Bills WR Keon Coleman reflects on first experience in front of Highmark Stadium crowd

Buffalo Bills rookie wideout Keon Coleman took the Highmark Stadium turf in front of fans for the first time Friday evening.

Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman pulls in a pass close to the sideline during route drills. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman sparked a chuckle from the Buffalo faithful shortly after the team selected him with the 33rd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft when he joked that he caught three imaginary touchdowns on his first trip into Highmark Stadium.

He had his first opportunity to catch tangible touchdown passes in the venue when the Bills hosted their annual Return of the Blue & Red scrimmage inside the stadium on Friday night, a heavily anticipated yearly event that this summer attracted over 36,000 fans to Orchard Park. Though Coleman has played in front of Buffalo fans throughout the team’s 2024 training camp at Rochester’s St. John Fisher University, the practice served as his first chance to showcase his skills to Bills Mafia in the team’s home venue.

Keon Coleman’s first time walking out of the tunnel in a Bills uniform. pic.twitter.com/BR5WAEuGga

— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) August 2, 2024

The energized fanbase made an impact on the rookie, leaving him excited for when the team plays… a facsimile of actual football when Buffalo kicks off its preseason slate against the Chicago Bears next week.

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“It’s great,” Coleman said. “I’m happy they showed up, we gave them a little show. Next week is going to be even better.”

Keon Coleman says his first experience in front of a large crowd at Highmark Stadium “felt great”: “Next week will be even better.” #Bills #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/P6jTTvYsHC

— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 2, 2024

Though Friday’s practice served as Coleman’s first time playing in front of the Buffalo faithful proper, he’s already forged quite a connection with them. The fanbase took a quick liking to the rookie after his introductory press conference in which he shared smart shopping tips and his adoration of cookies, winning Bills Mafia over with his wholly unique personality and authenticity. Buffalo fans showed their love in a bevy of ways, from sending him cookies to painting him on downtown murals; one young fan even sent Coleman friendship bracelets, which he still regularly wears.

Coleman was excited to see the people that he’s won over throughout the past several months in person on Friday.

“I loved that they were actually here and got to enjoy the show,” Coleman said.

The energy and fervor displayed by the Highmark Stadium crowd on Friday is only a fraction of what fans will display come the regular season, and the Bills organization is counting on Coleman to deliver in front of them as a rookie. He figures to play an immediate role in a receiving corps that lost Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis in the offseason; given the stellar catches he’s routinely come down with throughout camp, it looks as though he’s more than capable of meeting expectations.

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