The Buffalo Bills lost defensive captain Terrel Bernard to an apparent arm injury Thursday night, forcing the team to limp through a pivotal stretch of its matchup with the Houston Texans.
ESPN reporter Alaina Getzenberg noted on X that “the defense has taken a knee for Terrel Bernard,” and that Bernard was being walked to the locker room with an athletic trainer holding his right arm.
The injury happened while Bernard teamed up with Matt Milano to bring down Texans rusher Nick Chubb on a short-yardage run, a play that left Bernard writhing on the field before trainers attended to him. Bernard left for the X-ray room with 10:27 remaining in the third quarter.
Bernard had been a steadying presence for Buffalo’s defense this season, lining up as the team’s top off-the-ball linebacker and serving as a vocal leader on the sideline. He logged four tackles through the point in the game, as reflected on ESPN’s box score, and his absence forced the Bills to shuffle personnel in the middle of a short week.
Coach Sean McDermott and the training staff gave little more than cautious updates during the game, prioritizing tests and imaging before revealing a diagnosis. The Bills’ defense, already dealing with a crowded injury report, visibly contracted when Bernard went down, and teammates rallied behind him as trainers escorted him off. He later came back onto the field in an arm sling.
Buffalo must now wait for imaging results to learn the severity and timetable for Bernard’s return. Losing a captain in the thick of the season complicates an already difficult stretch for the Bills, who rely on Bernard’s coverage versatility and on-field communication to steady the group. The team said it would provide further updates after the game once medical staff reviewed the tests.
