Bills DL Phidarian Mathis positioned for emergence under Jim Leonhard
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Phidarian Mathis was a draft bust. No doubt about it.
The Washington Commanders selected him at No. 47 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft after an illustrious career at Alabama, and he registered 25 tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery in three seasons in the nation’s capitol before being released by the club that drafted him. Actually, he was cut before the end of his third professional campaign.
AdvertisementAdvertisementFollowing a brief stint with the New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills signed Mathis to their practice early in the 2025 campaign… and now he’s positioned to be a key dirty-work piece in Jim Leonhard’s defensive front in Buffalo with a brand-new philosophy.
Why is that?
Well, the answer stems from the reason why Mathis coveted in the 2022 draft.
With the Crimson Tide, under legendary coach Nick Saban, Mathis was outrageously good. But not in the conventional way for a defensive lineman.
He was the No. 7 defensive tackle recruit in the nation in the 2017 high school class and after a redshirt campaign became a vital two-gapping cog on Saban’s defensive lines.
Saban is one of football’s odd-man front coaching titans. Thickness, power, and the ability to stop the run/control blockers in two gaps were staples of the perennially dominant Crimson Tide defensive lines.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn four seasons at Alabama, Mathis missed five tackles. FIVE. He was never a dynamic pass-rushing specialist but wasn’t asked to be, although he did register nine sacks in his final collegiate season. Saban rarely allowed his interior defensive linemen to attack upfield, and even when an electric interior rusher like Quinnen Williams or Christian Barmore came along, Saban always kept a designated rotation of run-stuffing, block-devouring specialists who could play inside or at end in his odd-man base. The foundation of the Crimson Tide defense was its trench players controlling blockers to give the inside and outside linebackers space and freedom to attack.
And Mathis handled those duties as well as anyone during his time in Tuscaloosa.
At 6’4” and 310 pounds with arms nearly 35” long, he has an exquisite defensive-end-in-a-3-4 physique. To handle two gaps and keep 300-plus pounders at bay, legitimate size and power are necessities. Length helps too. Mathis has all of it.
And now, he goes from potential practice squad call-up for the Bills — and not much else — to critical asset in unlocking a schematic transformation under Leonhard’s watchful eye in Buffalo.
AdvertisementAdvertisementMathis was ill-fit to play close to the ball at defensive tackle in McDermott’s scheme. He’s not an explosive, upfield penetrator. That’s what the Bills asked him to be last season on his 120 defensive snaps. Ironically, Mathis began his career with McDermott’s mentor and 4-3, one-gapping advocate Ron Rivera — no wonder the former two-gapping star flopped in Washington.
Mathis is significantly more comfortable at five technique — aligned on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle — where there’s more space to operate and he can contain that blocker from moving to the second level. Mathis will be able to match the size and length of many of the offensive tackles he’ll grapple with in Leonhard’s scheme.
Mathis’ stack-and-shed ability — a necessity for two-gappers if they are to be quality run defenders too — was tremendous in college.
“He really anchors well against double teams. Grows roots and is not easily moved…two-gapping skill is next level,” just a few of the nuggets from my scouting report on Mathis before the 2022 draft.
AdvertisementAdvertisementMathis turned 28 in April. He has had ample time to sculpt an NFL body and add NFL power.
Frankly, he was not effective for the Bills last year. He had 13 tackles and one pressure on those 120 snaps.
But, now, he’s home.
He’s back to the specific role in which he thrived with Saban at Alabama, handling the responsibilities that made him a Top 50 pick.
To date, Mathis has never played 260 snaps in a single season. I expect him to be on the field over 300 snaps for the Bills in 2026.
And I expect Mathis to erase his draft-bust label finally playing in the proper defensive scheme to highlight his skills.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
