Bills' head coach provides concerning update on DT DaQuan Jones after Week 6 loss

The Bills head coach provided more detail on an injury sustained by a Buffalo starting defensive player during pregame warm-ups.

Bills defensive lineman DaQuan Jones hitting a blocking dummy during training camp. | Jamie Germano / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sean McDermott shared a troubling injury update on one of the Buffalo Bills’ starting defensive tackles following Monday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

DaQuan Jones missed the primetime matchup in Atlanta due to a calf injury he sustained during pregame warmups. And the early prognosis does not sound promising.

RELATED: 4 takeaways from Bills' lackluster performance in embarrassing loss to Falcons

Sep 18, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks to pass against Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Daquan Jones (92) in the first half at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

“Yeah, he popped his calf in pregame warmups,” said the Bills head coach from the postgame podium.

McDermott was then asked about the extent of the injury, to which he replied, “I don’t know, I have not caught up with [Head Athletic Trainer Nate Breske].”

He added, “All I heard, Nate approached me and we were going through team warmup there, at that point, and said that DQ was out because he popped his calf.”

A pop of the calf certainly does not sound like a short-term injury, and if Jones is indeed out for an extended time, it would be the latest blow to a Buffalo defense that has been plagued by injuries throughout the season.

Bills Daquan Jones, a defensive tackle who is on a veteran resting day, watches the defensive drills at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, NY on Aug. 5, 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

MORE: Inside the Bills' historically bad first-half performance in Week 6 vs. Falcons

The Bills just got starting DT Ed Oliver back in the lineup following a four-week absence, while rookie DT T.J. Sanders sits on Injured Reserve and needs surgery to repair an injured knee. Former third-round DT DeWayne Carter is also on IR due to an Achilles tendon injury that has forced him out for the season.

Jones had been one of the team’s top-performing players up front defensively through the first five weeks of the season, recording eight tackles, two of which came for a loss, along with two quarterback hits and two sacks.

Buffalo is set to see the return of DT Larry Ogunjobi and edge rusher Michael Hoecht from suspension out of their Week 7 bye, which should give the Bills’ defensive trench unit a boost against the Carolina Panthers in Week 8. Still, Jones potentially facing an extended absence is worrisome for a group that has struggled mightily to begin the year.

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

More Buffalo Bills News:

• Bills missing leading receiver vs. Falcons' pass defense on Monday Night Football

• NHL Commissioner hints at Winter Classic returning to Bills' stadium in near future

• Josh Allen praises Buffalo Bills' rookie for hard-nosed mentality, gameday impact

• Bills bolster CB position with signing of another familiar face