AFC East Rival Rips Jets' Defense: 'Weirdos ... I Hate Them!'
If the last two seasons were any indication, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets simply don't like each other.
As AFC East rivals, the two sides have fought through some grueling matchups in previous seasons. Whether it was Xavier Gipson's walk-off punt-return touchdown to open the 2023 season, or Buffalo quickly altering their offensive philosophy to blow through an offensive-helpless Jets squad just two months later, the two teams have had plenty of impressive moments.
As with any rivalry, the players on each roster have personal rivalries that transcend the field of play.
For Bills tackle Dion Dawkins, it isn't just one player that he faces that pisses him off, it's the entire Jets defense.
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"Weirdos being weird," Dawkins said on VladTV. "I'm going to keep it a buck, I hate them ... all of them."
Dawkins has reached the Pro Bowl three times since being drafted in 2017 out of Temple. A native of Rahway, New Jersey, Dawkins is no stranger to the Jets fanbase or their overall history. New York has missed the playoffs for the last 13 seasons and hasn't put forth a winning season in eight straight seasons.
To the Bills' tackle, their recent stretch of poor play stems from the organization's poor mindset.
"When it comes to sports, there are people that play the sport because they love the sport. And then there are people who play the sport to try and be cool," Dawkins explained. "I feel they try to be cool. Those are just a bunch of dudes who want to take pictures on Instagram. That's wack."
The 29-year-old highlighted Jets defensive lineman Michael Clemons as a player he dislikes in particular. Following Buffalo's 32-6 win on November 20th, Clemons and Dawkins appeared to get into an altercation in the postgame tunnel. Dawkins later called the Jets "disrespectful."
New York finished 7-10 last season after losing four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers to a torn Achilles in the season opener against Buffalo. The Bills on the other hand ended up winning the division at 11-6 despite changing offensive coordinators. Buffalo ended up defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round, 27-24.
Both teams hope to change the status quo at the other's expense next season. New York wants to end their playoff drought while Buffalo is looking to end a championship drought that has spanned their entire existence.
Logically, it makes sense that neither side likes the other. Of course, some on either side respect the other, but for the most part, there's just natural hatred to make sure the other team struggles each game.
The same can be said for even a player like Dawkins.
"Quinnen Williams ... solid. He's valid. I like him," Dawkins stated." The rest of them? Don't care, don't like them."
Not surprisingly, Dawkins' comments aren't sitting well with some members of the Jets. Two-time All-Pro Sauce Gardner cited the hypocrisy of Dawkins' comments, and especially his love for the game.
"He gon’ say we be trynna be cool, but went on Vlad and don’t have a shirt on," the star cornerback replied on Twitter.
This kind of feud won't be fixed in the offseason. That much is clear. The only thing that can be done is to circle the Jets-Bills contest on the calendar when the schedule gets announced in a few months.
