Baseball background benefits Rasul Douglas at crucial moment in Bills' win

Buffalo Bills' CB Rasul Douglas calmly sealed Sunday's playoff win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) makes a catch against Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas (31)
Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) makes a catch against Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas (31) / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Those reps from his time in East Orange Little League served Buffalo Bills' cornerback Rasul Douglas well during a nail-biting playoff victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

With the visiting Ravens, who entered the game as a 1.5-point betting favorite, trailing by a 27-25 margin and only 1:33 remaining, the Bills needed to recover an onsides kick attempt to prevent any last-minute miracles from Baltimore.

Future Hall-of-Fame kicker Justin Tucker teed it up and sent a hard grounder into an open space surrounding Bills' cornerback Rasul Douglas. Fortunately for Buffalo, the ball steadily skidded across the frozen ground and found its way into the waiting arms of Douglas, who corralled it and fell forward at the opponent's 47-yard line.

As the Bills locked up the postseason victory, Arizona Cardinals' linebacker Kyzir White weighed in on his former West Virginia teammate's contribution. Mentioning Douglas on the social media site now known as X, White suggested that the Bills' hands team member was "nervous as hell" in the high-pressure situation.

Douglas responded by touting his baseball acumen and comparing Tucker's kick to fielding a ground ball in the middle infield.

"I played shortStop since I was 6 brodie that’s a regular routine ground ball," said Douglas in an X post.

RELATED: Bills 'peaked too early' last year but this team's different says veteran CB

The 29-year-old Douglas, who is slated to be a free agent this offseason, has been a rock solid starter for the Bills since arriving via trade midway through the 2023 campaign. He made six tackles during the divisional round win on January 19.

Douglas was a well-respected football and basketball player at East Orange High School in New Jersey before moving onto Nassau Community College and eventually WVU.

Rasul Douglas run defense
Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) runs the ball against Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) and Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas (31) / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

—  Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI  —

More Buffalo Bills News:


Published
Ralph Ventre
RALPH VENTRE

Ralph, a former college football conference administrator, brings 20+ years of media experience to Buffalo Bills ON SI. Prior to focusing on the Bills, he spent two years covering the New York Jets. Ventre initially joined the ON SI family in 2021, providing NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for NFL Draft Bible on FanNation. Ventre remains as an official voter for the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and the annual legacy awards. The Fordham University graduate is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.