Keon Coleman: In a stunning post-season press conference on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula took the unprecedented step of publicly shifting the blame for the selection of wide receiver Keon Coleman away from General Manager Brandon Beane and onto the recently fired coaching staff.
The move comes at a time of high tension in Buffalo, following the dismissal of longtime head coach Sean McDermott and the surprising promotion of Beane to President of Football Operations—a decision that has ignited a firestorm of backlash from the fan base.
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The “True Story” Behind the Keon Coleman Pick
During the press conference, while Brandon Beane was fielding questions about his perceived failure to surround quarterback Josh Allen with elite receiving talent, Pegula interrupted to “set the record straight.”
Pegula claimed that Coleman, a 2024 second-round pick who has struggled with inconsistency and disciplinary issues over his first two seasons, was not Beane’s top choice.
“The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon,” Pegula stated. “I’m not saying Brandon wouldn’t have drafted him, but he wasn’t his next choice. That was Brandon being a team player and taking the advice of his coaching staff who felt strongly about the player.”
Pegula emphasized that Beane had “taken heat” for the pick for nearly two years without defending himself, framing the GM as a martyr who prioritized organizational harmony over his own reputation.
Backlash on Beane and the “McDermott Scapegoat”
The owner’s defense of Beane has done little to quiet the “Bills Mafia.” Many fans see the comments as a calculated attempt to shield Beane from his long-standing struggles in the early rounds of the NFL Draft. Critics point to several factors fueling the outrage:
- The “Admiral” Gaffe: Pegula’s written statement on McDermott’s firing mistakenly credited the coach for doing an “admiral” job (rather than “admirable”), leading to viral mockery online.
- The Promotion Paradox: Fans are questioning why a GM responsible for a roster that McDermott reportedly felt was “lacking” was rewarded with more power while the coach was fired for the results on the field.
- Roster Deficiencies: Beyond Coleman, Beane has faced criticism for high-profile misses and the inability to replace the production of former stars like Stefon Diggs.
A House Divided: The Final Meeting
Reports from insiders like Vic Carucci suggest the rift between the coaching staff and the front office reached a breaking point five weeks ago. In a meeting with Pegula and Beane, McDermott reportedly gave a blunt assessment of the roster’s holes—an assessment that allegedly “displeased” both the owner and the GM.
While Beane later attempted to take some accountability in the press conference by stating “He [Coleman] was my pick,” the damage to the organizational narrative may already be done. By throwing the departed coaching staff under the bus, Pegula has signaled that Brandon Beane is the architect of the future, for better or worse.
Key Stats: The Keon Coleman Era (2024–2025)
| Category | Performance Note |
| Draft Position | 33rd Overall (2024) |
| Status | Benched multiple times for “timekeeping issues” |
| Production | Described by analysts as falling “well short of expectations” |
As the Bills begin their first head coaching search since 2017, the pressure on Brandon Beane has never been higher. With the owner now publicly tethered to his GM’s success, the upcoming draft and the hire of a new coach will likely determine the ultimate legacy of the Josh Allen era in Buffalo.
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