Game planning to call the game | How Carmichael will mesh with Brady as the OC
Brady made it clear from his first day on the job that he will be the offensive play caller for the Bills. What Brady was also clear about was the fact that the offensive coordinator doesn’t take on a lesser role because Brady will be calling the shots on game days.
Brady is looking for Carmichael to prepare as if he will be the play caller, and he knows he will.
“Pete game plans to call the game,” Brady said of his OC. “I think sometimes people think an offensive coordinator that’s a non-play caller is just kind of like an assistant or is just getting everything ready for you. That’s not what I was looking for, and that’s not what Pete is. If I ever in any moment of the game, can’t call the game, Pete is always prepared to call it.”
Brady said that Carmichael’s job won’t be any different than Brady’s when he was Buffalo’s offensive coordinator, aside from the fact that he won’t call the plays. Brady knows there will be plenty of times where he cannot be in an offensive meeting room. He wants someone like Carmichael who can take over and lead.
It’s also not Carmichael’s first time being an OC without calling plays. Dating back to his New Orleans days, Carmichael said there were years where Payton called the plays and he helped support where needed.
“It’s not like he’s just sitting waiting around for me to make decisions,” Brady said. “He’s taking control and he’s rolling with it. And we spent a lot of time in the off season of sharing and understanding the vision and what we’re building, putting it all together so that the offensive staff can continue moving forward when I’m not in the room. I know Pete can do that because I’ve sat there and seen how the train keeps moving, even when Coach Payton wasn’t in there.”
Carmichael has more than 30 years of coaching experience and has now coached for six different NFL teams. He’s ready to do whatever it takes to help a first-time head coach succeed.
“I think there’s a little bit of organization that comes with that,” Carmichael said of his responsibilities. “Making sure that the staff is all on the same page when Joe is not going to be able to be there, when Sean (Payton) used to not be able to be there, which was more often than maybe you think … But again, just when it comes to even just creating the game plan and coming up with some ideas that the head coach is going to like, ‘Hey here’s some thoughts for you, I put them together.’ It’s really the process of whatever’s going on without him being able to be in the room that his message is being portrayed.”
Brady believes he’s the perfect fit for the job because of his experience around great teams, his effective coaching and communication skills.
“He’s as bright as they come, as organized [as they come],” Brady said. “And he’s a great communicator. I think those are all critical. I obviously know I can’t do it all.”