12 things to know about new Bills WR Tavon Austin
The Buffalo Bills added another piece to their wide receiver room. Veteran Tavon Austin comes to the team via a one-year deal, bringing many things the coach staff likes such as versatility and experience.
Austin, 31, is a known player. He was a former first-round pick and spent his early years with the Los Angeles Rams until 2017. Since then, he bounced around with the Dallas Cowboys (2018-2019), Green Bay Packers (2020) and most recently the Jacksonville Jaguars (2021).
With that, here are 12 things to know about Austin:
Ties to the Bills (ish)
Dallas Cowboys’ Tavon Austin . (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Ties to the Bills? Not exactly, but kind of. In 2013, Austin was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles (St. Louis) Rams. They traded up to the No. 8 selection to take him.
Their trade partner was Buffalo, received the No. 16 pick in the deal. The Bills took EJ Manuel with that one.
Big-time college career
Jaguars wide receiver Tavon Austin (7) Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Austin was selected so high for two reasons. One had to do with his college career at West Virginia. He was very good.
ESPN ranked the top-50 college players of the past 50 years in 2021. Austin clocked in at No. 37.
In addition, Bleacher Report named Austin and former WVU teammate Stedman Bailey among the best college football tandems since 2000.
Combine shine
Packers wide receiver Tavon Austin (16) Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Part two of Austin’s draft status: The combine.
Austin had a 4.34 40-yard dash time, which is blazing. In addition, he had a 10-foot broad jump, 32-inch vertical and 4.01 in the short shuttle. According to Packers Wire, Austin thinks he’s still got that speed.
That made Austin the first skill-position player to be drafted that April.
Factor in versatile
Packers wide receiver Tavon Austin (16) Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Adding the 31-year-old Austin puts Isaiah McKenzie and Marquez Stevenson on notice.
Austin has aged so he might not be as quick as the others, but he can do similar things. In his career, Austin has caught passes, returned kicks and taken plenty of handoffs.
Keep an eye out for Austin all over the field once training camp and the preseason rolls around.
Enjoyed "Hard Knocks"
In 2016 when with the Rams, Austin appeared on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” During the profile of his team’s training camp, Austin would whip his golf cart around the facility and play the game “Pokemon GO” with the training staff. At the end of an episode, his extension he signed with the team was profiled.
Here’s part of that clip:
Surprise then restructure
Despite just average production for most of his rookie contract, as referenced, Austin was signed to an extension by the Rams. It was a four-year, $42 million deal. By 2018, he had reworked that contract two years into it.
That then lead to something else…
Traded
49ers wide receiver Tavon Austin (5) Credit: San Francisco 49ers/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Network
Unfortunately his extension did not work out. The Rams traded Austin to the Dallas Cowboys eventually–for only a sixth-round pick during the 2018 NFL draft.
Considering he had just restructured his contract, Austin said he was “a little hurt” by being moved per Rams Wire.
Mom helped with the money
Cowboys receiver Tavon Austin (10) Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Once becoming a pro athlete with some money, Austin knew folks would start coming around. In an effort to curb that, mom helped.
In 2013, Austin told NFL Network that anyone trying to exploit him would hear from Mama bear.
Not the worst idea.
“I definitely will help a lot of people too, you know, I’m not one of those type of people who forgets where I came from and just acts like I’m better than anybody else,” he said. “But definitely there is a certain amount of times where it comes to a point where you have to say ‘no’ and she’ll be that person that’ll be dealing with it.”
Has fans in the NFL
Bills cornerback Levi Wallace (39) and linebacker Lorenzo Alexander (57) and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin (10) Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
All the way in 2021, Austin’s college career has given him some fans amongst his colleagues. Just last season, Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines had this exchange with Austin on the field, pregame:
And some not so fans
Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin (10) Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Specifics are not mentioned, but evidently one former teammate didn’t get along with Austin: Kenny Britt. The former wide receiver took to his Instagram account and during a live video said a lot of negative things about Austin and the Rams.
According to Rams Wire:
On his recent Instagram photo, many fans let Austin know Britt had some not-so-kind things to say about the current Rams receiver. He also reportedly added he was “disappointed” by his former team.
Perhaps the hatchet was buried between the two since Austin never deleted the photo.
Does he know Diggs?
Austin might have one Bills connection with Stefon Diggs. A few times on his Twitter account, Austin has had interactions with the Buffalo receiver such as this one:
— Tavon Austin (@Tayaustin01) April 5, 2022
Final Bills note
Finally, Austin just… really likes football. Almost his entire Instagram page is relating to football, working out, or his daughter. But at least the Bills make an appearance.
Austin’s got this photo, featuring the likes Jerry Hughes:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLY-b68F-Hu/?hl=en
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