Wednesday was supposed to be an exercise in Bills Mafia getting answers on why Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula fired head coach Sean McDermott while retaining and promoting Brandon Beane on the same day.
Pegula offered his explanations, though more questions rose from it. In the midst of a nearly hour-long press conference, second-year wide receiver Keon Coleman came up, shedding some light on the power struggle in Buffalo.
In the same breath, though, it also clouded the young wide receiver’s future with the franchise.
Terry Pegula’s explanation of the Keon Coleman pick raised immediate red flags
"The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon," Pegula said during the presser, interjecting on a question about the entirety of the wide receiving room directed at Beane.
That’s a harsh statement to be so short. It displays a lack of confidence in a young wide receiver who displayed talent but has clearly struggled with adapting to the professional level.
But, Pegula in seven words seemed to cast drafting Coleman as a mistake that McDermott and his staff should bear the weight of, not Beane. Which is understandably confusing, because Coleman was the Bills’ first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
“I’m not saying Brandon wouldn’t have drafted him, but he was not his next choice. That was Brandon taking advice of his coaching staff, who felt strongly about the player,” Pegula said.
Beane’s response to the question that was initially directed to him didn’t mention Coleman. Beane clarified that the offensive line and tight ends had taken priority over wide receivers in the roster-building strategy.
Nonetheless, Pegula’s interruption is not a positive signal for the soon-to-be 24-year-old receiver on the back of a tumultuous season. Coleman posted just 38 catches for 4044 yards and four scores. While he caught more passes and matched his rookie touchdown mark, his overall production plummeted after a strong start in Week 1. Coleman was benched in four total games in 2025 and caught just six passes in December and January.
On top of everything else Bills Mafia is worried about as this offseason begins, now they have to throw in the future of their young wideout. Despite his disappointing sophomore season, fans want to see him bounce back. He’s a fun personality with an exciting skillset, after all. But now, after that presser, it’s a worry that any bounce-back season in Coleman’s future might come elsewhere.