Rob Maaddi, FISM News
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Leslie Frazier won’t let personal disappointment prevent him from helping young coaches advance.
Frazier, the Buffalo Bills’ 63-year-old defensive coordinator, has been waiting for another opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL since the Minnesota Vikings fired him in 2013.
He interviewed for head coaching vacancies with Miami, Chicago, and the New York Giants after last season but wasn’t offered any of the jobs.
While his desire to be a head coach remains strong, Frazier is doing whatever he can to mentor other coaches. Last month, Frazier was among the featured speakers at the NFL Quarterback Coaching Summit.
“I thought it was very important for the guys that were able to attend for a number of reasons, one being the chance just to meet some of their peers that are in similar situations and also to come and learn different ways to win in our league,” Frazier said on Faith On The Field Show. “But as much as anything, just to be introduced to some colleagues who aspire to be the head coach or coordinator and be able to exchange ideas in that setting. So I think it could be very beneficial to all the guys that were able to attend it.”
Under Frazier, the Bills’ defense finished No. 1 in the NFL last season in fewest points, yards, and several other statistical categories. Yet, the Dolphins and Giants told him they wanted an offensive-minded head coach during his interview. Miami hired 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. The Giants chose Brian Daboll, who was the offensive coordinator in Buffalo. The Bears chose Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
“Two of those cases, they said we would prefer to go with an offensive coach and they pointed to their young quarterback as the reason,” Frazier said. “And, I said this to both teams that I think I would do a good job of hiring a strong offensive coordinator, even though my background is defense. There have been a lot of defensive head coaches that have won Super Bowls in our league because, at the end of the day, you need the right leadership. … It’s unfortunate. I think it’s very narrow-minded to only see the head coach as an offensive guy because you have a young quarterback. You need the right leader in that role because you’ve got to be able to handle multiple responsibilities, not just call offensive plays. I just think that’s a misguided approach, but I’m not the guy doing the hiring.”
Frazier was a defensive back with the Chicago Bears in the 1980s and led the team in interceptions when they won a Super Bowl following the 1985 season. He won another one as an assistant coach with the Colts under Tony Dungy.
Frazier was 21-32-1 as head coach with the Vikings.
“I’d be lying if I told you that I felt like it would take this long to have that opportunity come along, especially after some of the success and particularly the most recent success we’ve had in Buffalo,” Frazier said. “So, it’s discouraging in some ways, but you just have to be able to control what you can control. I’m going to do the very best I can and help us to have another good defense in 2022 and help the Buffalo Bills win as many games as we can and put us in a position to compete for the world championship.”
Frazier, who is often praised by players for his leadership and sincerity, relies on his Christian faith to handle the ups and downs in life and the NFL.
“In those moments where things happen I really don’t understand, I turn to my faith and I pray and I trust that that God is in control and that things are going to work out, maybe not exactly how I thought they should, but I just know that whatever’s going on, God is protecting me and he’s going to put me in the right situation, the best situation for me,” Frazier said.
“And I have to always remember what my purpose is. And my purpose is to bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ. And so maybe he wants me in Buffalo for this period of time to be an example of who Christ is. And, if it’s not in the plans for me to be a head coach again, that’s OK as long as I’m doing what my purpose is.”