The Buffalo Bills are hiring former safety Jim Leonhard as their new defensive coordinator, according to reports from ESPN's Adam Schefter and Alaina Getzenberg on Saturday.
Leonhard, 43, returns to Buffalo after a highly successful stint with the Denver Broncos, where he served as the defensive pass game coordinator and assistant head coach. Under his guidance in 2025, the Broncos' defense emerged as one of the NFL's premier units, ranking second in the league in total yards allowed (278.2 per game) and recording 68 sacks, falling just four short of the all-time single-season record.
The move represents a significant homecoming for Leonhard, who played 10 seasons in the NFL as a safety and special teams standout. An undrafted product out of Wisconsin, he spent four seasons in a Bills uniform across two separate tenures (2005–2007 and 2013). Since retiring, he has built an impressive coaching resume, including six seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Wisconsin Badgers and a brief stint as their interim head coach in 2022.
Leonhard is the latest addition to the staff of newly promoted head coach Joe Brady. He becomes the second Broncos assistant to follow Brady to Orchard Park this offseason, joining offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael as the franchise moves in a new direction following the dismissal of Sean McDermott.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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