Stunned to see the Bills not losing their two coordinators this offseason after the club had their best season in… decades?
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane is right there with you.
As the Bills pack things up and head home this week after their loss in the AFC title game on Sunday, faces of the franchise are reflecting on the season that was as lockers in Orchard Park. In the few days since that’s started, we’ve had the news cycle send us a few new nuggets on assistant coaches.
Prior to this week, most concluded that Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll wouldn’t be going anywhere. However, defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier was connected to the Houston Texans’ head coaching job. Turns out, David Culley got that, so both Daboll and Frazier will be in Buffalo in 2021.
Surprise about that? You’re not alone. Beane is.
“Yeah I am, I thought Daboll had a really good shot at that Chargers job. That’s what it was sounding like and then that fell through,” Beane said via WGR-550 radio on Thursday. “Leslie Frazier got passed over is… that’s a shame.”
Beane did admit he’s happy to have both guys both. But he did pump the tires of the DC quite a bit. Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Frazier were both said to be under “heavy consideration” for the job. Bieniemy has been a highly-touted coordinator for years but has yet to land a position, but Beane put Frazier’s name right up there with his.
“I know a lot of people talk about Eric Bieniemy, and I’m sure that he’s going to be a really good coach. I’d put Leslie Frazier up against most any of them. Really shocked that he didn’t get that Houston job when he went back for the second interview. Not sure what they were looking for,” Beane said.
“But we’re excited to get Leslie back,” Beane added. “It’s a win for the Buffalo Bills to get him back, at the same time, I feel bad for him. I think he’s earned that right. He’s done a great job for four years. To see him get passed over personally, his office is across from mine, it’s hard because I know how bad he wanted to opportunity. But again, he’ll come back, he’s such a pro. He’ll get dialed back in.”
While Frazier hasn’t yet spoken to interviews he received, Daboll did earlier this postseason during Buffalo’s playoff run. Like with Frazier, head coaching is his goal but… he can only control what he can control.
“I’m humbled, honored to have some opportunities … ultimate goal is to become a head coach one day, but that’s not on the agenda right now for me,” Daboll said on Jan. 19, prior to facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.
The Bills still may lose one coach this offseason in quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey. He was once connected to now-filled offensive coordinator roles with the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. A third popped up on Wednesday with the Miami Dolphins, but we haven’t had any traction grow on that one just yet so at this point, it still feels like Buffalo won’t be losing any of their coaching staff this offseason.
Quite a start to 2021 for a team that was 13-3 and one game away from the Super Bowl.
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