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They say nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills, and wide receiver Keon Coleman found himself under the wagon after owner Terry Pegula’s press conference Wednesday.
Pegula and general manager Brandon Beane were asked about Coleman after a lackluster sophomore season, and Pegula blamed the fired coaching staff for selecting the wide receiver in the NFL Draft two seasons ago.
“I’ll address the Keon situation,” Pegula said during the press conference after a question about Coleman was directed at Beane.
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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) watches from the sidelines during an NFL divisional playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on January 17, 2026. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon. I’m not saying Brandon wouldn’t have drafted him, but (Coleman) wasn’t his next choice. It was Brandon being a team player and taking advice from his coaching staff who felt strongly about the player.”
“For some reason he’s taken heat for it and not said a word about it. But I’m here to tell you the true story.”
Coleman, who was essentially labeled a draft bust by his owner, did not understand the comments but quickly shook them off, according to The Athletic. The 22-year-old was surprised but then went to train and prepare for next season, according to the report.
BILLS WIDE RECEIVER INSISTS HE CAUGHT BALL WHICH REF CONTROVERSIALLY RULED A SHUTDOWN IN PLAYOFF LOSS
New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III (7) is called for a pass interference penalty while breaking a catch intended for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) during the second half at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 14, 2025. (Brian Fluharty/Imagn Images)
While Pegula tried to exonerate Beane for the Coleman pick, the general manager insisted he ultimately made the pick.
“He was my choice. I chose,” Beane said during the press conference. “Terry’s point was that we might have had a different order of personnel in terms of coaching, and I went that way. But at the end of the day, I don’t give a pick to a player that I don’t think we can be successful with. So don’t get me wrong. Keon Coleman is a young player who’s been here for two years and has two years left on his deal, and it’s up to us to work with him.”
Entering the season, the Bills relied on Coleman to emerge as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver after not making any significant additions to the wide receiver room in the offseason.
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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) runs onto the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 26, 2025. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
As a rookie in 2024, Coleman flashed star potential at times, catching 29 passes for 556 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games. Coleman appeared to have made the jump in 2025 when he caught eight passes for 112 yards and a touchdown in Week 1.
However, that performance ended up being an anomaly for Coleman. He never had more than 50 yards in a game the rest of the season, including the playoffs, and was a healthy scratch in four games.
