The Buffalo Bills are set to finish the season with 13 players having caught a touchdown pass, and they’re aiming for more. Last week, practice squad call-up Tyrell Shavers made his first career catch a memorable one by scoring a touchdown in a 40-14 win over the New York Jets.
This marked the Bills as the ninth team in NFL history with 13 players catching a touchdown in a single season.
With the Bills already locked into the AFC’s No. 2 seed, and planning to rest many of their starters in the season finale against the New England Patriots, there’s a chance to set a new record.
“Absolutely, I’ve thought about it,” fullback Reggie Gilliam said after practice on Wednesday. “I was telling Jalen Virgil that we’re the last ones.”
However, Gilliam is the only skill player on the active roster yet to catch a touchdown pass. Virgil, a practice squad receiver, is also yet to score. Other players, including running back Frank Gore Jr. and tight end Zach Davidson, could have the chance to join the group, as well as backup offensive tackle Alec Anderson, who sometimes plays as an eligible receiver.
“That would be awesome,” Anderson said. “I’m not going to be sitting here crying for it. But if my opportunity arises, I think I’ll take advantage of it.”
Whether or not the Bills break the record, the focus remains on their team-first mentality. The “everybody eats” mindset, introduced by offensive coordinator Joe Brady in May, reflects the selflessness the team has embraced.
It originated out of necessity after Buffalo traded top receiver Stefon Diggs and lost Gabe Davis to free agency, leaving questions about who would step up to replace their production.
These concerns have faded away as the Bills have set new records for most points (509) and touchdowns (63) in a season, all without a player surpassing 1,000 yards receiving or rushing.
“Put the ball down and play. We got a lot of guys that can make the plays, so when given opportunities, they make them,” rookie receiver Keon Coleman said. “It says a lot about the unselfishness in the guys that we have here.”
Four players have caught four or more touchdown passes, with Mack Hollins leading the way with five. Quarterback Josh Allen also made the list after catching a touchdown off a lateral pass.
Every player who has caught a pass this season has scored a touchdown, except for tight end Zach Davidson and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who was released in October.
“Everybody eats has such a deeper meaning as far as the guys got to care for one another,” receiver Khalil Shakir said.
“You might only have 10 yards this game, but Keon has 100, but I’m going to go and make sure to block for him,” Shakir added. “And when you’ve got a team playing for each other like that, I don’t think there’s anything that beats it.”
Buffalo is the only team to have 13 players catch a touchdown pass in a season twice, having also done so in 2020. Of the eight teams before them, only two missed the playoffs, and five made it to the conference championship game, including the 2016 Falcons and the 2019 49ers, both of whom lost in the Super Bowl.
“The team is bigger than any one person, and we want everybody to have success,” Brady said. “We were putting an offense together that was going to be able to find different ways to win football games.
And when you’ve got the best player in football at quarterback, he makes it all go. And when you got a lot of selfless guys around, you’re able to do those things … you know, the everybody eats mindset.”
Shavers, after his 69-yard touchdown, felt the love of the team. “It shows that there’s no selfish people on this team. Everybody just wants to win,” he said.
When asked who could become the 14th player to catch a touchdown pass, Shavers simply replied, “Ain’t no telling. It could be anybody really.”
