Few players on the Buffalo Bills roster, if any, are under as much pressure in 2026 as embattled wide receiver Keon Coleman.
Injuries won’t help him get where he’s going anytime soon.
“Keon Coleman is in a walking boot on his right foot,” Bills reporter Dan Fetes wrote on his official X account on Tuesday morning.
Coleman had 3 receptions for 17 yards and 1 touchdown in Buffalo’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers — the 1st unofficial touchdown at the new Highmark Stadium.
“Keon Coleman catches the first TD in new Highmark Stadium and now he’s in a walking boot at the open practice,” Bills reporter Alex Brasky wrote on his official X account on Tuesday. “Guy can’t catch a break.”
“Keon Coleman in a walking boot on his right foot,” Bills reporter Jenna Cottrell wrote on her official X account.
Bills Warned Against ‘Overreaction’ After Opener
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton called any enthusiasm over Coleman’s play in the preseason opener against the Panthers an “overreaction” the Bills should be wary of.
“While that may be an unforgettable moment for Coleman, he has a long way to go before he turns the corner following two underwhelming seasons,” Moton wrote on August 17. “Furthermore, Coleman must show a change in his mindset during the regular season. The team benched him for multiple games last year. In response to that, the wideout said he had to be more accountable. Head coach Joe Brady rejected trade offers for Coleman early in the offseason. So, the third-year pro will likely have a chance to redeem himself in Buffalo, but it’ll take more than a highlight moment in a preseason game to match the expectations for the top second-round pick in a draft class.”
Keon Coleman: Reputation for Screwing Things Up
The No. 33 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Bills benched Coleman for being late to team meetings as a rookie. He was a healthy scratch for 3 more games. Those problems with tardiness — and the benchings — continued in 2025.
Coleman got an extra dose of humiliation when Bills owner Terry Pegula cited drafting Coleman as 1 of the reasons former head coach Sean McDermott was fired following an AFC Divisional Round loss to the Denver Broncos in January — a game in which Coleman had a touchdown reception.
Through his 1st 2 seasons, Coleman has 67 receptions for 960 yards and 8 touchdowns in just 26 games — tantalizing numbers juxtaposed against a frustrating lack of accountability.
“Getting benched four games, some (expletive) like that … unacceptable,” Coleman told ESPN’s Alaine Getzenberg on May 19. “Ended off on a decent note, had a touchdown (in the playoffs), so that was — I wouldn’t even call that a confidence boost, it was just a positive to end the season on. But we lost. So, that was another negative to erase that. But, I mean, I don’t need self-motivation, though. I know what I am here to do and what I am capable of doing.”
Buffalo Bills Get Bad Injury News on Embattled WR Keon Coleman