Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott has gained a reputation as a tough coach for rookies, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
But when the Bills used their first-round pick on speedy cornerback Maxwell Hairston, taking an athletic player at a position of need, he was expected to buck the trend a bit.
Hairston suffered a major knee injury in training camp that derailed those plans, and McDermott has returned to a slow approach now that Hairston is back on the field. The rookie saw his share of snaps plummet in last week’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, with McDermott offering a blunt explanation of his decision.
Tre’Davious White Takes Over
As insider Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News noted, Hairston and veteran Tre’Davious White had been splitting snaps close to 50-50 in recent weeks. That changed on Sunday.
“White played 33 defensive snaps during the Billsâ 26-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium,” Skurski wrote. “That was 77% of the defensive total, and far outpaced Hairston, the teamâs first-round draft pick.”
McDermott didn’t offer much detail, but said it was a decision based on the flow of the game.
âJust the way the game ebbs and flows,â McDermott said.
White played well against a struggling Steelers defense, notching two passes defensed while helping the team hold Pittsburgh to just 7 points. The 26-7 win kept the Bills in the thick of the playoff race, keeping pace with the other wild-card teams and holding steady behind the New England Patriots in the AFC East.
While McDermott did not mention Hairston’s injuries, that could have played a role. He was placed in concussion protocol after being monitored for a head injury against the Texans.
Hairston has shown promise since returning from his knee injury, performing well in big moments and against speedy wide receivers. He helped lock down the speedy Xavier Worthy in the team’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs last month.
Bills Could Face Another Big Injury
While both White and Hairston came out of Sunday’s win unscathed, the Bills did suffer another big injury on defense. Edge rusher Joey Bosa left the game with a hamstring injury, and McDermott said this week that his status going forward remains unknown.
“Joey Bosa has a hamstring,” McDermott said, via The Sporting News. “We’ll see where that goes.”
The Bills are expected to update Bosa’s status more later in the week.
Bosa has been a huge addition for the Bills this season, leading the NFL and setting the all-time franchise record with five forced fumbles.
One of those was a game-changing moment in Sunday’s win. With the Bills trailing 7-3 to start the second half, Bosa hit Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers from behind and forced a fumble that cornerback Christian Benford recovered and returned for a touchdown. The Bills never relinquished the lead, intercepting backup Mason Rudolph on the next possession and running away in the second half.
Bosa has already matched his 2024 sack total with five, giving the Bills the consistent pressure they lacked at times in recent seasons.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bills HC Sean McDermott Gives Blunt Explanation on Why He Benched Top Rookie appeared first on Heavy Sports.