the deliberations. And you know, I do think that there is a segment of believe that Van Naet and I wrote about it about a decade ago, but Spygate was worse than people realized. And that was one of Roger Goodell's early tests as a commissioner. They kind of swept the evidence under the rug. They destroyed one of the tapes, at least one of the tapes, by stomping it into pieces in a boardroom at Gillette Stadium. And I think there was a sense of outrage around the league that, like, hey, look, this thing was. This investigation, quote unquote, was open and closed within, you know, a week. Like, how can we say that this didn't. We don't even know how many games it helped them win and nobody even bothered to ever find out. And so I think that, like, there's a lot of outrage towards that, but I do think that we don't know exactly why he didn't make it because a lot of the voters who voted didn't actually know. Like, they're not privy to the results. And so, you know, I think that, like, if we're able to gain more insight into that process and how things went down, it'll be interesting. But I do think that Mike Sando, your colleague and, and one of our, one of my good friends, you know, he wrote about how this could happen. He kind of speculated about it on, on X. And I think that, like, there's a lot of truth to what he says. I mean, I think that like, he basically said, look, this is a funky process. You can vote for three people. And so there's probably some people who didn't vote for Belichick because they didn't think he deserved to be a first ballot hall of Famer. And then there's others who probably voted for other candidates thinking that Belichick was going to win.

[James Palmer]

Yeah.

[Seth Wickersham]

And so often where we look for conspiracy, we end up finding human beings. And I have a feeling that that's what happened.

[Jonathan Fields]

Wow.

[James Palmer]

That's. It is. I mean, and you look at some of those other names with Mike Shanahan and company. I've been just waiting for a number of years here. And probably some people are, you know, there's always that, that guy in the room and, you know, this Seth, where they're stumping for certain individuals. That's, that's the way the process goes very often within there. When you mentioned Spygate and Deflategate, and I think our minds automatically go, all right, when Tom Brady is eligible, is this going to impact him the same way that it has Bill Belichick? Now that you have all this information, do you think that's a valid thought right now?

[Seth Wickersham]

If it, if that ever were to be a thing? I think that the outrage and just the bad look from the hall of Fame for not admitting Belichick on the first ballot stomped that out. But I do think that like, and you know, I think that like, Brady's resume, obviously, you know, is more than deserving as a first ballot hall of Famer. He's the greatest football player that we've seen in our generation. So I don't really see a trickle down effect from it. But, you know, you alluded to this, the log jam of people. And so there are a lot of coaches. Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, who came the closest a year ago, Tom Coughlin. There's going to be other coaches that come up. Even if, like say Andy Reid retires after this season, he's essential. He has to wait a year, but then he's eligible. There's going to be a huge backlog of coaches that a lot of people think should be finalists and maybe should be inducted. And all of those guys are going to get knocked back because the, they're all taking, you know, they're all getting in line behind Belichick first. And then if Reed retires, it'll be behind Reed. That will be really interesting to see. Even Mike Tomlin, you know, if he doesn't end up returning coaches, he's going to get right in line and he's going to have a strong case. And so it wouldn't surprise me if the hall looks at this process Right now, coaches are in the senior contributors or senior category combined with the contributors, and it's. I, I, maybe that's not working, and maybe it's not really helping anybody that someone like Ken Anderson is up against Bill Belichick. And, you know, I think that, like, going forward, they might, they might rethink that because there might be a cleaner way to decide who gets into the hall of Fame.

[James Palmer]

That's a great point. It's kind of like the hodgepodge category, where you're looking at all these different names like you're, like, worthy, but against this, who did something completely different for the league. Is it still worth, like, you know what I mean? Like, the comparisons of the contributions that each of them made in their respective areas is kind of an odd group to kind of. You're not pinning them against each other, but, you know.

[Seth Wickersham]

Yeah, it's kind of a motley crew, right?

[Diana Rossini]

Yes.

[Seth Wickersham]

They're like, how did you end up here?

[James Palmer]

Yeah, exactly. Like. And they're all curious. And so the other part that really fascinated me in the article and everybody go read it. It's outstanding. When Bill Poly, in the quote that you had from him, says that he's 95% sure he voted for Bill Belichick in the voting process, I would be probably pretty certain about who I voted for to clear that up. Do you think we will ever have an open process? We have that now for the MVP and things like that, and we know who voted for who. Do you think that change would ever happen amongst the cloaked committee of the hall of Fame?

[Seth Wickersham]

I don't know. I mean, honestly, I would be a little worried for the voters because, I mean, you have Dave. You have Dave Portnoy, you know, tweeting things that I think are woefully inappropriate. But, you know, I think that it could impact their lives in a real way going forward. You know, maybe, like, trying to add some. Look, those would be the greatest, you know, television, you know, debates that, you know, we'd have outside of games. Right. I mean, to be able to have.

[James Palmer]

Pretty good at this thing. Seth.

[Seth Wickersham]

They are.

[James Palmer]

They're probably.

[Seth Wickersham]

But it's, you know, the Pro Football hall of Fame. It's the Pro Football hall of Fame, not the NFL hall of Fame. So it's a separate entity. It's a little bit like the combine. You know what I mean? It's like kind of a separate thing that's related to the NFL. But, you know, going forward, would there be. Would this serve as a call for more transparency? I mean, my Gut would say no. It would serve as a call to break up the contributor category and the seniors category.

[James Palmer]

Okay, that makes sense. All right, before we go then, the last question I essentially have for this is, what do you think the end all ramifications are? Like, this is kind of such a large response in the league and the hall of Fame, and everybody is keeping an eye on the way that this has been received. Seth, do you see anything in terms of the process being altered in the immediate future because of what has transpired?

[Seth Wickersham]

You know, I'm not a voter, and so I can't exactly speak to that. But again, I think that, like, making it cleaner for the senior players and the contributors. This seems like a pretty big wake up call to do that because, you know, again, it's so shocking that Bill Belichick is in a first ballot hall of Famer that it really doesn't reflect well on the hall of Fame and its process. And I think that, like, you know, even though this wasn't intentional, the hall of Fame didn't want this news out. I think that in a lot of ways, it probably ends up helping because there's one person who will get in and it'll be announced, you know, the week of the Super Bowl. And if it hadn't been Belichick, it would have completely overshadowed that person's candidacy. Like, you know, when Dan Marino got in, he got in the same year as Steve Young, and there was just a cloud over Dan Marino the entire weekend because all people could talk about was how he hadn't won a Super bowl and, you know, his career felt incomplete during the weekend. That should have been the crowning achievement for an outstanding career. And I think that whoever gets in, it probably helps that this Belichick news is out now because it gives us a chance to look at their career a little bit differently rather than deal with the. The kind of sticker shock of it that it's anybody but Belichick.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, that's a really good point. That's a really good point. And I just want to say this too. Like, I think you've had this opportunity. I believe we've never specifically spoken about this, but I believe you have. I've had it as well to be in the. In the. In the same room as Bill Belichick, maybe in a small group, and hear him talk about football or scheme or the history of the game is. Is unbelievably unique and a really, really neat experience. I don't know if there's too many people out there that that feel the way he does about the hall of Fame, the history of the game and that, I think that part of it also plays a little, a little role in all of this.

[Seth Wickersham]

Yeah. Well, he might end up feeling a little bit less fondly about the hall of Fame now.

[James Palmer]

That's why I'm saying in my head, I'm thinking about it because I have been in the room with guys in the past, honestly, when they've, they've had it on speakerphone when they get the call, whether they're going to get in or not. And I've seen them not get in. And I've been like, this is just. And I just keep picturing Bill and the affinity he has or had perhaps for the NFL and getting that call and what that, that experience was like.

[Seth Wickersham]

Yeah. And instead he got a different call and that was on Friday, you know, saying like, just so you know, you know, it's not you this year. And, you know, that's a, it's a fascinating thing. And, you know, we'll see how it plays out over the, over the next week or so and then really into the off season when the hall kind of looks at its structure and decides if they want to reevaluate anything.

[James Palmer]

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Great work. Great to chat with you. I prefer seeing you in person, but this was, this, this does, does well. And I will see you down the road, my friend. Well, we have to, we have to have you back, by the way, to talk about American Kings for sure. Because you and I discussed that. I, I, we need to, we need.

[Joe Biscalia]

To break this down.

[James Palmer]

We need to talk about this, this game, by the way. It's not like you haven't talked about it before, but we need to do it. I've never done it with you.

[Seth Wickersham]

Anytime, my man.

[James Palmer]

Awesome man. Appreciate it, Seth. Thank you.

[Seth Wickersham]

Thank you.

[James Palmer]

I could talk to Seth for hours about the intricacies of how this league works. He knows it better than anyone. All right. No one knows the Bills better than anyone. Joe Biscalia joins us next. What's next in Buffalo in the Joe Brady era, That's what I'm calling it. Joe's got the Goods. Next on Scoop City.

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[Joe Biscalia]

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[James Palmer]

Hey guys, it's James Palmer. You listen to us now. We want to hear from you. We're asking you to fill out a quick survey about you and your podcast habits by going to theathletic.com survey26. Now three lucky entries will win $100 worth of Amazon vouchers too. So whether you're a longtime listener or a new one, we want your feedback. Go to theathletic.com survey26. That's theathletic.com survey 26. The link is also in our episode description. Thank you. All right, welcome back to Scoop City on a Wednesday. James Palmer here with you with a very special guest, somebody that has been extremely busy. I've seen him a lot lately. Joe Biscalia covers the Bills for us and has been a very busy man. We now have a head coach in Buffalo in Joe Brady. Now what I need you to do is make some sense to me and make me figure this out, because what I had heard, Joe, is that Terry Bugula said essentially that the coaching staff was to blame for the proverbial wall they have hit in the postseason and changes needed to be made to get past that and make sure that they can get to a Super bowl in Josh Allen's prime. So the answer to that is promoting the general manager, Brandon Bean, to profession to football head of football operations, and then hiring internally and promoting Joe Brady from offensive coordinator to head coach. It seems like we have a lot of the same to try to find a different result. What have you dug and where have you found answers for me in this early part of the process?

[Joe Biscalia]

Yeah, I don't know that the exact answers exist right now, which is which is equally a piece of the puzzle here. Basically this hire of Joe Brady, which they have basically rationalized to themselves and everything along those lines. And you look at his past, I mean, when he took over in 2023, it helped kind of spike the, spike the Bills offense when they were really inconsistent under Ken Dorsey, he helped get more out of them. Players in the locker room commented how collaborative. Joe, Brad, which was a big thing and a big change for them. Then in 2024 they scored the second most points in the league. And that was something that they kind of crowed about in the off season and that, you know, they felt really good about the, the where their offense was heading. But then this past year in 2025, we really saw kind of a, a seesaw with this offense where it was just this great dynamic thing one week and then the next week they're really struggling to score points and the defense has to, has to keep them in it. So. So to your point, yeah, it's a lot of the same. And basically with the moves that they've made, what the Bills have signaled is that this was all Sean McDermott. And that to them is what they believe is the piece that they had to remove in order to enhance the ceiling that they had because they felt like they were capped at maybe the AFC championship game with Sean McDermott. Whether that's going to happen, whether it's going to work out for them, we shall see. Because it's a lot of the same. I mean, they, they do have some choices here. Are they going to change up their defensive scheme which could, you know, open up a ceiling too, because maybe they thought Sean McDermott's scheme wasn't exactly good for today's NFL. So that's, that's a possibility. But that said, Joe Brady's taking over as head coach. I've already had a team source tell me that Joe Brady will continue calling the plays, which puts a lot on his plate as a first time head. And there is a risk there with spreading someone too thin, especially being a young guy and there's burnout and he's also a dad of a very young child. So there's that.

[James Palmer]

I mean, they're both not very old.

[Joe Biscalia]

Yeah, he just had a newborn within the last season. So there's a lot going on for Joe Brady here. So they have to be really careful that he doesn't spread himself too thin. But they are excited about him at the very least, least to see what he can do as the, the CEO, head coach and now offensive play caller.

[James Palmer]

Okay. I love that. The CEO head coach, that's important. Joe Brady, obviously, is what we want to get to. I'm going to put a pin in that really quickly because one more question about the organization, in a sense, and it sent. It seems so much, Joe, like familiarity and continuity was very highly valued in this. And I think Josh Allen's window in turning 30 this offseason obviously plays a part in that that you don't want any sort of ramp up. You want to make sure you get right back into the ball rolling and you're competitive right away. That's why those I mentioned seem very valuable to this organization. When I look at the candidates that they, that they went and spent the most time with, so many of them. Check those boxes. With familiarity to the organization, do you think they spent enough time looking at other options in a job that they had that? Most people I talked to around the league said this type of opportunity does not come around very often for a head coach. With this type of generational player and this type of organization and roster ready to win right now, did they cast a wide enough net to even look at things that they weren't familiar with, in your opinion?

[Joe Biscalia]

Well, I mean, there, there is one notable name that they did not talk to, which was Clint Kubiak in Seattle because, you know, there's also a tailor. Yeah, go ahead. Sorry.

[James Palmer]

Legally, they were essentially, they missed the first window to talk to Clint and then they couldn't really talk to him until after the super bowl essentially because of the way the rules work. Okay, continue.

[Joe Biscalia]

Yeah, so that, so that's why they, they missed out on that chance. And maybe they felt like this extra couple of weeks is just too long and that way they can get started. They did cast a fairly wide net. Like they talked to Shieldhouse from, from the Rams, they talked to Yudinsky from the Jaguars and there were, there were some other names that they kind of filtered in there. Davis Webb from the Broncos as well, which also, as we've talked about on the last show, that there is some familiarity there between the Bills and Davis Webb. But I think at the end of the day, familiarity ultimately won out because as you said, it gives them. It takes away that ramp up period. Because anytime you see it, as well as I do, anytime a head coach comes in, there is a feeling out process throughout the entire building about how this thing is going to go. And with Josh Allen needing to know exactly, okay, what is this person going to expect of me? Are we going to be running a brand new offense? You Know, how long is it going to take to learn all this stuff?

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[Joe Biscalia]

It's not stuff that is so difficult to overcome, but it's at least a challenge. I will say, you know, there is some wonder, you know, as to why they didn't really do the second interview thing with some of like a finalist or something along those lines. You know, Grant Yudinsky, to me, was some. Was someone that was really interesting specifically for them with his mind and everything that I heard about him. And I'm fairly certain that he was impressive in his interview with the Bills. But at the end, what'd you say?

[James Palmer]

He's a genius.

[Joe Biscalia]

Yeah. Everything you hear about the guy is like, oh, well, yeah, he's gonna knock every interview he ever has out of the park. But yes, they ultimately concluded that familiarity is the way to go. And you just have to wonder, did they go into this process with Joe Brady at the top of their mind and going, okay, we'll talk to everyone else to. Just to see. But we believe that we have something good in Joe Brady. And then obviously Joe Brady had to interview it for it as well. But that said, you know, it really felt like they felt like they had something good in Joe Brady, and ultimately that's the way they went.

[James Palmer]

That's the way they went. And Joe is a fascinating candidate. You know, he's brought into the league by Sean Payton in New Orleans. And I mentioned that because he has had a relatively small NFL career when you think about it. And I kind of think about him in Buffalo, Joe going, okay, he was brought in as the quarterback coach. Ken Dorsey gets fired, he gets bumped to OC. Sean McDermott gets fired, he gets bumped to head coach. He's kind of like Charlie and Willy Wonka's chocolate Factory. Kids keep getting bumped off one by one, and now he's got the entire factory to himself, AKA the Buffalo Bills. I. I think there's certain people in Buffalo going, I've loved what he's done offensively, but what I just mentioned, in the short NFL career he's had and his other offensive coordinator spot he had, he was let go and obviously a wild situation that was going on in Carolina. Can you glean more onto what. What Joe brings to the table? As you mentioned, that CEO aspect, because I know that's a big part of head coaches now. Maybe some people don't know some of these traits or in the Bills saw them and we haven't seen them yet. What else is there to Joe Brady? Because I don't think there's this big career, obviously a lot of recent success, but this big career to show us that a head coach is right there.

[Joe Biscalia]

Yeah. Very quickly you, you brought me into a potential alternate universe in 2022 when they hired him as quarterbacks coach. They also were trying to hire Davis Webb to do that job and he ultimately decided to go play for the Giants, continue his playing career. You just have to wonder if Davis Webb takes the quarterback job, is he the head coach of the Buffalo Bills right now?

[James Palmer]

The butterfly effects like parallel universes right next to each other.

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[Joe Biscalia]

100%. But, but that said, I think the, the thing that they like the most about Joe Brady is something I kind of alluded to early, which was, you know, he is, from a player perspective, extremely collaborative and he always tries to talk to his, his players to see what they like running, what they feel is most effective. And because if they have some ownership within the offense, then you know, they would be more compelled about what's going on in the play and everything along those lines. So he's, he's very much a player's coach. And I think that lends itself to what we're talking about, what the Bills even highlighted that they want a CEO type of role. And so that collaborative aspect to it is the biggest piece. Now, that said, a skeptic would say, all right, well, if you are going to put yourself in this position with all of these different elements, are you actually going to be able to be the CEO? Are you actually going to be the guy who has to put the iron fist down sometimes? Are you actually going to be this. That type of leader that can help, that can help navigate through conflict, which is such an important piece to the situation too. So just as much as they're really excited about the collaborative aspect, the idea of what happens when things aren't going great also has to be considered here. And it's the reason why could be somewhat of a risk. But the Bills feel like they know, have known as much as they can about Joe Brady over the last four seasons to where they think he can do it.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, and I'm not trying to knock Joe by any stretch. It's just we haven't seen it yet. So there's obviously a lot of questions. I do know, like in Baltimore, certainly people that he really impressed there. He was the runner up for the Falcons a few years back and so he has impressed in other buildings. I think that's a part, that is part of this equation that shouldn't be overlooked by any stretch that there were just Essentially blinders on from the Bills. He's impressed in other spots. I thought you brought up a really, really good point, though, in terms of the CEO and the decision making and the tough decisions that head coach has to be. And I've talked to a number of guys that have gone from being the position coach to a coordinator to a head coach and how that relationship with players changes as your role changes oftentimes as a position coach. Right. Joe, you are buddy buddy with those guys in the room because why you're not making any of the decisions. You're there to coach the group, and oftentimes relationships are one way. But now when you know Josh Allen being a very, very large part of this process, his relationship with Josh is undeniably going to be different than it was when he was a quarterback coach and an offensive coordinator, when he perhaps might have to say, hey, we could save $9 million if we cut your buddy Dawson Knox. That's a different conversation than it was when you were the OC not making decisions. I'm kind of curious about Josh's input in this and where you think that kind of goes when him having somewhat of a say in here. I'm not saying he made the call, but a say in here about. About how this decision was made.

[Joe Biscalia]

Yeah. Josh is the most important entity in all this because this thing only goes if. If number 17 is happy and playing well in Buffalo and they understand that. They're. It's the smartest thing about this entire situation because they know that Josh Allen, they cut out the variable of potential new head coach and how they would. How mesh with Josh Allen. I mean, that's. That's got to be one of the biggest reasons for the hire above all else. But, but Allen and. Exactly. And we talked about this right after they fired Sean McDermott. James, this is probably one of the most important decisions in Buffalo Bills history because it will shape how the rest of the Josh Allen tenure in Buffalo could go. I mean, Joe Brady could very well be the head coach for the rest of Josh Allen's tenure in Buffalo. Buffalo. And if it goes poorly, then could it be the catalyst to where Josh Allen starts to go? All right, the Bills know I have so many prime years left, but also. I know I also have so many prime years left. And is this the part where it's the decision that leads to, you know, that butterfly effect that we talked about with the Davis Webb thing? I think all in all, Josh Allen is probably very happy with the Joe Brady hire because he knows Joe Brady. He knows how Joe Brady likes to, to call plays and not a lot is going to change for him on a day to day basis. It's just going to be a new voice leading the room for the entire team. Now how will the rest of the team take to it is another question entirely. How will they change the defense? How will they restructure the offense? How are they going to go about things without Aaron Cromer as their offensive line coach, who was vitally important to what they had to do the last few seasons? So there's a lot of, of questions about Joe Brady and early on into his tenure and not to mention the pressure of putting things together quickly here because they're basically saying, all right, we feel like we were just one leader change away from potentially pushing to where we haven't gone just yet. And if he doesn't get there, if for some reason they don't make the playoffs, is this situation that could implode. You know, there's just so many what ifs. And that's what happens when you make this big of a change as the Bills did.

[James Palmer]

Unbelievable. And what you just said now I'm thinking like everybody around the league is going, how happy is Joe Burrow? Are they going to start saying how happy is Josh Allen with their fingers crossed, trying to go, could I.

[Joe Biscalia]

To be clear, I don't think they're anywhere close to that with Josh. You know what I mean?

[James Palmer]

Like, I don't, I don't even know if Joe Burrow is anywhere near there right now. I mean, we know the license he operates as an organization. They just don't trade players. It just doesn't happen. But I'm just saying it's in the back of other people's minds because these guys do not come along very often. But you're right, I think in the immediate future right now it is probably a very happy number 17 there in Buffalo. And obviously that is a huge, huge part of this. Real quickly, before we go, Joe, I do have this one. We talked about the length of Joe Brady's career and he's only 36 years old. What do you think his Rolodex is like in terms of the tentacles he has touching other coaching staffs and other guys outside of the building? Because to me, again, are we going to have almost the exact, like a lot of the same staff? And this really once again will be another just gut punch to Sean Payton that it was, I mean, to Sean McDermott that it was you. Are we going to have maybe some turnover in some other Guys that could be coming. I mentioned Sean Payton because there's a tie there as well. Potentially for sure.

[Joe Biscalia]

Yes. The. You know, there was a report from Adam Schefter yesterday that said Jim Leonard is one of the leading candidates for the Bills defensive coordinator position. I think that is where we will probably see the most significant staff changes with this Bills team is on the defensive side of things. You know, there are a couple of younger coaches that really impressed last year, like Jamila Adai, their cornerbacks coach, Mike Dana, their safety's coach. Those guys really got a lot of good results out of a group that, you know, heading into the season people didn't think much of. So maybe those two guys would be a couple to keep an eye on to stick around. But for the most part, if they're Moving on from McDermott, that likely means they're probably moving on from McDermott's defensive philosophies and wanting a new voice. Especially with Joe Brady being an offensive play caller, wanting someone to basically hire someone to say, all right, you're the head coach of the defense, this is your thing. Brady might have some input here or there, but. But for the most part it's yours. Go. And that, that would be a really intriguing coaching position I think for a defensive minded guy who might want to get a head coaching job somewhere. So. But on the offensive side of things, probably minimal changes. They do have to hire a new offensive line coach because Aaron Cromer retired. I kind of wonder if they, they switch things up at the wide receivers coach just based on how things went last year. And Adam Henry, maybe, maybe they move on from him. But otherwise Kelly Skipper, who's been there, running backs coach for a long time, I'm betting he's probably back. Ronald Curry, the quarterback's coach, I'm betting he's probably back because Joe Brady helped hire him. And then, I don't know, maybe, maybe could be that offensive coordinator role. Even though it's not a play calling role. Austin Gund is someone I'd keep an eye on to potentially fill that offensive line coach. He was Aaron Cromer's protege in Buffalo. And then their tight ends coach, Rob Boris, he's been there since the beginning of the McDermott regime, so I'd anticipate he'd be back too.

[Jonathan Fields]

Wow.

[James Palmer]

This is something to keep an eye on though. Joe, it's been outstanding. We'll probably have you back during super bowl week as this continues to get filled out. Appreciate it, man, as always. Thank you.

[Joe Biscalia]

Thank you, James.

[James Palmer]

Outstanding show as always. Thank you. Diana Rossini joining us as always. Joe Biscalia joining us, giving us the goods from Buffalo as well as Seth Wickersham giving us his time early this morning on a busy day after he broke that news on Bill Belichick. Enjoy our Thursday show, which will be normal. We will have that coming out with a lot of more information about the super bowl and getting inside those buildings. But also we'll have a live show on Thursday, a live stream that I'll be hosting at noon Eastern. You don't want to miss that. Keep an eye out on the socials for more information. All right, this is Scoop City. See you tomorrow.

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[Jonathan Fields]

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