Among the evergreen storylines around the NFL are stories about a player returning to his hometown or college town for a game with his professional team, especially if it isn’t something that happens all that often.
That’s the case with Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack, who went to the University of Buffalo and will be back in town to face the Bills for the first time since entering the NFL. Mack’s return came up during Raiders coach Jack Del Rio’s meeting with the media on Wednesday, but it wasn’t something Mack felt like discussing.
Matt Schneidman of the San Jose Mercury News reports that Mack was “adamant” when it came to not talking about his return to his collegiate stomping grounds. It’s not the first time he’s resisted such conversations, but there are plenty of on-field topics to discuss when it comes to Mack. Mack helped create a pair of turnovers when the teams met in Oakland last year, something running back LeSean McCoy recalled while discussing the Raiders star.
“We’ve just got to make sure we just know where he’s at at all times, give him the attention that he deserves,” McCoy said, via WIVB. “Last year, we did a good job on him, until that last quarter. He must’ve just, I don’t know, he woke up and just did his thing. Just maintaining [him], he’s going to make plays, he’s a good player. I think the objective is to have the least amount of successful plays for him as possible.”
Mack’s feelings about Buffalo may be under a shroud, but he’ll remain a center of attention when the Raiders defense is on the field Sunday all the same.
