T.J. Sanders Practices Nine Days After Appendectomy, Eyes Return for Game Against the New England Patriots
T.J. Sanders returned to Buffalo Bills practice on Thursday as a limited participant, nine days after his appendectomy, and he is pushing to be available for the team’s Week 4 game against the New England Patriots, the Bills said. The 23-year-old defensive lineman missed last week’s game while he recovered from the procedure. He worked at the Kaleida Health Performance Center in Orchard Park as Buffalo prepared for the divisional matchup on Sunday.
Sanders told reporters he first felt something was wrong when he woke early on a Tuesday and his stomach began to twist. “I remember waking up at five in the morning, like, ‘What’s going on?'” he said. A scan showed his appendix was inflamed, and doctors told him he needed surgery immediately. “It was crazy,” Sanders said of the sudden turn that led to the operation.
Sanders said he felt good at Thursday’s practice and that the limited session represented a positive step in his recovery. “I felt like almost myself today,” he said, adding that he did not feel pain and that movements felt natural. He said he planned to press the pace in practice on Friday to see where he stood for Sunday.
The Bills also issued a Thursday injury update that included several players. Wide receiver Keon Coleman (ankle) was limited after missing Wednesday’s practice. Defensive lineman Deone Walker (quad) and linebacker Joe Andreessen (knee) practiced fully after being limited earlier in the week. Cornerback Christian Benford (toe) missed his second straight practice, wide receiver DJ Moore and safety Damar Hamlin were limited and wore non-contact jerseys, and defensive back Sam Franklin Jr. missed practice for personal reasons.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Sanders’ rapid progression from surgery to limited practice is encouraging for Buffalo’s defensive-line depth heading into a divisional game against the New England Patriots. His participation this week will serve as a close barometer for whether the Bills can count on an extra interior rusher on game day, especially with other front-seven adjustments possible based on the injury report. As a rookie in 2025 he appeared in 12 games and recorded 16 tackles, so any availability this week would likely provide depth and rotational relief rather than a major schematic shift, but his presence could still affect third-down matchups and the pass-rush rotation if he is cleared to play.