‘Knowledge Slows The Game Down’

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid says the game slows down as you gain more knowledge in the NFL. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid knows he’s entering a season with high expectations in Year Three.

The 25-year-old went through a tough season last year after a promising rookie year. Kincaid dealt with a knee injury last year as he was limited to just 13 games. Kincaid posted 44 receptions for 448 receiving yards, a stark decline from his rookie season when he posted 73 catches for 673 yards. Kincaid posted the fifth-most receptions of any rookie in 2023 and the second-most of any player on the Bills.

“I feel like you learn something each and every year, and it’s really hard to pinpoint what that is, but I think just experience really gives you a lot of knowledge and insight and just slows the game down,” says Kincaid in a one-on-one interview. “Just being out there and playing, and the more reps you get, you just kind of learn the game and better understand defenses, and you know defensive coordinators and what they like to do. Your knowledge of the game just really expands.”

As Kincaid looks to bounce back in his third season, he’s expected to play a sizable role on the Bills’ offense, one that features many young pieces such as the 25-year-old Khalil Shakir and the 22-year-old Keon Coleman. Kincaid says staying healthy is obviously key for him as he looks to help the Bills get over the hump and win a Super Bowl.

“I’ll set some personal goals,” says Kincaid. “Those are things that you know don’t really matter at the end of the day, as much as winning a Super Bowl ultimately does. But feeling healthy, feeling good, I think that’s something you kind of learn, as well as just managing the body. You know how to better manage it and deal with recovery and things like that. But, yeah, (I’m) feeling good. The main goal kind of seems to stay the main goal each year.”

Kincaid had an opportunity for the biggest catch of his career on a 4th-and-5 conversion on the Bills’ last drive of their 32-29 AFC Championship Game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, the ball slipped through his grasp.

The third-year tight end and the Bills will be looking to seal the deal this time around as the franchise seeks its first Super Bowl. However, they’ll get their first chance of redemption when they play host against the Chiefs in Week 9.

Dalton Kincaid Gives His Thoughts On Bills Appearing On Hard Knocks

Kincaid and the Bills appeared on the latest edition of Hard Knocks this season for the first time where cameras followed Buffalo’s team during training camp.

“We really harped on not really changing at all,” says Kincaid. “I think we did a good job of really limiting where the cameras were and what they were able to shoot and what they weren’t. Because we’re in the cafeteria just hanging out, and you don’t want to be on edge when you see a mic fly over your head — you don’t want to just stop conversation. We had fun with it.”

The young tight end says it was cool to see the Bills’ players spotlighted, including guys like K.J. Hamler, a 26-year-old receiver who spent last season on the practice squad.

“It’s real cool to see some guys get spotlighted and highlighted,” says Kincaid. “K.J. Hamler’s such a good guy. To see all the love he’s getting is great, but it was something you could see as a distraction or not, and I think we did a good job managing it.”

Dalton Kincaid On Why He’s Using Q-Collar To Prevent Brain Injuries

Kincaid is using Q-Collar, an equipment worn to protect your brain from the inside while the helmet protects it from the outside. The third-year tight end has been wearing it since his rookie season.

“Yeah, it’s kind of just something that works out perfectly,” says Kincaid. “My sister’s an ER doctor, and she’s real adamant on safety and everything, especially when it comes to the brain, the head, making sure that you know you’re being smart with that. One of my teammates, Taylor Rapp, wears Q-Collar, and is a big advocate for it. I talked to him a little bit about it and once I started wearing it, I felt a lot better out there and felt safe and confident and going out there. It was a no -brainer making the decision to wear it.”

Kincaid, who suffered a head injury during his rookie season, says he has noticed the difference since he started wearing Q-Collar. The young tight end also sought advice from former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who introduced him to the product at Tight End University.

“The confidence in knowing that I feel safe out there, and now my health and safety is probably the No. 1 thing when it comes to playing football is you want to play for as long as you can,” says Kincaid. If that extends my career at all, then why would I not wear it?”