'Unreal': Bills Coach Sean McDermott Details Season-Ending Injury to Tommy Doyle
Along with being frustrated and exhausted, the Buffalo Bills emerged from a 21-19 road loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 3 with a handful of bumps and bruises.
At first, a knee issue for second-year offensive lineman Tommy Doyle didn't appear to be one of the injuries of great concern to Buffalo coach Sean McDermott.
But on Friday, McDermott detailed what he called an "unreal" situation with Doyle once he received all the information on the trip back home.
"Unreal type of situation," McDermott said. "I think he was our last linemen there that we had available to us and he's playing guard and trying to go win the game."
The Bills were already without a handful of offensive lineman, as Doyle was a last line of defense. McDermott knew there was some kind of injury the 24-year-old had sustained, but didn't realize the severity until afterward.
"We get done with the game and you know, I knew that he had had a knee injury or a leg injury," McDermott said. "I go back on the plane on the way home just to check on the guys and I said 'Tommy, how you doing?' he's like, 'Ah, I'm fine, it's nothing.' And then next morning, I get the communication from our training staff that has a torn ACL and he's out for the season."
Along with losing Doyle, Dion Dawkins, Mitch Morse, and Ryan Bates are all still on the injury list ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Doyle, a fifth-round pick by Buffalo in 2021, caught a touchdown pass in the Bills' 47-17 blowout win over the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card last season. He'll look to make a return from his injury in 2023.
"Obviously, that's not normally how that goes," McDermott said of Doyle's injury. "But just shows you how tough Tommy is and really appreciate how he played through it."
The Bills will visit the Ravens on Sunday, with kickoff at M&T Bank Stadium set for 1 p.m. ET.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
You're a member of Bills Mafia. Hungry for more Buffalo coverage? Read here.
