Former FSU star Keon Coleman could be benched by Bills for second straight game

Former Florida State star wide receiver Keon Coleman has had some hiccups in the locker room during his second season with the Buffalo Bills. He was benched last weekend in the Bills' 44-32 win over Tampa Bay despite being healthy, and will likely be sitting out again in tonight's matchup against the Texans, per Erik Turner of Cover 1.

What is Going on With Coleman?

Oct 26, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) warms up before a game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

While reports have varied, sources inside the NFL have said that last weekend's benching was due to the young wide receiver's punctuality, missing a team meeting on Friday the week before.

Source: Bills WR Keon Coleman is inactive today because he missed a team meeting Friday morning. Until then, the Bills planned to play him, but their plans changed when he missed the meeting. pic.twitter.com/2IyMUDrBRY
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 16, 2025

The projected benching appears to be either an extension of that or something new altogether. Teammates inside the Bills locker room have stood behind him but alongside Coleman, and head coach Sean McDermott acknowledged that he needs to do better.

"Pats on the back are over with, and it's time for him to grow up, and he knows it," Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins said post-game last Sunday. "As an older player on the team, we hold everybody accountable. We shoot straight. We don't sugarcoat it, and words were said to him, and he took it well. We'll see how it goes into this week."

The Bills Want Consistency From Coleman

Oct 26, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The act is seen as a disciplinary measure, and McDermott said it himself.

"The important piece is that he learns from this," McDermott said of the 22-year-old after the Bills' win. "You grow from it? We can move forward. Now, if you don't grow from it, it becomes about developing trust and the trust that your teammates have in you. Trust builds through repetition and consistency. That's the direction that we need him to go."

Coleman is not a rookie anymore. He's on year two with the Bills, and has already appeared in 22 games, recording 832 yards and seven touchdowns on 61 receptions. Having a guy like that on the bench for long wouldn't necessarily spell doom and gloom in Buffalo, but it would definitely hamper an already potent Bills offense.

If they do decide to sit Coleman, who has been their No. 2 wide receiver all season, Joshua Palmer, Tyrell Shavers, Elijah Moore, Khalil Shakir, and Gabe Davis will likely be the targets for quarterback Josh Allen.

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