Joe Brady became the fourth coach in Buffalo Bills history to win his debut as the team's head coach.
Then he became the first to rip off his shirt in the locker room afterward.
Brady's first regular-season victory as an NFL head coach produced quite the celebration after the Bills beat the Houston Texans 36-31 Sunday at Reliant Stadium.
Josh Allen started it. The Bills quarterback stood in front of the team holding a game ball and put Brady's accomplishment into perspective.
"It takes a lifetime to become a head coach in the NFL," Allen said. "Game ball, Joe Brady, first one."
Allen handed Brady the football and wrapped him in a hug as the locker room erupted.
Then someone had another request.
"Take your shirt off. Shirt off. Shirt off."
Brady obliged.
Joe Brady: Man of the people. pic.twitter.com/uPvXSgW0NX
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 13, 2026
The 36-year-old head coach pulled off his shirt as the room erupted again, then began his first victory speech as an NFL head coach bare-chested while holding the game ball above his head.
Brady had waited his entire coaching career for that football.
He kept it for only a few seconds.
"It's never about me, man," Brady said. "I'm doing it with you guys, man. There is only one person who deserves the game ball right now: Ed Oliver."
Brady tossed the ball across the locker room.
Oliver froze. Then he started dancing.
The moment carried considerably more meaning than another turnover in a season-opening win.
Oliver has been grieving the death of his young son, Ed, who was found unresponsive in a swimming pool in Harris County, Texas, on June 28 and later died at a hospital. The Bills publicly announced the family's loss in August.
1-0. pic.twitter.com/XguSOY6RL8
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 13, 2026
Brady spoke then about supporting Oliver however he needed.
"Ever since I found out the news, I can't fathom what he's going through," Brady said in August. "As a coach and a father, there really aren't words to describe it."
Oliver returned to Houston, where he went to high school and played college football, on Sunday and made one of the first big plays of the Brady era.
Greg Rousseau sacked C.J. Stroud and forced a fumble on Houston's opening possession. Oliver recovered it at the Texans' 32-yard line, setting up Tyler Bass' 46-yard field goal and the first points of Brady's tenure.
Rousseau forced another Stroud fumble in the final seconds, and Terrel Bernard recovered it to seal Brady's first win.
The Bills coach used the rest of his locker-room speech to celebrate how they got there.
"You want to talk about conviction? Everything we believe in showed up in that game," Brady said.
Buffalo never led by more than 10 points and trailed twice in the fourth quarter. The Bills took over at their own 4-yard line down 31-30 with 3:13 remaining and drove 96 yards for the winning touchdown, a 34-yard pass from Allen to Joshua Palmer with 1:36 left.
"We said don't look at the scoreboard," Brady told his team. "We just said, 'Just put the ball down,' right?"
TARPS OFF pic.twitter.com/GqXsIDA3Pa
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 13, 2026
Then he reminded the Bills they don't have much time to celebrate.
Buffalo hosts the Detroit Lions on Thursday night in its first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium.
"The greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more," Brady said. "We get an opportunity to go on Thursday. I love you guys. I appreciate you guys."
Brady walked into Reliant Stadium looking for his first victory as an NFL head coach.
Oliver left with the game ball.
Brady left with a win that'll put hair on his chest.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Joe Brady took his shirt off after first Bills win and gave away his game ball
