Dion Dawkins, a longtime offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills, has characterized the upcoming 2026 season as a "kill or be killed" situation, emphasizing the high stakes for the team under new head coach Joe Brady.
Dawkins, who joined the Bills in 2017, expressed his sentiments on "Good Morning Football," drawing parallels between the team's current position and the climax of a movie. "It's time. I'm telling you, man, it's kill or be killed, and we're not playing around," Dawkins stated. "We are not playing around with nobody."
This season marks a significant transition for Dawkins, as he will play under a new head coach for the first time since his tenure began in Buffalo. The departure of Sean McDermott, who was fired after the team's playoff loss to the Broncos, brings Joe Brady to the helm. Under McDermott, the Bills reached the AFC Championship game twice but were unable to secure a Super Bowl appearance.
Dawkins described the current situation as akin to a movie reaching its peak, with a new figure now leading the charge. "The movie starts off one way, and then all of a sudden, something happens, a drastic thing happens where the castle kinda gets a little shaky. Now we've got a new guy that's holding that torch, and we all just have to say, 'Ahoo, ahoo,' just like the '300' soldiers, right?"
Joe Brady was officially appointed as the Bills' head coach after signing a five-year deal. His prior experience with the team includes a role as offensive coordinator, a position he ascended to after a promising interim performance over the final nine games of the 2023 season. Brady initially joined the Bills as the quarterbacks coach in 2022, playing a role in the development of quarterback Josh Allen.
Regarding Allen, Dawkins expressed that he is not placing additional expectations on the star quarterback, believing Allen is aware of the team's mindset and expectations. "He understands what the mindset is and what we all expect, just like we know what Josh expects from us, as well, to help him get there," Dawkins said. "When it comes down to it, Josh is Josh, and he's gonna be Josh. He's No. 1 for a reason, so I don't think that we need any more expectations than we already have."
The veteran offensive lineman also stressed the importance of improvement from the players surrounding Allen. "The pieces around Allen, including himself, have to improve this year," he added.