Matt Milano missed all but five games during the 2023 NFL season, leaving the Buffalo Bills without one of their top defensive playmakers. Now the star linebacker will be absent for another extended period, with the team confirming Thursday that the former All-Pro will undergo surgery for a torn biceps suffered this week.
"It's unfortunate news regarding Matt Milano's bicep injury," coach Sean McDermott said in a team statement. "He's a resilient person and we're all here to support him."
Milano, who turned 30 this summer, left Tuesday's training camp practice due to the injury. Milano hopes to return late in the 2024 season, possibly in December, according to ESPN, but will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery. He's a candidate to open the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which would require at least a four-game absence, but could end up missing the entire year.
It's a sudden and significant setback for a veteran who'd seemingly just returned to full speed following a leg fracture suffered in Week 5 of last season. That injury cost him 14 games, including playoffs.
When healthy, Milano has been one of the Bills' most heralded defenders. Now on his third contract with the team, he was especially busy at the heart of Buffalo's defense during a 13-3 finish in 2022, totaling 99 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 pass breakups and three interceptions. He's started a combined 74 games for the Bills since his arrival as a fifth-round draft pick out of Boston College in 2017.
With Milano absent, the team figures to rely on 2023 third-rounder Dorian Williams at linebacker alongside third-year veteran Terrel Bernard and journeyman addition Nicholas Morrow.
