Bills HC Provides Important Update on $44 Million Star’s Reentry Into Playoffs
Sean McDermott, the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, is giving fans more information about when injured linebacker Matt Milano will be able to return to the field after general manager Brandon Beane raised some eyebrows last month with a confusing update.
After breaking his leg in October, Milano was sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. During the team’s April voluntary workout, Beane provided an update on Milano, but he also raised some new concerns when he stated the linebacker was “still working through his deal” without going into further detail or assessing the severity of the injury.
This week’s update from McDermott stressed that Milano will require a little more time to fully recover, but it also offered a more concrete timetable.
“On Schedule” Rehab for Matt Milano
During the team’s open practices on May 21, McDermott told reporters that Milano has been making good progress in his rehabilitation. Although McDermott refrained from providing a specific return date, the head coach of the Bills suggested it might not happen until later in the summer.
According to McDermott, “the word I’ve gotten from our training staff is that he’s on schedule,” the statement was made through the team website. “Matt is present each day. I am aware of his diligent work. Until we see him in action, it will most likely be more akin to training camp; there may or may not be some drill work in between. That will just depend on how he develops going forward.
The team was already under fire for the secrecy surrounding Milano’s injury; in November, Jay Skurksi of the Buffalo News reported that the team withheld information about the extent of additional harm beyond the leg fracture. Milano would miss a far longer period of time if he had ligament damage, according to Skurski, than if his leg had just broken.
“With Milano, the extent of the damage to his knee beyond the fracture to his leg remains an unanswered question,” Skurski wrote. “Forget it, he’s done for the year if he tore his ACL.
However, the Bills haven’t stated that. Welcome to the world of NFL coverage, it’s a mystery why they’re handling it so secretively, but the longer that goes on, the more hope there is that he could be able to make a comeback eventually.
Prior to suffering a fractured leg, Milano—who signed a $44 million contract extension in 2021 and added two more years in 2023—was on track for a career-best season. He finished with 30 tackles and two interceptions.
Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio was selected by the Bills in the fifth round, adding another member to their linebacking corps.
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