After missing three straight weeks, Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Star Lotulelei was able to return to practice on Thursday, December 2, and he made quite the entrance.
The 31-year-old defensive stud, famous for his grizzly hair look, was nearly unrecognizable when he showed up at Orchard Park without his long locks. Lotulelei apparently shaved his head while he was sidelined to COVID-19.
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Bills offensive tackle “Dion Dawkins said the first thing he noticed upon Star Lotulelei’s return was his hair cut, tweeted Bills Wire reporter Maddy Glab. “This is a team that enjoys talking hair, and I’m here for it.”
Dawkins, who suffered a rough bout of COVID-19 during training camp, also noted that Lotulelei had reached out him for tips while he was sidelined.
“He asked a couple questions because he was feeling chest pains,” Dawkins said, per Syracuse.com’s Matt Perrino. I told him they give us these antibody infusion bags, & I took one and after that I felt a lot better… Helped him through it as much as I could.”
While Lotulelei’s status is not confirmed yet for Week 13, Bills head coach Sean McDermott says it looks like he’s trending in the right direction to start against the Patriots, per
Glab.
“It’s huge to be able to get Star back,” Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said, per Syracuse.com. “We missed him for sure. It was good to see him in the building, it’s been awhile. He looks good and hopefully he can progress each day this week and we can have him for the ballgame on Monday night.”
Bills Need All the Help They Can Get to Defeat the Patriots
The Bills are struggling hard with consistency this season, but are looking to win two games in a row for the first time the season with a victory over the New Englad Patriots on Monday Night Football.
Thankfully, Buffalo announced that along with Lotulelei, two other key players were able to return to practice this week, offensive linemen Spencer Brown and Jon Feliciano.
While Brown missed the Bills last two games due to COVID-19, Feliciano was placed on injured reserve after suffering calf injury against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8.
Bills Prepare to Take on the ‘First Place Patriots’
Quarterback Josh Allen knows it will take everyone’s best effort to beat the Patriots, and take over the No. 1 spot in the AFC East. As for the pressure of having a national game and the division lead on the line, Allen thrives on it.
“You hope to be in a position like this,” Allen said to the media on Thursday. “Playing meaningful games this late in the season.”
McDermott playfully referred to their upcoming opponent as the “first place Patriots,” noting it was a purposeful nickname to get the locker room riled up. “Definitely give you a little motivation,” McDermott said, per WROC TV’s Thad Brown.
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Bills Star Defensive Tackle Stuns Fans With New Look at Practice