The Buffalo Bills lost a dog fight against the Philadelphia Eagles 13-12 in Week 17, as the team fought back from being down 13-0 going into the fourth quarter. Not only did Buffalo suffer a tough loss, but the defense experienced a loss of its own with Terrel Bernard leaving early with a calf injury.
Reports indicate that the Bills officially ruled the 26-year-old linebacker out for the remainder of the game. The decision came about an hour after he was initially deemed questionable.
“Bernard has been downgraded to OUT for the game.”
Terrel Bernard left the game after recording three solo tackles. That puts his season totals at 65 combined tackles (44 solo), two fumble recoveries, and an interception. The Bills will have to evaluate Bernard's calf in the coming days before determining his official status for Week 18 when the club takes on the New York Jets.
Injuries have been the story for Bernard the past two seasons. He's already missed four games in the 2025-26 campaign after dealing with an elbow injury earlier in the year. Hopefully, the calf issue isn't too serious, and he can return to action sooner rather than later.
With Terrel Bernard out for the game, the Bills are relying on Shaq Thompson at the middle linebacker position. Dorian Williams and Joe Andreessen could also see more opportunities against the Eagles.
The Bills have already clinched a spot in the playoffs. So, there is a chance that head coach Sean McDermott could choose to rest his starters in Week 18. Which that could be beneficial for Buffalo, as it would give the team a chance to get healthy for the postseason.
