Bills Hire Veteran Coach as New Defensive Assistant

The Carolina Panthers lost another coach this week following Steve Wilks' departure to the San Francisco 49ers. One of Wilks' assistants, Al Holcomb, is joining the Buffalo Bills.

The #Bills are hiring Al Holcomb as a senior defensive assistant, source says. Holcomb, who was the #Panthers’ interim defensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Steve Wilks, reunites with Sean McDermott, whom he worked alongside in Carolina.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 8, 2023

Buffalo Bills News

Holcomb, 52, will serve as a senior defensive assistant for Buffalo during the 2023 season. Last year he was Carolina's interim defensive coordinator and assistant head coach after Wilks was promoted from DC to replace Matt Rhule as head coach midseason.

Holcomb will rejoin Bills head coach Sean McDermott after previously working together on the Panthers' coaching staff from 2013-2016. McDermott was Carolina's defensive coordinator while Holcomb was a linebackers coach at the time, when both helped lead the Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance during the 2015 campaign.

In addition to his two stints in Carolina, Holcomb has also been a defensive coach for the New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns. His NFL coaching career dates back to 2009, so he brings more than a decade of experience to the table.

Now reunited with McDermott in Buffalo, Holcomb will help oversee a Bills defense that was one of the best in the NFL last year. Buffalo ranked second in fewest points per game and sixth in fewest yards per game, so Holcomb will have plenty of talent to work with in his new role.

The Bills will try to ride that unit to a Super Bowl title next year, as they currently have the second-best championship odds (+850) for 2024 on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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