The Buffalo Bills can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries this postseason. After already enduring a rough stretch in their playoff opener - losing multiple wide receivers and watching Josh Allen take more hits than you'd like to see from your franchise quarterback - the bad luck continued right out of the gate in their matchup against the Denver Broncos.
On the very first play of the game, linebacker Dorian Williams went down following a violent collision with Broncos return man Marvin Mims on the opening kickoff. Both players were shaken up on the play, but it was Williams who bore the brunt of the impact.
What happened on the opening kickoff?
It was a helmet-to-helmet collision - the kind you never want to see, especially on the first snap of a playoff game. Mims was charging upfield at full speed when he and Williams met head-on. The hit stopped the return cold, but left Williams down on the turf for several tense minutes.
Trainers rushed out immediately, and while Williams was eventually able to walk off the field with assistance, the concern was clear. Moments later, he was carted back to the locker room. According to the CBS broadcast, he was then transported by ambulance to a local hospital with what the team described as a neck injury.
The Bills quickly ruled him out for the rest of the game.
What we know about Williams’ condition
The team has confirmed the injury as a neck issue, though it’s still unclear whether Williams was also evaluated for a concussion following the helmet-to-helmet contact. While the initial signs - including the fact that he was upright and alert as he was carted off - were somewhat encouraging, this is clearly a situation the Bills and their medical staff are taking seriously.
Updates on his condition will be provided as more information becomes available, but for now, Williams remains out and under medical observation.
Who is Dorian Williams?
Williams, who wears No. 42 for Buffalo, is in his third year with the team after being selected 91st overall in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Tulane. He began his career as a depth piece, but injuries to key players opened the door for him to take on a bigger role.
In 2024, he stepped up with 11 starts after Matt Milano went down, showing flashes of promise as a rangy, athletic linebacker. This season, he’s been more of a rotational player - starting nine games and logging about 37.5% of the snaps in Buffalo’s Wild Card win over the Jaguars. Still, with Terrel Bernard sidelined for Saturday’s game, Williams was expected to play a key part in the Bills’ defensive game plan.
Instead, Buffalo had to lean even more heavily on veterans like Milano and Shaq Thompson to hold down the second level of the defense.
The bigger picture for Buffalo
For a team already navigating a minefield of injuries, losing another key defender - and on the first play of the game, no less - is another gut punch. The Bills’ linebacker room has been tested all season, and Williams had become a valuable piece of that puzzle. His absence not only thins out the depth chart but also forces the coaching staff to adjust on the fly in a high-stakes playoff setting.
As the Bills continue their postseason run, all eyes will be on Williams’ recovery. For now, the hope is that the injury isn’t as severe as it initially looked. But in a postseason already defined by attrition, Buffalo’s ability to stay afloat may depend on how well they can weather yet another storm.