After his first two seasons in the NFL, Keon Coleman’s career is at a crossroads. The wide receiver has been a huge disappointment, with decision-makers publicly criticizing his pick, and his production has been very disappointing. His third year with the Buffalo Bills will be a massive one.
Keon Coleman Says He’s “Not Scared” Ahead of Pivotal Third Season
Coleman had a difficult 2025. He missed multiple games due to disciplinary issues, only returning to the field when the Bills suffered injuries within the receiving corps. But his worst moment came, infamously, in a press conference after the season.
Speaking after the firing of head coach Sean McDermott, Bills owner Terry Pegula made sure to emphasize that Keon Coleman was a “coaching staff pick” after a reporter criticized the lack of talent at certain positions, particularly at wide receiver. This reflected poorly on Coleman, who had his fair share of struggles on and off the field.
With the Bills reuniting during the 2026 season, Coleman spoke to reporters during the OTAs. The third year is often the breaking point for many players in the league, and he made sure to emphasize he’s ready to embrace the challenge with a new coach:
“For me, it’s make or break,” Coleman told reporters after Buffalo’s Tuesday OTA session, via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. “If you s—, you might not be here, simple as that. I know what I’m capable of. So, if I fall anything short of that, I’m doing myself a disservice and my team.”
“I ain’t scared of s—. I know what they saying, I hear it. I just don’t care, you know what I’m saying. None of them are going to try to lace them up and try to stand in front of me. People are upset and they are going to say what they want to say at the end of the day. My job is to come out here, put my cleats on and strap them up and prove my work ethic.”
Coleman had just 960 yards in his first two seasons in the league. According to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, last year he posted an impact score of 71.3, ranking 75th among wideouts in the league.
The Bills traded for D.J. Moore, but still will count on Coleman to take a bigger role. Joe Brady was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach, and he’ll also look to better utilize the receiver. But if the 2026 season is another disappointment, he won’t see the final year of his contract.
