Bills WR Keon Coleman concentrated on football: ‘Was I the one focused on the jacket?’

Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman spoke about his hyper-focus on the game of football during his Tuesday media availability.

Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

There’s generally a bit of fanfare associated with premium draft picks, and Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman amplified his after the team selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He made a humorous (and lasting) first impression on the Buffalo faithful during his introductory press conference, joking about chocolate chip cookies and a puffy yellow jacket he bought on sale at Macy’s as he won Western New Yorkers over with his authenticity.

Much has been made about Coleman’s personality since his April press conference, and while most conversations have been had in good faith, some have misconstrued the discourse and deduced that the rookie has been more so focused on making a name for himself than he has been on being an NFL wide receiver.

This couldn’t be further from the truth, with the 21-year-old saying as much during his Tuesday media availability. The pass-catcher was asked if he’s tried to shift focus off his personality and more to football itself throughout the summer, to which Coleman responded with a blunt question.

“When have things not been Keon Coleman, the football player?”

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

Coleman elaborated, stating that, while it’s been nice to see people embrace his personality, he’s been focused on football the entire time.

“I don’t really like talking about a jacket, either,” Coleman said. “It’s football season. My mindset has been football ever since my first press conference. Yeah, you got to see the personality, but was I the one focused on the jacket? Not at all. I was focused on learning the playbook and being able to play at the speed of the game.”

Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Coleman’s comments about himself echo what his teammates and coaches have said about him in recent months, with many praising his focus and love for the game throughout the summer. He’s put his focus and understanding of the offense on display throughout training camp, oft-connecting with quarterback Josh Allen to create highlight-reel plays.

He hasn’t necessarily produced at an elite level in his debut preseason (catching two passes on six targets), but this isn’t necessarily of significant concern; we know what type of player he is (he caught 50 passes for 658 yards and an impressive 11 touchdowns at Florida State last season), and he’s won Buffalo’s brass over with his work ethic and attention to detail. He’ll have his next opportunity to put his summer’s worth of work on display in front of the Buffalo faithful when the Bills host the Arizona Cardinals in their regular season opener on September 8.

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