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Tuesday proved to be a rough day for the Buffalo Bills. Not only were four players sent home after a trainer tested positive for COVID-19, but a scary collision during practice took out wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie.
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“McKenzie caught a pass from backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and was blindsided by safety Jordan Poyer,” reported Bills Wire’s Nate Mendelson. “Poyer appeared to try and slow down before the collision, according to various reports from the scene.”
The 26-year-old receiver “laid on the turf for several minutes following the incident and required assistance by trainers to leave the field,” per Mendelson, and did not return to practice.
WIVB reporter Josh Reed tweeted, “Bills WR Isaiah McKenzie left practice after a big collision w/ Jordan Poyer during 11v11. McKenzie was on the ground [for] several minutes while trainers looked at him. Sean McDermott had a few words for Poyer after… didn’t seem happy. Bang-bang play… didn’t see anything intentional.”
McKenzie Appears to Have Injured His Left Arm or Shoulder
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GettyIsaiah McKenzie #19 of the Buffalo Bills warms up before the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bills Stadium on January 16, 2021.
While details of Mckenzie’s injury remain sparse, Syracuse.com’s Matt Parrino revealed it looks like the fifth-year receiver hurt his left arm or shoulder.
“Scary scene at Bills practice today during 11-on-11,” Parrino tweeted. “Isaiah McKenzie injured after a hit by Jordan Poyer. McKenzie was down on the field for a couple minutes before trainers walked him into the facility. Looked like a left arm or shoulder injury.”
WKBW reporter Matthew Bove tweeted, “McKenzie was holding his left shoulder/collarbone as he walked off the field with trainers.”
Bills general manager Brandon Beane gave an update on Mckenzie’s status during a press conference on Tuesday, saying, “We sent him off to get checked out, and there’s really nothing to offer right now. Hopefully Isaiah is okay.”
Mckenzie’s injury is not just troublesome for the former Georgia star, but for the Bills team as a whole. Buffalo’s roster of starting receivers seems to be quickly dwindling. Wide receiver Cole Beasley was one of the players sent home due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will be out for at least five days.
McKenzie Primed for a Breakout Season?
While McKenzie set career-high numbers last season in catches (30), receiving yards (282), touchdowns (5), and games played (16), he has a lot of work to do before stealing snaps away from Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders and Beasley.
However, McKenzie has put himself on the map as a punt returner and his dedication to improving has not gone unnoticed by McDermott. During the Bills preseason game against the Chicago Bears on August 21, McKenzie muffed a punt early in the game but didn’t let his mistake ruin his focus. He finished with a team-high seven receptions including a touchdown in the first quarter.
“It just gives me chills — when a player can go through a moment that he went through right there, and then reset mentally and stay on the field, and have the ability to contribute like he did, [and what] he did during that series — that says a lot. That’s hard to do,” McDermott said, as reported by Parrino. “That’s something we talk about, and I think that was a great example of him doing that in a key moment in the game.”
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