Bob Babich has been coaching for nearly 35 years and his son Bobby was by his side while the first half was spent in the college ranks.

"The first time I experienced him being around me when I was the head coach at North Dakota State and he would hold my cord during games. I called an offensive play one time and he looked at me, he was in like seventh or eighth grade, and he looked at me and said, 'Really? You called that play?' So that's the type of relationship we had. It's the same way it is right now,” said Bob Babich.

"I'd say that's when I really, really started getting into the coaching aspect and seeing guys like Gus Bradley were there with him. Todd Wash and people like that are now in the NFL. I got to really sink my teeth into the coaching aspect being on the sideline in the game day atmosphere,” said Bobby Babich.

Inevitably Bobby followed in his dad's coaching footsteps, starting at the college level before jumping to the NFL, where the two met four times in what they refer to as “The Babich Bowl” — where father beat son all four times.

"Just think about it: isn't this the way it's supposed to be? That a father always puts a butt whooping on his son?” said Bob Babich.

So if you can't beat 'em, why not join him?

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think that we would be coaching together. It never crossed my mind,” said Bob Babich.

But when Bob joined Sean McDermott's staff last season to coach the linebackers, Bobby was hired about a month later to coach the Bills secondary.

"This is a unique opportunity because we get to work alongside each other. I definitely don't report to him. It's very unique,” said Bobby Babich.

"It's very interesting because a lot of times he's telling me what to do, so the tables have turned. So I don't enjoy that too much because he's smarter than I am. But it's been really fun. It really has. There’s a mutual respect and I definitely respect what he does in the coaching profession and his knowledge in football. So it's been a big plus for me. It's helped me grow as a coach,” said Bob Babich.

Both say the Bills players have fun with the father-son relationship while respecting both as individual coaches. 

As for the father-son-coach dynamic among themselves...

"Here's what took getting used to: in a meeting when he calls me ‘Bob.’ I don't like that. I said, ‘You call me Dad in front of the players,’" said Bob Babich.

"I purposely call him Bob a lot, especially in front of the team or in front of the defense, so I know I'm going to get a rise out of him and the players like it when he corrects me and yells and blurts out, 'Don't call me Bob!' So it's usually Bob," said Bobby Babich.

Bob and Bobby are having a lot of fun together — but they know it won't last forever.

"To be honest with you I would say that we're probably taking it a little for granted because it's every day, it's the way we work. Anytime any one of us, you know, the way it is in this profession, we could be gone. So we probably need to enjoy it more than we do,” said Bob Babich.

"You're so concentrated on your job and getting the job done and doing a great job of it that a lot of times you do kind of lose the uniqueness that lies in what we have,” said Bobby Babich.

But even after their coaching paths split again, Bob and Bobby Babich will always be joined as father and son.