What a month it’s been for Isaiah McKenzie.
Not sure we’ve seen a turnaround quite like this anywhere in the NFL this season.
Way back when the Buffalo Bills were shellacked by the Indianapolis Colts, 41-15, the receiver/returner was promptly sent to the bench. Head coach Sean McDermott appeared to be making an example out of McKenzie after his fumble in the blowout loss. And right then, as he explains on this week’s show, McKenzie feared his career with the Bills may be finished.
He was inactive in New Orleans, then inactive against the Patriots at home.
McKenzie got called back up for a handful of plays in Tampa Bay and finally — with wide receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis both on the Covid-19 list — McKenzie was needed. He did not disappoint, either. In Buffalo’s 33-21 win in Foxborough, he caught 11 passes for 125 yards with one touchdown. Again and again, quarterback Josh Allen looked for McKenzie in crucial situations and now Super Bowl hopes are very real again for the Bills.
On “The Isaiah McKenzie Show,” at Go Long, McKenzie digs into it all…
The benching. He breaks down his conversation with McDermott and what happened next personally. It took a few sleepless nights to get past his head coach’s decision. McKenzie was in his own head. This wasn’t easy.
How he dominated Bill Belichick’s defense. Not many receivers can live to tell these stories but McKenzie knew that in man-to-man coverage, no cornerback could keep up with him. So, he ate Myles Bryant's lunch.
His rapport with Josh Allen. He’s convinced they still have a rare connection that goes back to 2018 when Allen was a raw rookie out of Wyoming and he was just trying to save his NFL career after the Denver Broncos gave up on him. The two are tight. Allen believed in McKenzie with Beasley and Davis both out.
Spending Christmas Eve with complete strangers. It's the ultimate Western New York story, isn't it? McKenzie was hungry, let folks know on social media and, voila, all of a sudden he's at the kitchen table with a family. He explains how it all happened.
His Georgia Bulldogs are playing in the College Football Playoff. He wants a piece of ‘Bama in the title game, too.
Remember when McKenzie’s chest landed on the ball? He’s still feeling the effects of that one.
What does the future entail for McKenzie? He’s been joking with teammates that coaches only use him one game a year, so who the heck knows what happens next. Maybe now, a calendar year later, he is this team’s secret weapon.
You can watch and/or listen to The Isaiah McKenzie Show right here at Go Long. Audio and video options are both available above.
Or, if podcasting is your thing, the shows are always available right inside the main Go Long Podcast feed on Apple and Spotify as well as its own standalone podcast feed on Apple and Spotify. All episodes also can be found on our YouTube channel.
We do have one more in-person show scheduled at Mister’s in East Aurora, N.Y. for next week, though stay tuned to GoLongTD.com for updates.
Thanks, everyone.
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Miss a past episode? You can catch up right here:
Ep 7: One shining moment
Ep 6: What happened to the Bills?
Ep 5: ‘I was grazed by a bullet once’
Ep 4: The true story of 'Lil Dirty'
Ep 3: Why it's time for the Buffalo Bills to give him a scout team 'bonus'
Ep 2: Inside the Bills’ demolition at Arrowhead
Ep 1: From Miami Gardens to Orchard Park
