Bills Central

Bills QB Josh Allen says WR Keon Coleman is ‘made for a city like Buffalo’

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen feels as though rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman will be a natural fit in Western New York.

Kyle Silagyi

Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
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In a league in which the vast majority of coverage is hyperfocused on teams headquartered in sprawling metropolises with immense profit potential, Buffalo sits out as a relic of the past, a unique market that would likely be left out if one were building a professional football league from the ground up today.

Buffalo is currently the 54th largest market in the United States, making it the NFL’s second-smallest (ahead of only Green Bay). It’s not a concrete jungle filled with towering skyscrapers and millions of inhabitants; it’s instead a small town wearing a moderately-sized city’s clothing, a homely area that, when compared to most other NFL markets, seems miniscule.

The city and region are admittedly not everyone’s cup of tea, but people who get it, get it. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is among those who understand Western New York; a native of a California town of roughly 8,200 and alumnus of the University of Wyoming, Allen actually wanted to be selected by the Bills in the 2018 NFL Draft, as he wanted to enter a small-town setting that would allow him to be comfortable and focus on football. The marriage ultimately worked, as Allen developed into one of the league’s premier players in a Bills uniform.

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Allen sees similarities between himself and rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman with regard to his ‘fit’ in Buffalo. During his Tuesday media availability, the quarterback spoke about his new teammate, telling reporters that Coleman was “made” for an area like Western New York.

“I think, talking with him and knowing where he’s from and where he’s been, I think he’s made for a city like Buffalo,” Allen said. “I think that, again, he’s played in a lot of big-time games in college, and he’s answered the bell there. I’ve got no worries about his mindset or his ability to help this team win football games.”

Keon Coleman
Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Coleman, like Allen, is from a relatively small town; he grew up in Opelousas, a city of roughly 15,000 located in Louisiana’s ‘Cajun Country.’ Both Allen and Coleman himself have spoken about the recent second-round draft pick’s down-to-earth demeanor and love of the game of football, and Allen feels as though placing the receiver in both a city like Buffalo and an organization like that of the Bills will allow the wideout to achieve his potential.

Allen and Coleman, though they’ve only shared the field for a few snaps of preseason action, have already built a burgeoning rapport, oft-connecting for highlight-reel grabs throughout training camp. It’s a connection Buffalo fans hope to see put on display quite often this fall, as Coleman figures to play a significant role in a Bills receiving corps that parted ways with Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis in the offseason. Allen feels as though Coleman is ‘made’ for Buffalo, and he’ll have his first opportunity to play in front of his new city in regular season action when the Bills host the Arizona Cardinals in a Week 1 clash on September 8.

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Kyle Silagyi
KYLE SILAGYI

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