One of the best head-coaching candidates on the market is apparently not going anywhere. According to a report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will remain with the team for the 2021 season in the wake of the Los Angeles Chargers job going to former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, rather than Daboll.
Daboll was widely considered a hot name this offseason, what with his high-flying Bills offense taking the league by storm and propelling the team to an AFC title game berth. (Buffalo ranked second in both yards and points during the regular season, as well as fifth in offensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders' DVOA.) Daboll's work with Josh Allen, in particular, was a feather in his cap, particularly for teams looking to pair their young quarterback with a coach who can take him to the next level.
Instead, both teams that interviewed Daboll (the Chargers and New York Jets) ended up hiring defensive-minded coaches who intend to bring an offensive coordinator from their prior team with them. Staley is rumored to be bringing along Kevin O'Connell, who is currently the Rams' offensive coordinator but does not call plays due to the presence of Sean McVay. New Jets coach Robert Saleh, meanwhile, is bringing former San Francisco 49ers passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur (the brother of Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur) to New York to be his offensive coordinator.
Daboll should get a chance to take his offense to an even higher level next season, as both he and Allen get more experience within it and with each other. The Bills may also be able to install even more than they were this season, if the league can get back to something resembling a normal practice schedule for 2021. That should make Daboll one of the top candidates on the market next offseason, though there is obviously no telling which jobs may be open at that point.
