ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The controversy over a play that went a long way in ending the Buffalo Bills' season remains a hot topic even within the building. At least temporarily.
New Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is straddling both sides of the argument on the controversial interception play as he was on the other side of the ball when the Bills lost to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round as the Broncos' defensive pass game coordinator.
In overtime of the Bills' 33-30 loss to the Broncos, wide receiver Brandin Cooks first caught a downfield pass from quarterback Josh Allen, but while he was going to the ground, cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian got his hand on the ball and ultimately took it away from Cooks.
On Thursday, during his first news conference in his new role, Leonhard made his thoughts clear.
"It was not [a catch]. We caught it. Denver caught it, that time," Leonhard said. "I'll have a different opinion here very soon. Once this season, to me, it's still the '25 season. That Super Bowl hasn't been played yet, so I have to have a little bit of loyalty there, but ask me in another week and I'll give you a different answer."
The Bills never possessed the ball again as the season came to an end on the ensuing Broncos' drive. After the game, coach Sean McDermott gave a passionate answer in his news conference on why he thought the officiating process had not been slowed down enough to review the play.
"I'm [speaking on officiating process] because I'm standing up for Buffalo, damn it. I'm standing up for us," McDermott said." What went on, that is not how it should go down in my estimation. These guys spend three hours out there playing football, pouring their guts out to not even say, 'Hey, let's just slow this thing down.' That's why I'm bothered."
Two days later, the Bills announced McDermott was fired.
President of football operations and general manager Brandon Beane maintained as recently as last week that Cooks caught the ball. Cooks also said in the aftermath of the game that he believed it to be a catch. Beane said that it would be of interest to the team to re-sign Cooks, who is a free agent, this offseason.
Leonhard is one of two coordinators new coach Joe Brady has hired for his staff who come from the Broncos. Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael was previously a Broncos senior offensive assistant.
The defensive coordinator is making his return to Buffalo after playing for the Bills from 2005-07 and in 2013.