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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Keon Coleman does not shelter himself from criticism.
The negative comments that were once aimed at the Buffalo Bills third year wide receiver over the past year ranged from comments on videos of Coleman dancing on the field to the receiver’s perceived, by some, lack of effort to his skill level and speed.
But it doesn't bother him.
"None of them gonna come lace them up and try to stand in front of me," Coleman said this spring. "People are gonna say what they want to say. At the end of the day, my job is to come out here, put my cleats on, strap them up and prove my worth here."
Coleman's first two seasons in the NFL have not gone smoothly. Tardiness and a right wrist injury impacted a rollercoaster rookie season after the Bills drafted him with the No. 33 pick in 2024.
This past season, Coleman, 23, made a splash in the Week 1 win against the Baltimore Ravens (eight catches, 112 yards and one touchdown) but didn’t again eclipse 50 yards in a game. He was late for a team meeting in November, resulting in discipline as a healthy scratch for a game, which, combined with his place on the depth chart, had a trickle-down effect of the receiver being a healthy scratch for three more games.
Then,Bills team owner Terry Pegula said in January that drafting Coleman was something the coaching staff pushed for, which in turn, played a part in trade speculation running rampant this offseason. The Bills, however, have committed to Coleman.
In an effort to put together a better 2026 campaign, Coleman has put together an "outstanding offseason," per Bills coach Joe Brady. But the true test will be whether Coleman puts it all together for his self-described "make or break" season ahead under his new coach.
"[Coleman's] in a really good place and that's nothing different than he's had in the past," Brady said during Buffalo's mandatory minicamp in June. "…You feel him coming off the football, you feel the stride, you feel his size … It's the consistency and the routine and everything he's doing, but handling everything like a pro … And a guy like Keon, he's positioned himself in a great place and just gotta continue to build on that."
Coleman's preparation for the 2026 season has come in a variety of forms, including gaining a mentor in former Bills receiver Stevie Johnson, who went through his own ups and downs in his NFL career. Johnson certainly understands the pressures of being a wide receiver in the NFL. After being drafted by the Bills in 2008, Johnson played with the team through 2013, amassing three 1,000-yard seasons.
Both players have experienced the impact of the public eye and the influence of social media. Johnson, a significantly more active poster, once posted after a drop in 2010 that unknowingly ledto the birth of “Bills Mafia.”
The former player has spoken publicly in support of Coleman in the past, including posting tips on social media and inviting Coleman to get together to work out. Johnson decided to be more proactive in connecting with the young receiver this offseason, and they began talking and texting after Johnson connected with Coleman's agent, Paul DeRousselle.
The pair met up at the University of San Diego before organized team activities began in May.
Johnson says his first impression of Coleman surprised him.
"I thought he was gonna be immature. I thought he was going to be, not a student of the game, just a very talented player with God-given skills," Johnson told ESPN. "… But just right off the bat, … he was locked in, wanting to learn things, open to the constructive criticism. He was asking questions."
On the physical side, Johnson gave Coleman perspective on what opposing players see when they line up against the 6-foot-3, 213-pound receiver. Johnson also emphasizedColeman using his natural abilities, including being imposing with his size when running routes.
"Similar build players, similar backgrounds when it come[s] to sports we play, how we move, how we see the game," Coleman said of Johnson. "So, it's like two knuckleheads going at it. A lot of IQ guys that love the game and we could talk ball for hours."
Johnson emphasized to Coleman how to make the quarterback want to throw you the ball. If a route calls for Coleman to go a certain distance, sometimes quarterback Josh Allen will be ready to throw the ball a bit earlier. An example Johnson used is that if Coleman is supposed to be running a 15-yard hitch route, but the defensive back is already 8-10 yards off the ball and starts going backwards, break the route earlier than scheduled.
"But this is the game within the game that you have to play," Johnson said. "So, it's a thin line between how I was teaching him and it allows me to have to go more in depth."
The pair have discussed the mental side of the game as well. Johnson noted that Coleman should focus on being available 100% of the time so that he is ready when he is called upon to catch passes In a similar way, Brady's biggest emphasis to Coleman is maintaining a professional mentality, on and off the field.The receiver had 38 catches for 404 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games in 2025.
"His average should be at least 60 yards [a game]," Johnson said. "… I believe he should go beyond that, but I'm going to say, but if he can get 600-800 yards [for the season], the next year after that is only going to be better. … The sky's the limit for him."
The Bills hope so, too. Beane said in April on local radio station WGR550 that he feels Coleman’s “best year is yet to come here in 2026.”
He now is in a receiver room that includes the team's biggest offseason acquisition in DJ Moore and fourth-round draft pick Skyler Moore. Coleman has a spot on the roster as it currently stands, but how the playing time is broken up amongst some of the players with Brady now as head coach will be interesting. Joshua Palmer and Tyrell Shavers are both coming back from injuries, and while Coleman could be seen as a starter right now, not contributing on special teams could impact when he is active.
Coleman said that instead of feeling like he's competing for a spot on the 53-man roster and playing time, he understands that his " job is solely up to me." Teammates have also noted the work that he has done this offseason.
"Just getting better, just trending in the right direction," Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston said. “That’s my guy. He goes through a lot of stuff he don’t deserve. Just to see him continue to come out here and practice hard and do his thing, it’s good to see, for real. I can’t wait to see him take off this year.”
For Coleman, he's looking forward to training camp that begins on July 29 in Pittsford, N.Y. and will continue working with his trainer to "stay on top of my body, getting my work in and getting ready for the season."
The comments will continue in the background, but as the season gets closer, the focus for Coleman is on taking advantage of the opportunity in front of him.
"It's time to put it all together," Coleman said. "[Outside comments] I don't really care to hear them. It's time for me to just put it out there on the field."
