Coach Sean McDermott Shares Honest Take on Bills' Unexpected Play Against Giants

Coach Sean McDermott Shares Honest Take on Bills' Unexpected Play Against Giants originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Buffalo Bills' first touchdown of the preseason came with an unusual follow-up.

After Dawson Knox scored in the second quarter against the New York Giants on Saturday, running back Ray Davis jogged on and drilled the extra point at Highmark Stadium.

Ray Davis, listed as Buffalo’s emergency kicker, got the nod with starter Tyler Bass out due to a pelvic injury.

What's interesting is that the Bills had just signed former Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis to a one-year deal on Friday.

Later in the half, Davis converted a 24-yard field goal, but the headline belonged to the running back’s successful PAT.

Filling in for injury at kicker, RB Ray Davis absolutely drills the extra point.

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— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2025

After the game, coach Sean McDermott spoke on Davis taking special teams reps, noting that with Bass out, he "wanted to see what it would look like," despite already having another kicker on the roster.

"It's fun to see that. I think it's energy producing," McDermott said. "Ray takes a lot of pride in things, in particular, playing running back, being a great teammate and in this case, kicking."

McDermott highlighted how, "What happens if it does happen? What are we going to do?" referencing if the team were to lose their starting kicker during a pivotal moment of the season.

"In the middle of the game, now we're a little bit tested at least," McDermott continued. "I don't plan on doing it again. I think once is enough... But it was good for us to do it."

Who is Bills Running Back Ray Davis?

A 5-foot-8, 220-pound back from San Francisco, Davis was a 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 128) after stops at Temple, Vanderbilt and Kentucky, where he earned First-team All-SEC honors in 2023.

In 2024, his first year in Buffalo, he logged 631 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns (442 rushing yards, 3 TD; 17 catches for 189 yards, 3 TD) over 17 games for the Bills.

On the Bills' depth chart, Davis is listed as the No. 2 running back behind James Cook and, at least for Saturday, the No. 2 kicker behind Bass.

Davis has long-hand kicking experience, recently reflecting on a 57-yard field goal he hit in high school, part of why the Bills felt comfortable auditioning him as an emergency option.

Emergency kicks rarely arise, until they do. Buffalo now has live-game film of its designated option, which is better than a hypothetical in December or January.

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.