As the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills gear up for their second meeting of the season this Sunday at Gillette Stadium, there’s more than just AFC East positioning on the line. These two teams, familiar foes in every sense, are also connected by a web of shared personnel-players and coaches who’ve worn both uniforms and know the stakes of this rivalry from both sidelines.
Let’s break down the notable crossovers heading into this Week 14 matchup.
BUFFALO BILLS
Brandin Cooks, Wide Receiver
Cooks is back in Buffalo, signing to the active roster after clearing waivers in November.
Patriots fans will remember seeing him earlier this season, but his NFL journey has been anything but linear. Originally drafted by the Saints in the first round back in 2014, Cooks made his way to New England in 2017 as part of a trade that sent the 32nd overall pick to New Orleans.
His time with the Patriots was brief but impactful-helping power an offense that reached Super Bowl LII. From there, he was traded to the Rams, where he signed a five-year extension and played in another Super Bowl.
Add in stints with the Texans and Cowboys, and Cooks has been one of the league’s most well-traveled and productive receivers. Over 170 career games, he’s racked up 730 catches, 9,710 yards, and 62 total touchdowns.
Now in his second stint with the Bills, he adds veteran savvy to a receiving corps looking for consistency down the stretch.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Stefon Diggs, Wide Receiver
Diggs made his return to Buffalo earlier this season in a big way-hauling in 10 catches for 146 yards in a 23-20 Patriots win. Now he leads New England in virtually every receiving category: 79 targets, 64 receptions, 705 yards, and three touchdowns.
It’s been a strong comeback campaign for Diggs, who signed a three-year deal with the Patriots in March after missing the end of last season with a torn ACL. At 32, he’s still a top-tier route-runner and playmaker, and his presence has been a stabilizing force for New England’s offense.
Drafted in the fifth round by the Vikings in 2015, Diggs blossomed into a star after being traded to Buffalo. He led the league in receptions and yards in his first season with the Bills and posted four straight 1,000-yard seasons, earning four Pro Bowl nods and two All-Pro selections. The Bills eventually moved on, trading him to Houston before he landed in Foxborough.
Mack Hollins, Wide Receiver
Hollins has been a do-it-all piece for the Patriots this season.
Signed to a two-year deal in free agency, he’s started 11 games and contributed 35 receptions for 440 yards and two touchdowns. But that doesn’t tell the whole story-he’s logged 567 offensive snaps and made his presence felt on special teams and as a blocker.
The 32-year-old brings energy and versatility, traits that were on full display during his one season with the Bills in 2024. That year, he led the team with five touchdown receptions.
A fourth-round pick in 2017, Hollins has made stops with the Eagles, Dolphins, Raiders, and Falcons, and won a Super Bowl as a rookie in Philadelphia. Now 124 games into his career, he’s become a trusted veteran voice in the Patriots’ locker room.
Otis Reese, Linebacker
Reese joined New England’s practice squad in mid-November after a brief stint on Buffalo’s practice squad earlier in the season. Before that, he was with the Titans under Mike Vrabel, entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
The 27-year-old linebacker has appeared in 20 games, making a handful of starts. He’s totaled 38 tackles, including one for loss, and recorded an interception. A product of Georgia and Ole Miss, Reese brings a physical edge and special teams value to the Patriots’ depth chart.
Alex Austin, Cornerback
Drafted by the Bills in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft (No. 252 overall), Austin didn’t stick in Buffalo long. After being waived, he was claimed by Houston and eventually landed in New England.
Austin made a memorable impact late in his rookie season, notching his first career interception-ironically, against the team that drafted him. He’s played in 26 games, including six starts, and has logged 589 defensive snaps and 220 on special teams.
His stat line includes 31 tackles and eight passes defensed. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old corner was placed on injured reserve at the end of November, but his development remains a storyline to watch for the Patriots moving forward.
What It All Means Ahead of Sunday
These connections don’t just make for good trivia-they matter on the field. Players like Diggs and Cooks know the tendencies, the culture, and the schemes of their former teams. For a divisional matchup with playoff implications, that inside knowledge can tilt the balance in key moments.
Both franchises are in very different places than they were in October. But as they meet again in Foxborough, the shared history between these players adds another layer to an already heated rivalry. Expect emotions to run high-and for some familiar faces to have a say in how this one plays out.