Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus got some tragic news this week when he learned his younger brother had been shot to death in Pelham, Alabama on Sunday.
Simeon Gilmore and two other men were allegedly killed by Jon Staggs, who has been arrested and faces capital murder charges. Dareus left the team to be with his family and obviously missed practice on Wednesday as a result.
Coach Chan Gailey passed along the team’s condolences to Dareus and his family during his press conference on Wednesday, something all of us at PFT do as well. Things eventually moved back to football and Gailey was asked if Dareus would be back in time for this week’s game against the Chiefs. Gailey thinks Dareus will be with the team for the game.
“I talked to him this morning,” Gailey said, via Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 in Buffalo. “I think he’ll be back for Sunday’s game, whether it’s tonight, tomorrow or the next day I don’t know. But I think he’ll be here for this week. He wants to be back.”
While the Bills certainly need Dareus in the lineup for their defense to be at its best, he needs to make sure his head is in the right place for a game. That’s a decision only he can make and there’s not a right one in the wake of losing a brother.