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Ex-Bears, Broncos Head Coach John Fox Returning To NFL

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Feb 13, 2026 4:00 PM ET

Former NFL head coach John Fox is slated to return to the NFL in 2026 after a brief absence from the league.

On Friday, the Buffalo Bills announced that they have hired Fox as a senior assistant coach to serve on new head coach Joe Brady's staff. Fox will presumably work closely with the defensive staff since defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and his staff are all in their mid-40s or younger.

Fox has five decades of coaching experience, nearly all of which has come on the defensive side of the ball other than his 16 years as a head coach.

Bills hired former veteran head coach John Fox as a Senior Assistant Coach. pic.twitter.com/uKrWRaQqyu
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 13, 2026

John Fox's Career

Fox had a very brief playing career as a defensive back before going into college coaching. He took a series of one-year jobs as a DBs coach for a variety of college programs before getting his first taste of NFL coaching in 1989.

Throughout the 90s he was a DBs coach and defensive coordinator for various teams, with his masterpiece coming in 2000 when he helped the New York Giants reach the Super Bowl. Fox parlayed that role into the head coaching job of the Carolina Panthers in 2002 and in his second year had them in the Super Bowl. In nine seasons with the Panthers, Fox went 73-71 but was let go after a 2-14 campaign in 2010.

Fox found significantly more success with the Denver Broncos, reaching the playoffs with Tim Tebow in 2011 before upgrading to Peyton Manning in 2012 and going on an absolute tear. Fox won nearly 80% of his games with the Broncos but stepped down after playoff elimination in 2014.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 13: Senior defensive assistant John Fox of the Indianapolis Colts looks on during the third quarter of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 13, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Colts defeated the Raiders 25-20. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Fox gave head coaching one more go, accepting the Chicago Bears job a few days after leaving the Broncos. It was an ill-fated tenure as the team went just 14-34 over three years, finishing dead last in the NFC North each year.

Since then, Fox hasn't made his presence known in the NFL all that much. He served as senior defensive assistant of the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 and senior defensive assistant of the Detroit Lions in 2023.

At 71 years of age, Fox probably doesn't have ambitions to be an NFL head coach again. But he can still offer value to teams looking for an experienced hand.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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