Buffalo Bills linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo captured the attention of fans during his appearances on “Hard Knocks,” and now the late addition to the roster will be making his NFL debut.
The Bills signed Ciarlo late in training camp and later signed him to the practice squad. A spate of injuries led the Bills to call up some reinforcements and earned the linebacker a contract on the active roster.
Bills Give Fan-Favorite a Chance
Ciarlo made a strong impression on the Bills in his second NFL season, earning a spot on the roster shortly after a tryout in August. Though he missed the final cut, Ciarlo landed on the practice squad and climbed the depth chart enough that he was the first call when a spot opened due to injury.
The linebacker spent the 2024 season with the New York Jets but saw no action as he was placed on injured reserve. Sunday will be his first chance at playing in an NFL game.
Ciarlo was seen entering the stadium in the hours before the game on Sunday.
Ciarlo said after making the practice squad that he was thrilled at the opportunity, saying he was dismayed at his struggled with injuries in his first season in the NFL.
âItâs surreal. Itâs been emotional,â Ciarlo said. âA year ago, I thought all my hopes and dreams were crushed. So itâs been a really emotional journey. With all that emotion, itâs just been really surreal.â
Ciarlo was a standout in his four seasons at Army, making 121 total tackles with three sacks, four passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries.
Bills Facing Defensive Challenges Early
Though the Bills have jumped out to a 4-0 start this season, they have not gone unscathed as the defense has been hit with a series of injuries. The team lost starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver after a Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens, one where Oliver played a major role with two sacks and a forced fumble on running back Derrick Henry.
The team also lost linebacker Matt Milano, who has missed the last three games.
The Bills announced on Saturday that they brought up some reinforcements, making a pair of elevations from the practice squad.
“Buffalo has also elevated defensive tackle Zion Logue and defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis from the practice squad for Week 5’s game against New England. Logue has played in two games this season, while Mathis is active for his first game as a Bill,” the team announced.
If Ciarlo gets any playing time on Sunday, he will likely serve as a reserve and potentially see time on special teams. The Bills could also turn to reserve cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram, who was a healthy scratch last week, after rookie cornerback Dorian Strong was placed on injured reserve this week. The team is still awaiting the return of fellow rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston to come off IR as well.
The Bills face a big opportunity, with a win over the Patriots giving them a three-game lead in the AFC East just five weeks into the season.
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