The Buffalo Bills made an unexpected roster move Thursday, releasing the nephew of a longtime NFL quarterback shortly after signing veteran linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.
While the addition of Flannigan-Fowles adds experienced depth and special teams versatility to Buffalo’s defense, the corresponding roster cut drew attention because it involved a player with a notable NFL family connection, creating an intriguing subplot to an otherwise routine transaction.
Wide receiver Max Tomczak, nephew of former NFL quarterback Mike Tomczak, was waived to open the roster spot, according to CBS Sports. The 21-year-old had signed with Buffalo as an undrafted free agent just over a month earlier and never appeared in an NFL regular-season game.
Max Tomczak’s college résumé was impressive. In four seasons at Youngstown State, he set the Penguins’ program records for career receptions with 225 and consecutive games with a catch with 46, finishing second in school history with 3,024 receiving yards. His final college season produced 70 catches for 1,021 yards and eight touchdowns, earning him All-American recognition and first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors. He was considered one of the most productive pass-catchers in program history.
His uncle Mike Tomczak spent 15 seasons under center for the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. The elder Tomczak joined Youngstown State as a volunteer adviser during Max’s college career and played a meaningful role in his development as a receiver, according to multiple reports.
Flannigan-Fowles Reunites With Position Coach
Buffalo made the move to sign Flannigan-Fowles, 29, as the Bills enter the offseason without two of their linebacker regulars. The team has not re-signed Matt Milano or Shaq Thompson, creating a depth shortage the six-year veteran directly addresses, according to Pro Football Rumors reporter Sam Robinson.
The signing also doubles as a reunion. Flannigan-Fowles will rejoin linebackers coach John Egorugwu, who coached him with the New York Giants in 2025 before returning to the Bills staff this offseason. That existing familiarity with Egorugwu’s scheme figures to put Flannigan-Fowles ahead of the curve when training camp opens in July.
Flannigan-Fowles’ Career Resume With 49ers, Giants
With the Giants in 2025, Flannigan-Fowles posted the most extensive defensive usage of his career, playing 36% of New York’s defensive snaps, a career high, while recording 33 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack across 10 games that included three starts. His one-year deal with the Giants carried a value of $1.33 million.
Before his season in New York, Flannigan-Fowles spent five years with the San Francisco 49ers after entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona in 2019. In San Francisco, the 6-foot-2, 223-pound linebacker built his reputation as a special teams staple, appearing on at least 63% of the 49ers’ special teams snaps each season from 2020 through 2023. The 49ers also deployed him as a Week 1 starter in 2024 while Dre Greenlaw recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered in Super Bowl LVIII.
In Buffalo, Flannigan-Fowles joins a linebacker room that returns starters Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams, and also added fourth-round pick Kalen Elarms-Orr out of TCU in the 2026 NFL Draft. He gives Buffalo a proven contributor capable of filling multiple roles on a defense built for a deep playoff run.
Bills Release NFL QB’s Nephew After Signing Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles