Orchard Park, New York — This week, the name Tommy Akingbesote — a rookie defensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills — suddenly disappeared from the team’s game-day availability list. Many fans assumed it was an injury. But the real reason left the entire locker room stunned.

According to multiple team sources, the incident unfolded Tuesday night after the main practice session at the Adpro Training Center. With most players already gone, an older female janitor was quietly cleaning the hallway near the locker room. Akingbesote walked by with a few younger teammates and, in the middle of casual conversation, made a “joke” that was described as disrespectful and inappropriate.

The woman’s discomfort was immediate and clear — and Akingbesote himself realized almost instantly that he had crossed a line. But there was another witness: head coach Sean McDermott, who happened to be walking down the hallway and heard everything.

McDermott stopped, turned toward the rookie, and in a calm but stern tone said:

“Tomorrow morning, my office. In front of the entire team.”

The next morning, the Bills gathered in the team meeting room. McDermott never mentioned Akingbesote by name, but his message was sharp enough that nobody in the room misunderstood it.

“Wearing Bills blue is a privilege,” McDermott said.
“But it comes with responsibility. The people who work in this building — the ones who clean it, maintain it, and keep us functioning every day — they deserve the same respect as anyone who steps onto that field. If a Bills player can’t understand that, then he doesn’t yet understand what it means to represent this organization.”

Shortly after the meeting, the Bills informed Tommy Akingbesote that he would be suspended from game action for one week as internal discipline. He would still practice, but he would

not be active on game day.

Not a single veteran pushed back against the decision. In fact, one longtime player said privately:

“Nobody complained. Nobody argued. We all knew — this wasn’t just punishment. It was a lesson. This is bigger than football.”

Later that day, Akingbesote approached the janitor to offer a direct, sincere apology. She accepted it, according to team staff, but McDermott upheld the suspension. For him, this wasn’t just about one mistake — it was a reminder that the Bills’ standard applies equally to everyone, regardless of talent or potential.

As one staff member noted quietly:

“In Buffalo, talent might open the door. But character and respect are what keep you here.”