The Buffalo Bills made wide receiver Keon Coleman a healthy scratch for the first time in his career in Week 11, a move that sparked a strong response from offensive lineman Dion Dawkins.
As a nine-year pro and team captain since 2019, Dawkins’ words and presence carry weight in Buffalo’s locker room. So, while the Bills celebrated Sunday’s 44-32 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dawkins took time to address Coleman’s scratch for missing a team meeting during the week and their encouraging conversation about the situation.
“I spoke to Keon before this game,” Dawkins said. “I told him, ‘Bro, don’t even worry about it. Everybody goes through a different journey, right? Let’s just say that this is the last time. Let’s just move forward.’ And he said, ‘I’m with you.'”
Dawkins went on to highlight the need for not only the second-year wideout but the entire team to be professionals consistently. And, while Coleman may have reacted well to the talk, Dawkins urged him to step up amid the added pressure from the unwanted spotlight.
“That’s all we need, right? Nobody’s perfect, but in this league, we need guys to come on,” he added. “And Keon knows, right? Now, he’s in the hot seat, and he needs to come on and show up for us. Pats on the back are over with, and it’s time for him to grow up, and he knows it.”
The four-time Pro Bowler’s decision to call out Coleman may ruffle some feathers, but Dawkins reiterated that he remains “in Keon’s corner.” Still, with a short week to prepare for a Week 12 road game against the tough Houston Texans, Coleman won’t have to wait long to prove he’s at least learning from his mistakes.
“This league is hard,” Dawkins added. “Being on time is hard, being great is hard, pushing for greatness is hard. So, we got his back, but the time is now.”
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