When cornerback and special teams ace Siran Neal looks around the Buffalo Bills, the team's closeness stands out.
“One thing I can tell you, we stick together,” Neal said Thursday in a video call with reporters. “We don’t break off at any time.”
It’s an approach reflected in how players and coaches are handling questions about the gut-wrenching end of the season. Neal was adamant that any information about the kickoff with 13 seconds left in regulation against Kansas City will stay in house, even if other have questions.
“Be curious. We don't have to discuss anything with the outside world if we don't want to,” Neal said. “And you know what's crazy, we don't even discuss it with each other. That was a play that happened back then. We've moved on from it.”
Neal acknowledged there were things that could have been corrected, and he said communication was an issue at certain points in the game. Still, his focus was moving forward.
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“It’s in the past and there’s a lot of things that we can go back and re-correct or whatever and restructure,” he said. “But it’s something in the past. It something we’re not going to get into. There’s a lot of things from that game that we could correct and have the outcome of that game to win the game.”
It’s part of why Neal, an impending free agent, signed a three-year deal to return to the Bills.
“There’s always unfinished business," he said. "Not just from that game, but I feel like from every game that we lost or whatever – from previous years, prior to that game or whatever, but that’s another reason why I’m back.”
Neal is glad to have the business side of things done. He was hopeful he would stay in Buffalo, and he has loved seeing the success of his fellow 2018 Bills draft class members, Brandon Beane's first with the Bills. Neal was a fifth-round pick in a group includes quarterback Josh Allen, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and cornerback Taron Johnson.
He knew nothing was guaranteed when the season ended, but he felt confident in his relationships around the building.
“I pretty much let my agent handle everything but even before this, before the deal, I just knew the people here, they trust me,” he said. “That’s one thing that I can say that people trust me, and I like I said I didn't know, I was hoping to be back, and it came true.”
Neal wanted to be back with a defense that he knows so well, and looks to be a leader on special teams. He said his family also hoped he would stay in Buffalo. Neal felt respect from his peers around the league after his deal was reportedly the highest of any special teams standout, at a maximum value of $10.9 million.
To get there, he compiled 34 solo special teams tackles, which was third most since 2018 per Pro Football Focus. Neal played 66% of special teams snaps, good for fourth most on the team. On defense, the team has used him a number of ways since he entered the league, and he's fine with that fluidity.
"Life is all about giving to others, it's not all about what you can get out of something," he said.
Now, with his contract inked, he wants to keep proving to the team his worth.
While former special teams coordinator Heath Farwell has departed for Jacksonville, Neal expressed trust in Matthew Smiley, who takes over after serving as assistant special teams coach.
“No change at all. Heath Farwell, great coach. Outstanding coach, congratulations to the new deal and the new job in Jacksonville,” Neal said. “He taught me a lot or whatever, especially from a guy that been in the NFL. But that's no drop-off there. The staff here did a great job putting those guys together.”
