Keon Coleman was a healthy scratch on Sunday as the Bills beat the Buccaneers, 44-32. Coleman was late for a team meeting and benched by coach Sean McDermott ahead of the game against Tampa Bay.
After the game, lineman Dion Dawkins told the media that he had a frank discussion about the situation with his young teammate.
"I've already spoke to him," said Dawkins. "When I spoke to Keon before this game and I told him, I said ‘Bro look. Don't even worry about it. Everybody goes through a different journey, right? Let's just say that this is the last time and let's just move forward.’ And he said I'm with you. That's all that we need. Nobody's perfect, but in this league we need guys to come on. And Keon knows. Now he's in the hot seat and he needs to come on and show up for us. Pats on the back are over with and it’s time for him to grow up and he knows it."
Dion Dawkins in the postgame locker room on Keon Coleman being a healthy scratch due to being late for a #Bills team meeting:
— Jonathan Acosta (@JAcostaTV) November 16, 2025
"Pats on the back are over with and it's time for him to grow up and he knows it."#BillsMafia @WGRZ pic.twitter.com/majGVRUAt8
Dawkins also discussed accountability and expressed his continued support of Coleman.
"As an older player on the team we hold everybody accountable and we shoot straight," Dawkins continued. "We don't sugarcoat it. The words were said to him and he took it well. We'll see how it goes this week, but like I said in the beginning of the season, I'm in Keon's corner. This league is hard. Being on time is hard. Being great is hard. Pushing for greatness is hard."
Coleman came into the week with the second most targets and catches on the team, third most receiving yards and had scored three touchdowns. Without Coleman in the lineup, Tyrell Shavers had career-highs of four catches for 90 yards and scored his first touchdown.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bills Teammate Delivered Strong Message to Keon Coleman After Healthy Scratch.
