Keon Coleman’s Wake-Up Call: How the Bills Are Trying to Guide Their Young Receiver-and What’s Missing
Keon Coleman entered the NFL with the kind of hype that can be both a blessing and a burden. Big-bodied, explosive, and with a highlight reel that turned heads at Florida State, the Buffalo Bills saw enough to make him a key piece of their wide receiver rebuild. But as the 2025 season winds down, it’s not Coleman’s playmaking that’s making headlines-it’s his maturity, or lack thereof, that’s raising questions.
Earlier this season, Coleman was benched for two games after being late to a team meeting. It wasn’t his first off-field issue, either-it marked at least the third time the Bills have had to discipline the 22-year-old second-year wideout. Since then, the team has rallied around him, but not without sending a clear message: It’s time to grow up.
Andre Reed Steps In
When a young player starts veering off course, sometimes it takes a voice from the past to help guide them forward. That’s where Hall of Fame receiver Andre Reed stepped in. Reed, one of the most respected names in Bills history, spent nearly two hours on the phone with Coleman, offering the kind of mentorship that doesn’t come from a playbook.
“I didn’t berate him or say, ‘You did this’ or ‘You did that,’” Reed said during a recent video call. “I mean, he’s a young kid.
I was 21 at one time. I came into the league and I had to learn how to be a pro.
That’s the whole thing in one sentence: You gotta learn how to be a pro.”
It was a conversation rooted in empathy but laced with truth. Reed didn’t sugarcoat the expectations that come with being in the NFL. And while he believes his words resonated with Coleman, there were signs the young receiver still has work to do.
According to Reed, Coleman pointed to things “he can’t control”-play calling, lack of targets-as reasons for his struggles. That’s a red flag.
“He was like, ‘I got you,’ and talking about what’s going on in the building,” Reed said. “And I go, ‘You know every team has that. Believe it or not.’”
That kind of deflection is exactly what had people raising eyebrows when Coleman was spotted dancing on the sideline before a game he was benched for. Afterward, he met with reporters and took some accountability, but his answers didn’t exactly scream self-reflection.
“Just got to be better,” Coleman said. “Better on my end… Mistakes happen. Things happen.”
When asked directly if there was a message he hadn’t yet received or a lesson he hadn’t learned, Coleman’s response was blunt: “Nah, I wouldn’t say that.”
Where’s the Leadership in the Room?
The Bills have a history of surrounding their young talent with veteran voices. When Josh Allen was drafted, the organization built a support system around him that included experienced quarterbacks like Matt Barkley, Derek Anderson, and later Case Keenum and Mitchell Trubisky.
They paired that with high-level coaching from Brian Daboll and Ken Dorsey. It was a structure designed to help Allen grow-and it worked.
Coleman hasn’t had that same luxury. Heading into his rookie season, the receiver room was thin on veteran leadership.
Mack Hollins and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were journeymen. Curtis Samuel, at 28, was the closest thing to a seasoned vet with real production, and even he was still trying to solidify his own role.
Amari Cooper arrived at the trade deadline, but he’s known more for leading by example than by voice.
It wasn’t until September that the Bills brought back Gabe Davis. Brandin Cooks joined in November.
By then, the offseason and training camp had already passed without a consistent veteran presence in Coleman’s orbit. Outside of Samuel, every receiver in the room was 26 or younger.
When Coleman’s suspension hit, it wasn’t a fellow wideout who stepped up to talk about mentoring him-it was left tackle Dion Dawkins. That’s telling. As respected as Dawkins is, he’s not in the receiver room, not in the meeting rooms or drills where Coleman needs day-to-day guidance.
That void is part of what led to Reed’s involvement.
“That’s what I’m here for,” Reed said. “Somebody mentored me. If I need somebody who’s been there and done that, I’m going to call somebody who’s been there and done that.”
Reed knows what it takes to make it in Buffalo. He came from a small school, was a fourth-round pick, and didn’t have the pressure of being a high-profile prospect.
But the expectations were still there. And he had someone to help him meet them.
“When I got there in ’85, Jerry Butler was the man,” Reed recalled. “He told me how to be a pro out at practice, how to stay in your playbook, how to do all this stuff. I had to do more because I came from a small school.”
Butler, who battled injuries throughout his career, was instrumental in helping Reed find his footing. That kind of mentorship is invaluable-and it’s something the current Bills receiver room has lacked.
What Comes Next?
The Bills’ passing game hasn’t exactly lit up the league this season. No receiver is on pace for more than 760 yards, and the absence of a true No. 1 target has been glaring.
“They don’t have a Ja’Marr Chase, they don’t have a Justin Jefferson, or a Puka Nacua,” Reed said. “A ‘number one’ guy that when you see him on film, you go, ‘Yep, we can’t let that guy beat us.’”
That’s the kind of player Buffalo needs-and the kind of player they hoped Coleman could become. But if his development continues to stall, the team may not wait around.
The Bills have shown a willingness to move on from high draft picks who don’t pan out. They traded former first-rounder Kaiir Elam after three underwhelming seasons.
Second-round pick Boogie Basham was dealt after two. Third-rounder Zack Moss didn’t make it past year three before being moved at the deadline.
Coleman’s future in Buffalo isn’t set in stone. His talent is real, but so are the expectations.
And if he wants to stick around-and thrive-he’ll need to do more than just flash on the field. He’ll need to buy into the grind, the professionalism, and the accountability that comes with being a pro.
The Bills are trying to help him get there. But time-and patience-might be running short.