Getty Isaiah McKenzie of the Buffalo Bills warms up before a December 17 game against the Miami Dolphins.
Former Buffalo Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie had his regular season cut short by a team-mandated suspension, and now it appears he may not return should his team find a way into the playoffs.
ESPN’s Stephen Holder reported that both McKenzie and cornerback Tony Brown were suspended for the remaining three games of the regular season, citing a source who said that their “violations rose to a level where severe punishment was warranted.”
Reporter Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star reported that both McKenzie and Brown may have been removed from the team entirely, suggesting they will be gone beyond the three remaining regular season games.
“Isaiah McKenzie and Tony Brown have had their lockers removed from the Colts locker room,” Atkins shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Isaiah McKenzie’s Season Over Early
The Colts have shied away from sharing any details on McKenzie’s suspension, and he has not faced any formal discipline from the league. The Athletic’s James Boyd reported on Thursday that McKenzie and Brown were note seen at practice, hinting that their suspension barred them from any activities with the team.
“Obviously, #Colts WR Isaiah McKenzie and CB Tony Brown are not at practice,” Boyd wrote on X. “HC Shane Steichen didn’t provide any more details about their three-game suspension, but with no nameplates in the locker room and no practice, they *may* be suspended from all team activities.”
The #Colts have suspended CB Tony Brown and WR Isaiah McKenzie for the remainder of the regular season for conduct detrimental to the team.
McKenzie was released by the Bills in March 2023 after five seasons with the team. Though he had earned the role of starting slot receiver last offseason following the departure of Cole Beasley, McKenzie struggled with inconsistent play during the 2022 season. While McKenzie set career highs with 42 receptions and 423 yards, the Bills opted to lure Beasley out of retirement down the final stretch of the season and playoffs to give quarterback Josh Allen a more reliable target.
McKenzie played mostly on special teams in Indianapolis, catching 11 passes for 82 yards while returning 23 punts for 204 yards and returning six kicks for 152 yards.
Bills Could Benefit from Suspension
The absence of McKenzie and Brown could give at least a small boost to the Bills, who are competing with the Colts for a wild card spot. Buffalo’s 24-22 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on December 23 — combined with the Cincinnati Bengals losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the day — gave the Bills control of their own playoff destiny.
Wins in their remaining games against the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins would ensure that the Bills secure at least a wild card spot, with a chance at the division should the Dolphins drop one of their next two games.
The Bills went into Saturday’s game as heavy favorites but struggled against a motivated Chargers team that the previous week had fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco. After the game, Allen said all that mattered was coming out with a win.
“It’s tough because when you’re playing a team with nothing to lose, that’s a dangerous team. We gutted it out and we found a way,” Allen said, via The Associated Press. “This is our playoffs. It didn’t matter how we get them done, just get them done.”