Bills WR Keon Coleman Breaks Down Incredible One-Handed Catches: 'It's a Routine Play for Me'

It was a seasonably warm Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee, FL, the sun smiling down on Doak Campbell Stadium to provide a picturesque setting for an October 14 matchup between the Syracuse Orange and Florida State Seminoles. The clock was just a few ticks past noon as Florida State began driving down the field on its initial drive, with quarterback Jordan Travis dropping back to pass with roughly 11:50 minutes remaining in the first quarter.

The watches and smartphones littered throughout the stadium may have differed from one another by a minute or two, but none of them had the correct time, anyway; it was actually time for Keon Coleman to make a play.

The big-bodied wideout cut across the middle of the field on a dig route, Travis slightly overthrowing his target on the deep seam shot. The slightly miscalculated throw was of no issue for Coleman; he simply leaped into the air, extended a single arm, and came down with the ball, quickly popping up to return the ball to the referee and get back to the huddle.

It was as though eye-popping play was of no consequence to Coleman, as though the incredible display of otherworldly hand-eye coordination, athleticism, and ability was merely another down. 

And that’s because it was.

During a recent appearance on the RG3 and The Ones podcast, Coleman discussed this particular play and other spectacular grabs like it, implying that, given his talent and mindset, they just kind of happen.

“Once I jump, it’s just me [and] the ball,” Coleman said. “How you grow up as a kid when you’re shooting [a] basketball, five, four, three, two, one, [scream]. It’s just me and the ball, really. I don’t really see nobody else, I don’t see nothing else. It’s just grab it by any means. 

“I think I probably could have caught it with two hands, I don’t know what really made me go up with one. I tell people I black out. Once I go up in the air, I black out. Whatever happens is going to happen, and I’m not going to notice it until I see it; after it happens, I’m like, ‘Oh! What the?’ You know what I’m saying? But in the moment, it’s just a routine play for me, a routine grab.”

The play was just the start of a big day for Coleman and the Florida State offense; the wideout caught nine passes for 140 yards in the 41-3 win, among them a 58-yard second-quarter touchdown on which he created a comical level of separation from the defensive back before Travis hit him in stride. 

The single outing accounted for roughly 20% of his production on the year, as Coleman caught 50 passes for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns throughout the 2023 season. His production, combined with his athletic profile and work ethic, made him an intriguing target for professional teams in the 2024 NFL Draft; the Buffalo Bills would ultimately be the club fortunate enough to secure his services, selecting him with the 33rd overall pick after trading out of the first round.

It’s a favorable landing spot for the 20-year-old, who now headlines a revamped Buffalo receiving corps sans Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis. Despite several draft personalities and prognosticators projecting Coleman as a ‘big slot’ in the NFL, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane has already indicated that Coleman will likely serve as the Bills’ X wide receiver, meaning he’ll line up on the line of scrimmage on the boundary.

In simpler terms: Coleman will have plenty of opportunities to make plays similar to his one-handed catch against Syracuse.

These incredible catches—described, by Coleman, as routine—do not even register in the wideout’s mind until well after he makes them. It’s typically not until he’s talking to his friends after the game that he realizes he’s done something impressive.

“Probably not until after I call my homeboys after the game, then I’m like, ‘Boy, I really did that. I did that to a dude,’” Coleman said. “Because now we’re excited about it. [They’re like], ‘We’ve seen you do it a lot of times, but you really just did that to another grown man? Come on.’

“Now I’m like, I really did do that, but in the moment, it’s a routine thing. Catch it, get up, do your little first down [celebration], give the ball to the ref, next play.”

Coleman’s mentality, his “go up and worry about the consequences later” mindset, perhaps stems from his experience as a basketball player; initially a collegiate dual-sport athlete, he previously played college basketball at Michigan State under legendary coach Tom Izzo before transferring to Florida State and focusing on football.

Regardless of sport, Coleman is willing to do what needs to be done to make a play, and he’s eager to bring this mentality to Orchard Park.

“I think, when they ask about the mindset when the ball is in the air, it’s the same thing,” Coleman said. “Once I jump in basketball, I black out. I don’t think there are very many spots on the court, if I take off, I’m not going to reach the rim. It’s the same mindset in the football game, it’s just, I’ve got more gear on. I hit the ground, I’m like, I’m not tripping, I’m going to be alright. Get up and keep going.

“I think that’s where the mindset comes at. You have to be a different dog. Playing on the Nike circuit coming up and all that, you’ve got to be a dog. They have to count on you to make these plays that you need to make when all eyes are on you."