The Buffalo Bills were the NFL’s second-healthiest team in during the 2021 season. That study comes to us via the Buffalo News.
The analysis “did not count starting players who were injured in the offseason, never played in preseason and were out for the season opener. Clear-cut starters who were injured during training camp or preseason were counted.”
In total, the study found that the Bills had lost 36 starters to injury. The only team with less was the New England Patriots with 23.
The top-five rounds out with the Kansas City Chiefs (40). Los Angeles Rams (44) and Atlanta Falcons (49).
The Bills have been a rather healthy team since their current front office led by Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott came to town. The BN reports that Buffalo has been in the top-five healthiest teams in all but one year under McDermott’s watch. That was in 2017 (9th).
One to credit for this is Nate Breske. He has been the Bills’ head athletic trainer since early in 2018.
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane and McDermott will both often drop Breske’s name during press conference, and clearly for good reason.
In 2021, Buffalo’s biggest injury was cornerback Tre’Davious White. He went down with a knee injury, but many point to the turf on the field against the Saints in New Orleans as the reason why.
Had that been natural grass, there’s a chance White finishes the season.
At least now, looking toward White’s recovery, there’s reason to feel like White is in good hands.