Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman found himself at the centre of attention for reasons beyond his on-field performance this week. The 22-year-old was benched as a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game, a first in his young career, following a late arrival to a team meeting.
A Pregame Conversation Sparks Speculation
The situation took an intriguing turn just before the Bills' Thursday night clash against the Houston Texans. Coleman was captured on video having an animated, several-minute conversation on the field with the team's minority owner, NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady. In footage shared by WKBW's Matthew Bove, McGrady could be seen gesturing repeatedly towards the young player as they spoke.
This followed Coleman's initial benching for the previous Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the exact content of the discussion with McGrady remains private, its timing was highly conspicuous, occurring just moments before Coleman was once again listed as a healthy scratch.
Behind the Benching: Discipline Over Performance
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the decision to drop Coleman was not performance-based. Schultz reported that the rookie had, in fact, "had a strong week of practice" leading up to the Texans game. Instead, the benching was attributed to the team's desire to "see more from him in other areas," a clear reference to the disciplinary issue of missing a meeting.
This disciplinary action comes despite Coleman having a productive debut season, amassing 32 receptions for 330 yards and three touchdowns since being drafted in 2024.
A Difficult Night for the Bills
Coleman's absence was felt during a shock 23-19 loss to the Houston Texans, a result that dented Buffalo's playoff hopes. The game was a trial for the entire team, particularly quarterback Josh Allen, who was sacked eight times—the most in any single game of his career.
Allen's frustration was visible, at one point slamming his helmet and appearing to shout, "What are we doing?" He later described the experience as "Not fun." The quarterback also suffered an injury, being hit from behind and landing heavily on his front. He played through the pain but was seen nursing his left arm, revealing afterwards that his shoulder had gone "a little numb."
The game's toll extended to the officials, with referee Adrian Hill needing to be carted off the field after suffering a serious injury in the second half.
