It takes a difference-making wide receiver to know one, or to understand that a player in question isn't up to snuff. That's why 16-year NFL veteran Steve Smith Sr.'s bluntly harsh criticism of Keon Coleman stings extra hard for Buffalo Bills fans.
Smith didn't mince words when discussing Coleman on his 89 with Steve Smith Sr. podcast. The former made his belief, or lack thereof, in Buffalo's 2024 second-round pick clear as day.
"[Coleman] ain't the guy," Smith said. "Can't get separation. Can't get off the jam. Doesn't have it. ... You can't teach a dog how to bark. You either got it or you don't."
Good grief! Smith didn't need to go scorched earth to get his point across, but what's done is done. Facing adversity, or in this case disapproval, is expected; it's how Coleman responds that matters.
Bills WR Keon Coleman can’t escape Steve Smith Sr.’s harsh reality check
If recent social media activity is any indication, Coleman ostensibly heard the slanderous comments about him. Nevertheless, he decided to take the high road when asked about it during his media availability.
"I feel like I've handled things good," Coleman told reporters on tuning out the outside noise early in his pro career. "The ups and downs of it, the flows of just being a professional, so I feel pretty confident about how I handle that."
Kudos to Coleman. He was given a clean runway to clap back at Smith, yet chose the more honorable path. These situations can be much more hostile, as we saw in another well-known instance involving the wideout-turned-analyst.
Of course, who can forget when Smith blasted then-Denver Broncos pass-catcher Jerry Jeudy on national television? The Carolina Panthers legend doubled down on his previous stance that the latter is "just a guy," AKA JAG, which became a spectacle.
Instead of adding fuel to the fire, Coleman is focused on "[doing his] job," or "one-eleventh," as he called it. The 22-year-old seemingly understands that winning is a collective effort that goes beyond him, sacrificing personal success for the team's best interest.
Through seven games in 2025, Coleman has caught 27 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns on 39 targets. Yet, most of that production came in Week 1. It's been all downhill since then; he's been volatile and scarcely used.