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Bills New WR Skyler Bell Says His Main Sport Is Not Football

The Bills’ fourth-round pick is uniquely ready for the Buffalo sports landscape.
Khari Demos|
Former UConn Huskies wide receiver Skyler Bell.
Former UConn Huskies wide receiver Skyler Bell. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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Skyler Bell: Buffalo Bills’ receiver and...a hockey guy?

The former UConn standout has a new home in the NFL, landing with the Bills in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. And while it will take some time for him to get acclimated to his new digs, one thing for certain is that he will be a fit in Buffalo.

”I'm a huge, huge hockey fan man. It was my main sport growing up,” said Bell during an introductory interview with seasonal writing associate Sydney Ciano of BuffaloBills.com. “My mom got me into it when I was 5 and I never looked back."

Bell’s hockey background

Considering he played hockey for 10 years, including with the NYC Cyclones travel team, Bell should fit right in with the Buffalo market. It’s uniquely one of the few markets that only has two major professional sports teams.

It’s also unique in the fact that the Bills and Sabres have the same owner. So, there’s a connectivity between the two franchises, even if they are playing in different leagues.

And Bell seems more than ready to keep that connection going as a former hockey player at the Taft School in Connecticut.

“I stopped playing when I was probably 15 [or] 16, but hockey is really my first love,” said Bell. “I still watch the NHL. I'm tapped into the playoffs right now."

Skyler Bell
Nov 1, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies wide receiver Skyler Bell makes a touchdown catch against UAB Blazers cornerback Tariq Watson (24) | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Bills players love the Sabres

Now that the Sabres are back in the playoffs after a 15-year drought, Bills players have been showing lots of love to the team.

Whether it was offensive linemen riding on the Zamboni during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, D.J. Moore joining the “Sabrehood” to close out the regular season, or Josh Allen gushing about the team and banging the drum before Game 2, the Bills have been present during the Sabres’ quest for the Stanley Cup.

So, Bell should have plenty of teammates to join him as he continues to stay tapped into the NHL, and he adjusts to his new life in Buffalo.

Skylar Bell Stats

Bell played at UConn in 2024 and 2025, after transferring from Wisconsin.

In 2024 he started all 13 games and led the Huskies with 860 receiving yards on 50 receptions (an average of 17.2 per catch) with 5 receiving TDs.

2025 was Bell's national breakout year. Bell ranked second nationally in the FBS with 1,278 receiving yards and fourth nationally in receptions, with a school-record 101 catches. He also was tied for third in the FBS with a school-record 13 receiving TDs in 13 games.

Bell was voted First-team Associated Press All-American and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award awarded to the nation's top WR.

Skyler Bell
Aug 30, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Huskies wide receiver Skyler Bell (1) scores a touchdown against the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils | David Butler II-Imagn Images
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Khari Demos
KHARI DEMOS

Khari Demos is an award-winning sports media creator and is a contributor for Bills On SI. He has written sports betting article covering the NFL for The Athletic and has written pieces about the NBA, MLB, college football and basketball, and more, throughout his career.