Keon Coleman left a memorable first impression on the public when he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round on April 27.
After introducing himself in an unforgettable fashion during his opening NFL press conference, he has many comparing him to the likes of Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson — but not for his talents on the field.
The former Michigan State and Florida State star wore a yellow jacket during the introductory press conference, and during an exchange with a reporter, Coleman revealed that he purchased the stylish coat from a Macy’s department store.
While Coleman spent the 2023 season playing in Tallahassee, he kicked off his college football career in East Lansing, Michigan, a place that typically experiences chilly winters. Coleman’s two-year stint in Michigan could prove beneficial as he prepares to play in frigid Western New York starting in the fall.
“Got you a coat from here?” a reporter asked.
“Man, you forgot I went to school in Michigan for two years?” Coleman asked a reporter. “Guess where I got this from, though. I’m saying you gotta guess, You going to be wrong though, but guess.”
“Tom Izzo,” the reporter responded. Izzo is the longtime coach of the Spartans men’s basketball team.
“Nah, Macy’s. What you mean? They be on sale on the rack. All the colors. Look, $79, $89, nice little deal,” the NFL rookie said. “You can get the trench coat for, like, $100. I take it personally. I might go get some more colors. I need a blue one and another red one.”
A blue or a red coat would coincide with the Bills team colors.
Another reporter then suggested that Coleman could also take advantage of price markdowns around Thanksgiving. However, the 20-year-old Louisiana native pushed back against the idea and said he prefers to look for deals on winter wear during the warmer months.
“I shop like my mom,” Coleman told the reporter. “I get my coats in the summertime. You got to shop a season or two before, just in case, and then it will be cheaper because you go at Thanksgiving, everybody [shops] at Thanksgiving.”
After fielding questions from reporters for around 12 minutes, Coleman spotted some cookies sitting on a nearby table.
At the end of the press conference, he asked, “Can I grab some of them?” He then walked over to the table, opened the container, and eventually shared a cookie with someone in the room before making his way toward the exit.
Per data from Spotrac, Coleman is expected to earn just under $10 million over four years, including an estimated $4.1 million bonus due at the time of the signing. The average annual value of Coleman’s deal would come in slightly below $2.5 million.
Once an NFL player is drafted, they are subject to the league’s rookie pay scale. Article 7 of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement states that the terms of rookie contracts are “unalterable.” Any player selected in the first round receives a four-year contract. Coleman was a second-round pick but is still eligible for a four-year deal, although his contract will not carry a fifth year – that clause is reserved for first-rounders.
Former NFL great Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson caught wind of Coleman’s viral press conference. Johnson, who is notoriously frugal, praised Coleman for being smart with his money.
“@Ochocinco REALLY gone like Keon Coleman now,” one person wrote on X.
“Keon Coleman is today’s version of @ochocinco, and I’m here for it!” another person wrote.
“That’s discipline,” said Ochocinco. “That started at home.”
He went on to say, “If you’re already financially conscious like that, we ain’t got to worry about him.”
However, Johnson also encouraged Coleman to spend some of his money on something that he would enjoy.
“Even though you’ve got your head on right, boy, you’ve put in too much work to get to this point in your life… you’ve gotta treat yourself,” Johnson said during an April 28 episode of the “Nightcap” podcast.
In January 2023, Johnson told Sharpe he refused to use private jets for his travels and would instead fly Spirit, a popular low-cost airline.
“I ain’t flying private, Spirit, put me on Spirit… exit row, window seat, that’s all I need. Long as get from point A to point B. I don’t need private,” Johnson told Sharpe. “Athletes more so, if you can get to a point in your career where your name becomes bigger than anything you can purchase, there’s your value.”
A viral video also resurfaced, showing Coleman explaining his Waffle House order.
“Sausage, egg, and cheese grit bowl. Four eggs scrambled with cheese. A side of pork chops, hash browns with cheese, and a Hi-C,” Coleman said. Coleman also did not appear to be familiar with Waffle House’s smothered or covered hash browns.
“We putting cheese on that and mixing that up and eating it, that’s what we doing,” Coleman said in the video.
Coleman was asked about his affinity for Waffle House during the April 28 media session.
“I eat Waffle House so much at nighttime, I had the cook’s number pinned on my messages,” Coleman said.
While Coleman’s personality will likely win over fans and his teammates, he is also a playmaker on the football field. He finished the 2023 season with 11 touchdown receptions and should become Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s top wide receiver once the 2024 NFL season kicks off.
