The Buffalo Bills suffered a tough 23-19 loss to the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football, and for the second straight week, wide receiver Keon Coleman was benched by head coach Sean McDermott. With another loss in the books, all eyes were on McDermott and his decision to bench one of the team’s top offensive playmakers.
Coleman was benched for the Bills’ Week 11 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he showed up late to a meeting, and he wasn’t able to get himself back on the field with the team facing a short week. With this situation continuing to draw more and more attention, McDermott explained why Coleman was benched for Buffalo’s latest game.
Sean McDermott Addresses Decision to Bench Keon Coleman
Buffalo finds itself at a crossroads with Coleman. A second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Coleman flashed his potential as a rookie, catching 29 passes for 556 yards and four touchdowns over 13 games. The hope was that he would be able to take a step forward in 2025 and become Josh Allen’s top target in the passing game.
Instead, Coleman has found himself stuck in the Bills’ doghouse for the time being. Beyond that, when he’s been on the field, he hasn’t been much better than he was last season, as he has 32 receptions for 330 yards and three touchdowns to this point. And now that he’s been benched for the second time in a span of five days, it’s fair to wonder what the future holds for him.
Considering Buffalo’s offensive struggles for much of the night, it’s clear it could have used a dynamic playmaker who is capable of winning one-on-one battles in the passing game. Instead, McDermott controversially decided to hold Coleman out again. After the game, McDermott provided a murky answer regarding Coleman’s status moving forward.
“Nothing new, we’re just taking it one day at a time right now,” McDermott said regarding the team’s handling of Coleman. “I thought he had a better week, and we’ll move forward one day at a time.”
What Should the Bills Do with Keon Coleman?
GettyBuffalo Bills WR Keon Coleman was benched for a second straight game in Week 12
The more time Coleman misses, the bigger an issue this becomes for the Bills. It’s clear that Coleman is a talented player, but if he can’t stay out of trouble off the field, it won’t matter what he can do on the field. Buffalo isn’t giving up on him just yet, but it’s clear something has to be done to mend this relationship in order for Coleman to work his way back into the team’s good graces.
A mini bye week should serve Coleman well now, and it sounds like if he puts together a good stretch of work before the Bills’ Week 13 action, he could get back on the field. Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Coleman’s playing time, though, and it’s clear he’s going to have to put in the work if he wants to get back into the fold on offense. Buffalo will square off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13, with kickoff scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Nov. 30.
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