Take it as a sign that the Buffalo Bills made the right choice regarding their vacant defensive coordinator position.
After head coach Sean McDermott handled DC duties for the 2023 season, the Bills announced that they have promoted linebackers coach Bobby Babich to fill the role in 2024, and Buffalo linebacker Tyrel Dodson posted a notably positive reaction to the news on the social media site X (formerly Twitter).
“If I wanted to say everything I have about Bobby, I would run out of space. Best coach I’ve ever had hands down. Believed in me before everyone else did. Rose the bar for myself. I’m not surprised one bit. You not only earned this, but much deserved!! Love!!!” said Dodson on the social network formerly known as Twitter.
For an unknown reason, the post has since been deleted from Dodson's X timeline.
The 40-year-old Babich was a hot name in coaching conversations across the league in recent weeks, reportedly drawing serious interest from the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Miami Dolphins as a defensive coordinator. A member of head coach's Sean McDermott's original staff, the former North Dakota State starter initially joined the Bills as an assistant defensive backs coach in 2017 before earning a promotion to safeties coach one year later. Replacing his father, Bob, who retired, Babich became the linebackers coach in 2022.
Meanwhile, Dodson serves as an example of player development under Babich's watch. The former Texas A&M linebacker, who landed with the Bills after going undrafted in 2019, became a starter when Matt Milano was lost to a season-ending injury and proceeded to perform admirably. Dodson, whose 90.2 Pro Football Focus grade was second-highest amongst all NFL linebackers, totaled 70 tackles, six quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks in 2023.
Dodson is one of numerous players who have reached their full potential with Babich as the position coach. Coinciding with his emergence, second-year linebacker Terrell Bernard proved to be a more-than-viable replacement for Tremaine Edmunds, who left for Chicago in free agency.
The 24-year-old Bernard, who earned the starting job coming out of training camp, made a team-high 143 stops over 17 regular season games. He also accounted for 6.5 sacks, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
In 2022, Milano earned All-Pro honors with Babich as his new position coach. One year earlier, safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were named All-Pros under Babich.
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