Keon Coleman’s situation is getting messy. He has been benched again when the Bills face the Houston Texans, making it the second straight game on the sidelines. Soon after the report surfaced, Andre Reed jumped onto X and shared a note for Coleman.

“Please know I believe @keoncoleman6‘s time is coming…. Took me till year 3. I know the WR position better then most on the planet 🌎;)”

Reed’s words carried the weight of someone who lived the grind and understood the long path a receiver sometimes has to walk. After all, he has spent a 16-year NFL career, mostly with the Bills, catching 13,095 yards and 86 touchdowns during his tenure as a Bill from 1985-99. Hence, he has an affinity for WR Keon Coleman, and interestingly, his support has never wavered.

Earlier this month, the former NFLer, who was inducted into the 2014 Hall of Fame, posted an Instagram reel that showed him standing with Coleman during pregame warmups. The clip, made with Buffalo FAMBase, captured Reed embracing Coleman and offensive lineman Dion Dawkins before the Bills’ Week 10 showdown with the Miami Dolphins.

“SIP. Stay in process. My nephews @keoncoleman3 @jerzystar … learn. edit. Move. short-term memory. comeback. Everyone will have an opinion. But your numbers won’t lie. #lockin #billsmafia #studentsofthegame.”

The meaning was clear. Focus. Learn. Move forward. Coleman needs that mindset now more than ever.

Meanwhile, the Bills rolled into the matchup with a different group of pass catchers. Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore, Tyrell Shavers, Khalil Shakir, and Gabe Davis suited up as the active wideouts. That is tough news since Buffalo is dealing with a packed-injury sheet this week. Coleman’s absence hits at a bad time.

Coleman has been showing up late to meetings, and Sean McDermott wasn’t letting that slide. He benched him in Week 11, and seeing him sit again the next week shocked everyone. Even so, the team still expects him back in the offense soon, and it’s pretty clear the coach wanted to send a message to the young wideout.

Through nine games, he’s made 32 catches for 330 yards and three touchdowns, which the Bills thought they were getting far below what the Bills thought they were getting. People expected Coleman to take a big jump this season and become one of Josh Allen’s main targets. Now the Bills just need him to lock in, grow up a little, and start showing the player they believe he can be.

Bills WR Tyrell Shavers opens up about Keon Coleman’s benching

After Keon Coleman showed up late to a team meeting, the Bills decided to sit him out on Sunday. The timing stung because the offense lit up the Buccaneers without him. However, Tyrell Shavers refused to stay silent and spoke openly about Coleman’s situation on the Up and Adams Show.

“He is not perfect. He is human at the end of the day. We are all human. Everybody makes mistakes. He is learning from them, and he is young at this. Going back to Marshawn Kneeland, RIP to him, mental health is real. Everybody is bashing [Coleman], talking about him. I am not saying he is in a bad spot or anything, but let’s also remember that he is human at the same time. He will learn from these mistakes. He will bounce back.”

However, in Coleman’s absence, Shavers stepped up when he was called. He took on a bigger load and delivered, leading the team in catches and yards. It was his strongest showing yet. But Coleman’s early-season work still matters because he had run a team-high 226 routes before the benching and stayed near the top in receptions and receiving yards.

Then there is Dion Dawkins, who added his perspective. He stressed patience and accountability in the locker room.

“Nobody’s perfect, but in this league, we need guys to come on.”

The group expects Coleman to tighten things up, but they are not turning their backs on him.