No one will ever question Tyrell Shavers’s toughness again.
On Tuesday, Bills coach Sean McDermott confirmed Shavers had suffered a torn ACL during his team’s 27–24 wild-card round victory over the Jaguars. That’s a huge blow to Buffalo’s already-depleted wide receiver room, but there’s more news about the injury that is pretty remarkable.
Shavers reportedly tore his ACL in the first half, then played in the second. He was on the field for 22 of the team’s 34 snaps after halftime. So he played 65% of the offense’s plays over the final 30 minutes of the game with a torn ACL. That’s genuinely incredible.
Bills WR Tyrell Shavers, who suffered a torn ACL in the first half according to HC Sean McDermott, and on that torn ACL, played 22 of the team's 34 snaps (65%) in the second half.
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) January 13, 2026
Crazy.
Shavers finished the game with one catch for 14 yards.
The Bills also saw receiver Gabe Davis go down with a torn left ACL during the game against Jacksonville. On top of that, fellow wideout Joshua Palmer was placed on injured reserve last week due to an ankle injury.
With Shavers out, Buffalo only has three receivers on the active roster. Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir and Brandin Cooks represent the entirety of the Bills’ depth chart at the position. The team’s practice squad does feature three receivers, with Mecole Hardman Jr., Stephen Gosnell and Kristian Wilkerson available.
The 26-year-old Shavers was in his third NFL season in 2025 and finished the regular season with 15 receptions for 245 yards and a touchdown. The San Diego State product had his best game against the Buccaneers in Week 11, when he had four catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.
An undrafted free agent in 2023, Shavers spent ‘23 and ‘24 on Buffalo’s practice squad but was called up for three games last season, with one reception for a 69-yard touchdown against the Jets in Week 17.
Shavers was active in all 17 games of the 2025 season. Now he faces a long recovery, but Bills fans won’t forget his effort from this weekend.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bills Receiver Played Majority of Team’s Second Half Snaps Despite Suffering Torn ACL.
