Bills promoting LBs coach Babich to DC

The Buffalo Bills are promoting linebackers coach Bobby Babich to defensive coordinator, the team announced Tuesday.

Babich joined the Bills in 2017 as an assistant defensive backs coach. He acted as the team's safeties coach from 2018-21 before being named linebackers coach in 2022.

Linebacker Matt Milano and safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde have earned All-Pro selections with Babich as their position coach. Milano and Poyer were first-team selections in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Buffalo's defense ranked ninth in yards (307.2) and fourth in points (18.3) allowed per game this season despite Milano, Tre'Davious White, and others missing extended time.

The Bills didn't have a defensive coordinator in 2023, instead relying on head coach Sean McDermott to handle the bulk of the role's responsibilities. Leslie Frazier was the team's previous defensive coordinator from 2020-22.