Bradley Chubb reveals why Buffalo’s new defensive mastermind operates like a quiet assassin, detailing the calculated scheme and leadership style transforming the Bills' high-stakes defensive overhaul.
Braadley Chubb has had his fair share of coaches since joining the NFL. The former Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins pass rusher is in his first year with the Buffalo Bills after signing a three-year contract this offseason.
And through the first handful of practices with his new team, Chubb already has a unique way to describe his new defensive coordinator.
"I would say [he's like] a quiet assassin," Chubb said of Jim Leonhard. "He’s not going to say too many words when he speaks; it speaks volumes, everybody listens."
Chubb says that one thing about Leonhard is that he always has a reason for why he wants something to be done. It's not just a case of because he's the coach and said so.
"We might put it in a certain defense, but he breaks down exactly why we doing it, what we doing it for, and how he expects to see it play," he said. "So, a coach like that, you can’t do nothing but respect it, and everybody's going to play hard for him."
Chubb is coming to Buffalo hoping to be the dominant pass rusher the Bills have been looking for. He's coming off a season where he put up 8.5 sacks for Miami just a year after missing all of 2024 with a torn ACL. With another full offseason to prepare, Chubb has gone on record saying that he has goals to get back to producing at a high level for this team.
Leonhard, on the other hand, is in his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator. Prior to joining the Bills, where he had two stints as a player, Leonhard was an assistant with the Denver Broncos and a defensive coordinator with the Wisconsin Badgers, among other stops.
Buffalo's heading into a season with a new defensive scheme for the first time in nine years. With Sean McDermott no longer the head coach, Leonhard is getting the opportunity to shape the defense in his image alongside new head coach Joe Brady.
Whether it leads to an improved performance from years past remains to be seen. But players like Chubb and Ed Oliver seem to believe in what's being installed in the early part of offseason work.
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