Report: Buffalo Bills targeting key Oklahoma defensive coach Jay Valai for role in NFL

The Buffalo Bills are targeting Oklahoma Sooners assistant head coach for defense and co-DC Jay Valai to be their defensive backs coach, per CBS Sports. This comes amid interest from several NFL teams.

Along with that NFL interest, Valai also had interest from Notre Dame. The Irish are looking for a new defensive backs coach as well, following the departure of Mike Mickens for the Baltimore Ravens.

Valai has been with Oklahoma since 2022, coming over at the start of the Brent Venables era. During that time, the Sooners have consistently produced some of the best defenses in the country. That includes the sixth-ranked total defense nationally in 2025, giving up 272.5 yards per game. 195.2 of those yards per game were through the air.

Prior to his time at Oklahoma, Valai had been a cornerbacks coach at Alabama, Texas, and Rutgers. He also does have one brief NFL stop, in 2018, with the Kansas City Chiefs as a defensive quality control coach.

As a player, Valai was a star in the Wisconsin secondary. From 2006 to 2010, he racked up two Second-Team All-Big Ten selections. That was in 2008 and 2009. He would not go on to have a professional career playing football.

This all comes at a point of major transition for the Buffalo Bills. Despite going 98-50 over nine seasons, going to the playoffs eight times, and winning the AFC East four seasons in a row, the team made the decision to move on from head coach Sean McDermott. That came after the Bills failed to win the AFC East in 2025, as the New England Patriots reclaimed that mantle. Meanwhile, the Bills had another quick exit from the playoffs.

To replace McDermott, the Bills promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to be the team’s next head coach. Despite that continuity, there is still clearly going to be some turnover to the staff as Brady looks to put his stamp on the Bills.

Notably, that included hiring Jim Leonhard as the team’s next defensive coordinator. A former Wisconsin defensive back in his own right, Leonhard never crossed paths with Valai. All the same, it’s a connection the two have as Buffalo looks to build its identity on the defensive side of the ball. Leonhard has been coaching in the NFL since 2024.

Along with the defensive coordinator hire, the Bills also have new hires at offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator. There, Pete Carmichael and Jeff Rodgers are set to take over, respectively. More coaching changes are likely on the way beyond that.