BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The official start of the Joe Brady era with the Buffalo Bills began on a Tuesday in April as light snow descended on the team's facility.
Signs of change are visible on literal signs in the facility. "Put The Ball Down" is a new mantra under Brady that invokes the team being ready to play at any time and place. The coach noted his excitement for things to "get rolling" last week at the NFL league meeting.
Happy to be here ‼️ pic.twitter.com/F2KSHhThMx
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 7, 2026
The season ended Jan. 17. Sean McDermott was fired Jan. 19. And the players were officially back in the building 78 days later on April 7 for the beginning of offseason workouts. The Bills are one of 10 teams that can start this week due to hiring a new head coach this offseason.
This begins Phase 1 of the offseason program, which allows players to participate in "activities limited to meetings, strength and conditioning, and physical rehabilitation only," per the league. This offseason session is voluntary, but it is a first opportunity for Brady to deliver his message. The new coach said he wouldn't overload players on the first day, and he wanted to be mindful about spreading out information.
Left tackle Dion Dawkins likened the fresh vibe at the team's facility to pulling up in a new car.
"First day back, first-day jitters. Got to see some new teammates. Got to see a new head coach. Got to see a new vibe," Dawkins said. "The energy is definitely different, and ... we are all very, very excited and we'll see how it goes, but I think that it's going well already. First day was definitely a good head start."
One of the longest-tenured Bills, Dawkins, who turns 32 this month and is the team's four-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, had a busy first day back. After the workouts, he attended a basketball tournament led by Peaceprint of WNY's Empower Youth program. Though there's no official list of players participating in the workouts, the 2017 second-round pick said that "everybody was present. And that's what you can ask for."
Those in attendance included wide receiver Keon Coleman and quarterback Josh Allen, who is coming off offseason foot surgery and celebrated the birth of his daughter.
"[Allen] just had a kid, and he's here," Dawkins said. "You have veteran guys that are 10 years in, like myself, and I'm here ... for it to be optional, and guys are still here and present, it's pretty cool."
Before the players arrived, Brady planned the team's new schedule by starting with the end of the season and going backward.
"Work back, so that there's a flow, there's a routine with it, but we know what we're training for," Brady said.
When it comes to the team getting to work, the new coach noted how the offseason will be critical for Allen to build chemistry with new receivers, speaking specifically about DJ Moore, the team's only offseason acquisition at the position thus far.
Though the new system is in place, Dawkins said he still communicates with McDermott. Dawkins was part of McDermott's first draft during his nine-year tenure with the team.
"[McDermott] talks to every player that they had a connection with. Guys just don't disappear," Dawkins said. "And I'm a player. I'm not a GM. I'm not an owner. So, the GM is going to do what he does. The left tackle is supposed to do what he does. I'm there to protect. I don't have no comment, no thought about it. It's just, Joe Brady is my coach, and that's just how it is. I love him just like how I love the next guy. He's our guy, and I'm rocking with him."