Bills' Sean McDermott provides hope for LB Matt Milano's availability vs. Dolphins

The Bills head coach would not close the door on Milano's return this week before Tuesday's practice

Bills linebacker Matt Milano celebrates one of four sacks of Miami s Skylar Thompson. | JAMIE GERMANO / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buffalo Bills' head coach Sean McDermott provided a bit of hope regarding injured linebacker Matt Milano's status while speaking to reporters before Tuesday’s practice in Orchard Park.

Milano sustained an injury to his pectoral during this past Sunday’s 30-10 win over the New York Jets, exiting the game after halftime. The former All-Pro LB went on to miss the first day of practice leading into a Week 3 matchup with the Miami Dolphins, and again, McDermott said that Milano would be held out of Tuesday’s session as well.

With that said, the Bills head coach opened the door for the 31-year-old veteran’s return to practice before the team hits the field Thursday night against Miami.

Bills linebacker Matt Milano finds some shade at the end of practice at St. John Fisher University Monday, July 28, 2025 in Pittsford, NY. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Don’t have much,” said McDermott via the Bills' live stream. “Hopefully, we can get him back as we head into tomorrow here.”

McDermott was then asked if that meant there was a chance that Milano could indeed make his way back to practice before the Dolphins game.

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“Potentially, yeah,” replied McDermott.

At the same time, the Bills' head coach would not go as far as to rule out a potentially long-term injury for Milano, which sent some mixed signals.

Jun 11, 2025; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

This is not the first time Milano has dealt with a pectoral injury, as he missed time with an injury of a similar nature during the 2020 season. He initially missed two games due to his ailment that season before later being placed on injured reserve, missing an additional three games. A couple of other Bills players have also dealt with pec injuries in recent years, with linebacker Terrel Bernard missing two games due to a pec strain in 2024 and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones suffering a torn pec in 2023, missing 10 games.

The range of outcomes for an injury such as the one Milano sustained this past Sunday is wide. It would be a surprise if we see him on a short turnaround this week against Miami. Still, McDermott’s comments on Tuesday make it appear as if the team’s starting linebacker has avoided a season-ending injury or anything close to it.

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If Milano indeed cannot play against the Dolphins, it will be last year’s leading tackler, Dorian Williams, getting the call as the team’s starter. Williams started 11 games in 2024, finishing with a team-high 117 tackles. Milano has recorded nine tackles and a sack through two games this season.

Along with Milano, defensive tackle Ed Oliver (ankle) did not practice on Tuesday, while linebacker nickel cornerback Taron Johnson (quad), Shaq Thompson (hamstring), and defensive back Cam Lewis (shoulder), were all limited, per McDermott. The Bills will practice one more time, on Wednesday, before the team suits up against Miami on Thursday night.

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