Latest news with #Bills'
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bills' Dion Dawkins honored to have impact on Protector of the Year Award
Bills' Dion Dawkins honored to have impact on Protector of the Year Award It was announced that the NFL will be introducing a new player award for the upcoming season, the Protector of the Year award, which will be given to the league's best offensive lineman at the NFL Honors following the season. The big guys up front are finally getting some recognition. For Buffalo Bills guard Dion Dawkins (2017-present), this award coming to fruition means a lot, and he was a big reason why it came about. He spent the last few years spreading awareness of the importance of his position, expressing that the o-line is the backbone of every team. "This Protector of the Year award is finally giving the big boys up front the respect we deserve,' Dawkins said. 'I've been knocking on doors and spearheading this movement because offensive linemen are the true foundation of every team's success. We might not have all the fancy stats as the skinnies or end up on a highlight reel every week, but without us, there's no rushing titles, passing titles, or touchdowns. This award is for all the unsung heroes who put in work every snap. I won't stop fighting to give offensive linemen the respect and recognition we deserve.' For the NFL, it's about time they show the big guys love. Right now, there are probably a lot of retired greats who played offensive line that are upset they never got a chance to take home this award. But, they have to be happy about the introduction of the award, and it's better late than never. The league definitely got it right, and Dawkins deserves a lot of the credit. "We've been talking about this for the last three years," Dawkins said to the media during Bills OTAs. "Me having meetings with Roger [Goodell] and Troy [Vincent] and some of these other guys... that's what did it. I'm honored that no matter what, that's a part of my legacy... and that's what I wanted. "I'm honored to change football... we changed football," he continued. "There will be an award for offensive linemen now. Now all the kids... they don't have to be fast... they'll be happy with something to push after and achieve." Dawkins has been extremely vocal regarding him and his fellow offensive linemen getting the love they deserve. Now, after years of knocking down doors and spreading awareness, Dawkins was the major force behind getting this award into the NFL. As for the award itself, it will be based on five categories of performance from offensive linemen: skill metrics; impact; leadership; durability; strength of opponent. The panel who will select the recipient of the award features six former NFL offensive linemen: LeCharles Bentley; Jason Kelce; Shaun O'Hara; Orlando Pace; Will Shields; Andrew Whitworth. Watch below to get Dawkins' full thoughts regarding the Protector of the Year award from this week's Bills OTAs:
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Josh Allen raises eyebrows as he chooses football over Hailee Steinfeld just days before walking down the aisle
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is demonstrating his commitment to the team by participating in voluntary offseason workouts, even with his wedding to slated for this weekend. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This commitment underscores his deep dedication to the squad, a trait highly commended by Head Coach Sean McDermott. Josh Allen prioritizes offseason work ahead of wedding As the Buffalo Bills begin their highly anticipated journey toward a title, star quarterback Josh Allen is notably present at the team's voluntary offseason workouts. This introduction delves into how Allen's unwavering commitment to the team is taking center stage, even with a significant personal milestone approaching. Allen has previously modified his offseason attendance, notably taking a few days off in 2022 to compete in "The Match" golf event. Yet, his continuous presence at the commencement of these team workouts, even with his upcoming nuptials, firmly establishes his position as a core leader and serves as a powerful model for the whole squad. Allen's participation in these early team sessions is exceptionally significant, given that his wedding to Hailee Steinfeld is slated for the coming weekend. His choice to place team duties first, despite a major personal milestone being so close, powerfully underscores his profound commitment to the Bills' aspirations. Sean McDermott, the Bills' top coach, consistently voices his high esteem for Josh Allen, praising both his remarkable athletic prowess and his upright personal conduct. Allen is arguably the most adored figure connected to the Bills, enjoying immense favor with the coaching staff, his fellow players, and the devoted supporters across Western New York. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now McDermott recently reinforced his profound admiration for Allen's guidance abilities. "I think it says everything," McDermott conveyed to reporters. "He is the face of our is the leader of our team. When he's here, like anything else as a leader, it speaks and it holds a tremendous amount of weight. Like any leader, and in particular the leader of the team, those words that he says and his actions are exponentially impactful to the whole roster, the whole team. ' This highlights the quarterback's profound influence on the entire squad. Haa Allen did not engage with journalists. When questioned about the upcoming marriage, McDermott artfully sidestepped the private topic, stating, "I'm not going to get into any of that. Good try." He did, however, offer a remark on Allen's disposition, adding, "But he is as confident and calm, cool and collected as he always is.' This suggests Allen remains unflustered amidst personal milestones. Also Read: Without a doubt, the focus this weekend will shift to Josh Allen's marriage to Hailee Steinfeld. Considerable curiosity abounds regarding the guest list for this prominent celebration involving one of the NFL's top stars. It will be interesting to see who joins the festivities.
NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Sean McDermott on Hard Knocks: Cameras and microphones in our meetings will be a challenge
The Bills' training camp will be featured on this summer's Hard Knocks, and head coach Sean McDermott says that will provide his team with some additional challenges. McDermott said a big part of training camp is building relationships among teammates and coaches, and that the kinds of honest conversations necessary to building strong relationships aren't as easy when everything is going to be recorded and potentially broadcast to the world. 'The real challenge to us is the authenticity of who we are, and building that critical trust that is so important to building a good, healthy relationship among players, among staff,' McDermott said. 'That trust piece is huge in terms of bringing the team together. That glue part is going to be challenged because of that third component, whether it's a microphone, a camera in different rooms, in different conversations. But we are who we are and that authenticity piece must stay intact.' McDermott acknowledged that Hard Knocks is a good thing for Bills fans, even as he said that no show can give a complete look at what any team's training camp is really like. 'The opportunity is there for us to, No. 1, our fans, they can get an inside look, a little bit, at what happens. Is it 100 percent inside? Maybe not,' McDermott said. In past years, the Bills would have been able to turn down Hard Knocks because they made the playoffs. But this year the NFL removed the rule that allowed playoff teams to refuse to appear on the show, and now McDermott's team will have cameras and microphones in its meeting rooms. Whether he likes it or not.
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN: Bills' Taylor Rapp the most underrated safety in the NFL
ESPN: Bills' Taylor Rapp the most underrated safety in the NFL Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp has largely flown under the radar in his six years in the NFL. He's shown quality play on good teams (won Super Bowl with LA Rams) but has never been viewed as one of the better players at his position. ESPN's Aaron Schatz went through the entire NFL, identifying a single player whom he believes is the most underrated at each position, and he deemed Rapp to be the league's most underrated safety. Here is what Schatz had to say: We're going back to the Bills' defensive backfield here -- but in a different way. As I noted earlier, there are different ways to be an underrated NFL player. Benford, for instance, is considered good but is actually one of the best in the league at his position. Rapp, meanwhile, is considered a hole on the Buffalo roster -- but he's actually reasonably productive. Although many have described the Bills' safeties as underwhelming, they were an important part of a defense that finished 11th in DVOA last season. They ranked seventh in defensive DVOA on deep passes (16 or more air yards), and Rapp was most frequently in the role of deep safety. Like Schatz said, Rapp hasn't gotten the respect that he deserves around the league. Still, he is a key cog in the Bills secondary and acts as a coach on the field for that group. He knows the ins and outs of the Bills scheme which allows him to fly around the field and play freely. He has 66 starts over his six years in the NFL and has 12 interceptions and 462 tackles. Rapp has come through and made big plays lurking in the Bills secondary, most notably a game-sealing interception on the Miami Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa in Week 18 of 2023 to capture the division title, and he also intercepted Lamar Jackson in last year's divisional round win vs. the Baltimore Ravens. Rapp has held down a safety spot in Buffalo since the departures of All-Pros Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. There has been uncertainty at the other safety position, but Rapp has been a stalwart on the back end for the Bills the last two seasons. He is under contract through 2026 and will most likely continue to be a solid piece in the defense of head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich.
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL unveiling new end-of-season award for offensive linemen
NFL unveiling new end-of-season award for offensive linemen The NFL will unveil a new end-of-year award for the 2025 season: the Protector of the Year. The NFL will unveil a new end-of-year award for the 2025 season: the Protector of the Year. NFL executive Troy Vincent says that this award will recognize the best offensive lineman each year. Vincent also gave credit to Bills' offensive lineman Dion Dawkins and Andrew Whitworth for pushing the idea. According to Brooke Pryor, the winner will be decided by a panel that features a number of former offensive linemen greats. The major awards that are handed out currently at the NFL Honors include MVP, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, along with Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year. However, none of those awards are ever going to be ones that offensive linemen would win. Although frequently overlooked, strong offensive line play is where consistent success for any offense begins. Providing a strong running game to lean on keeps the offense out of predictable passing situations, while time in the pocket for a quarterback is a must. As it pertains to the Colts, while we have to see how the 2025 season plays out when it comes to the Protector of the Year award, Quenton Nelson has steadily been one of the better guards in the NFL for several years, while Bernhard Raimann is emerging as one of the better tackles.
