The Buffalo Bills headed into one of the biggest games of the 2025 NFL season on Sunday without a notable name on the field for the offense. Wide receiver Keon Coleman was a healthy scratch for Week 11’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it turns out that absence was due to the young wideout being late to a team meeting on Friday.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott and his coaching staff clearly won’t tolerate that kind of behavior and will use Coleman to set an example for his teammates in the final stretch of the 2025 campaign.
GettyHead coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills.
After the Bills were able to get the win over the Bucs on Sunday, McDermott spoke to the media and addressed the benching of Coleman.
“He was late for a team meeting,” McDermott said during his postgame press conference. “That was my decision.”
This isn’t the first time Coleman has been late to a meeting this season, which obviously makes this that much more concerning for the Bills. McDermott asked about how frustrating it must be to deal with that kind of behavior from the 22-year-old wide receiver.
“It is disappointing, but I still believe in the young man,” McDermott said of Coleman. “We get to a certain point, and I’ve got to do something. I try and give the guys a kind of a strike approach. ‘Hey, you get a chance to show your teammates that’s not really who you are.’ When it happens again, then I step in.
“I believe he will learn from it. He takes it seriously. He will move forward in a way of growing from this, and that’s the whole goal.”
Even though Coleman was stuck on the sideline for the matchup against Tampa Bay, McDermott still has faith in the talented wideout and believes he’ll turn things around moving forward, which bodes well for his future in Buffalo if he can adjust his habits.
GettyKeon Coleman #0 of the Buffalo Bills.
Fortunately for Buffalo, the Bills were able to beat a very good Bucs team, with superstar quarterback Josh Allen outplaying Baker Mayfield. Allen may have thrown two interceptions, but he played out of his mind in every other aspect, scoring six total touchdowns.
As for Coleman, the second-year wide receiver was asked after the game about his getting benched. The Florida State product seems to have gotten the message from McDermott.
“Just got to be better,” Coleman said. “Better on my end. … I’ve got to be better, doing what I’m supposed to do, doing the right things. … Again, mistakes happen. Things happen. Again, I got to be better.”
This was pretty bad timing for Coleman, as he was targeted eight times, which is the second-highest total since the season opener (11), in the loss to the Miami Dolphins. He finished with three receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Even though the Bills are high on Coleman, the young wideout hasn’t had a great season up to this point, as he’s struggled to take that next step in his sophomore campaign.
It’ll be interesting to see how Coleman bounces back and whether he’s able to make it up to his teammates and the coaching staff.
The Dallas Cowboys made one of the most ruthless roster moves of cutdown day, releasing a young cornerback just hours after his teammates had gathered to celebrate his birthday.
The decision came as part of the NFL’s 53-man deadline, when tough calls across the league leave dreams hanging by a thread. For the Cowboys, a crowded cornerback room and the emergence of younger playmakers forced them to act without sentiment.
That action landed on Robert Rochell, a defensive back once viewed as a depth piece with special teams upside. Signed to provide veteran insurance in camp, Rochell ultimately found himself the odd man out in Dan Quinn’s evolving defensive plans.
In a statement that resonated across social media, Rochell admitted the timing left him devastated: “Three hours earlier I was blowing out candles with my Cowboys teammates, believing I had earned my place here. Then the call came — cut on my birthday, the biggest shock of my life.”
The release underscored the harsh churn of NFL roster construction. Despite showing flashes of speed and coverage ability, Rochell struggled to separate himself from younger competition who delivered consistent performances throughout preseason action.
Cowboys coaches praised his effort and professionalism in camp, but roster math became unforgiving. With Trevon Diggs healthy and younger corners stepping up, Rochell’s spot was never secure once the deadline loomed.
Over his NFL journey, Rochell has logged appearances with multiple teams, flashing the athleticism that once made him a draft pick. Yet the narrative of potential has given way to the cold reality of roster limits and the business-first mentality of the league.
Whether Rochell finds his way back to Dallas on the practice squad or lands with another franchise, the sting of being released on his birthday will remain. For fans and teammates, it was more than a transaction — it was a brutal reminder of the NFL’s coldest side.