BRAKING NEWS: Bills formal QBT is back and…
The Buffalo Bills are now accepting applications for offensive coordinators. They are interviewing one of their own, coach Thad Lewis of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks.
In spite of Joe Brady’s success as an interim offensive coordinator in the latter stages of the season, the Buffalo Bills have chosen to allow both internal and external applicants to apply for the coaching position.
Brady was given an opportunity to impress Buffalo brass and get the interim tag removed from his title. Brady also had an interview to be the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He won’t, however, be the only applicant with prior Western New York experience.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis will be interviewed by the Bills for the position of offensive coordinator, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Former quarterback Lewis played as Buffalo’s backup quarterback in 2013. Lewis finished with a 2-3 record as the backup to rookie EJ Manuel. He completed 59.2 percent of his throws for 1,092 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions.
In addition, Lewis played for the Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and St. Louis Rams at one point.
After the 2017 season, Lewis retired and began teaching. Before joining the Bucs in 2021, he worked as an offensive analyst for the UCLA Bruins. He spent two seasons there as the assistant receivers coach. His promotion to quarterbacks coach by Tampa Bay in 2023 proved to be beneficial.
Lewis worked closely with offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who was just appointed head coach of the Carolina Panthers, to maximize quarterback Baker Mayfield’s potential and lead the Bucs to the Divisional Round. Teams all around the league are aware of this effort, which has sparked interest in the candidate for offensive coordinator.
Mayfield, having been cut by the Browns, appeared to be a journeyman quarterback. Before the 2022 season came to an end, he spent time with the Rams following an unsatisfactory experience with the Carolina Panthers. Playing on a $4 million contract, he had to defeat backup Kyle Trask to be named the starter in Tampa Bay.
Rather, he enjoyed what may have been his best NFL season as he restored his skills and confidence. In terms of passing yards (4,044), touchdowns (28), and completion percentage (64.3%), he recorded career highs.
Naturally, Josh Allen, the superstar quarterback for the Bills, is regarded as one of the all-time greats, so Lewis won’t have to worry about developing a quarterback. Even if the offensive line and run game were unreliable, his ability to assist in setting up the passing game for success will make him highly sought after.
