Backup Tight End Shines as Emergency Punter for Bills

On August 23, 2025, the Buffalo Bills faced an unexpected challenge in their preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With their primary punter, Brad Robbins, feeling ill and unable to play, the Bills turned to an unlikely hero: backup tight end Zach Davidson.

Davidson, who has spent the past three seasons on the Bills' practice squad, stepped up to the task and performed flawlessly. The 6-foot-7 tight end, who was an All-Conference punter in college, averaged an impressive 52.0 yards per punt, with a long of 62 yards.

"We lost Brad tonight to an illness and Zach steps in and does a great job," said head coach Sean McDermott. "I think that's a story in and of itself, right?"

Davidson's first punt traveled 62 yards to the Tampa Bay 12-yard line, where it was fielded and returned 20 yards. His second kick traveled 42 yards, pinning the Buccaneers at their own 15-yard line after a five-yard return.

The 27-year-old Davidson, a 2021 fifth-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings, finally made his NFL regular-season debut with the Bills in 2024. He has been a valuable member of the team's practice squad, and his unexpected performance as an emergency punter has only added to his versatility.