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During preseason action, James Cook found himself at the center of a situation with the Buffalo Bills during Saturday’s game at Highmark Stadium. The two-time Pro Bowl running back was in uniform and took part in warmups but chose not to play once the game began, prompting Bills head coach Sean McDermott to address the matter after the contest.
Cook’s “hold-in” began last Sunday at St. John Fisher University, when he stopped practicing after the Return of the Blue & Red event on August 1. However, he continued to participate in meetings and walkthroughs. He went through pregame drills before facing the New York Giants but never took the field during the game.
McDermott explained that he and Cook spoke about the plan.
“James and I had a good conversation yesterday. We talked about warming up. He agreed to warm up, but not play, due to his situation right now. So, that’s where we’re at. So, no change really overall,” McDermott said after the game, according to Sports Illustrated, adding that there was “really no change” to his status. Follow-up questions revealed that the player’s choice went against what the coach had hoped for.
“We wanted him to play. I wanted him to play, but I don’t really want to go into it any further,” McDermott said. “There’s really no change at this point in time from what it was going into this weekend and the game today.” The coach noted it was “a good conversation,” but without progress.
Cook is in the final year of his rookie contract and is seeking a long-term deal worth more than $15 million annually. While that figure is above market value, a more realistic comparison is the $11 million per year deal Kyren Williams signed last week with the Los Angeles Rams. After arriving at training camp on time and participating fully for a week, the running back’s change in approach has reportedly caused frustration within the organization.
“Let’s just move on,” McDermott said bluntly when pressed further. “We can talk about the guys who play it. I think that’s the right thing to do and the fair thing to do right now. James’ situation is James’ situation, and let’s talk about the team.”
When asked if he expects James Cook to practice this week, Sean McDermott said, "Let's just move on. We'll talk about the guys that played… James' situation is James' situation."#BillsMafia @BuffaloPlus https://t.co/9SvUdU4FZV pic.twitter.com/YzDiERhBF0
— Dan Fetes (@danfetes) August 9, 2025
With Cook sidelined, Ray Davis took first-team reps at running back, recording seven yards on four carries, while Ty Johnson added 26 yards on three attempts during a second-quarter touchdown drive.
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