Sunday's game against the Dolphins will be a homecoming of sorts for a handful of the Bills players with most of them having ties to the Miami/South Florida area. For rookie Greg Rousseau, this game means much more to him.
Rousseau was born in Coconut Creek, Florida which is 24 miles north of Hard Rock Stadium – where the Dolphins currently play. Rousseau then attended the University of Miami where he played his home games in Hard Rock Stadium. Four of his 15.5 sacks that Rousseau had during his 2019 collegiate season took place in Hard Rock. The Bills rookie pass rusher is looking forward to heading back to a place that he has many fond memories of.
"It's super exciting," Rousseau told the media after practice. "Being back at the Hard Rock, it's gonna be a lot of fun. All of my family's going to be able to come so I'm looking forward to it for sure."
Scroll to see photos of the Bills as they prepare for the Week 2 game in Miami.
Mario Addison (97). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott does pushups after fielding punts at the conclusion of practice. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jerry Hughes (55). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Efe Obada (93). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Eric Washington, Greg Rousseau (50). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Eric Washington, Brandin Bryant (90). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Brandin Bryant (90). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (19). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jake Kumerow (15). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jordan Poyer (21). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17), Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Mario Addison (97). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17), Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17), Gabriel Davis (13). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Cody Ford (74). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dion Dawkins (73). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dion Dawkins (73), Cody Ford (74), Daryl Williams (75) (and Dane Jackson (30). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tommy Doyle (72). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Harrison Phillips (99). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dion Dawkins (73), Daryl Williams (75), Cody Ford (74), Mitch Morse (60). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Micah Hyde (23). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Matt Milano (58). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jordan Poyer (21). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Levi Wallace (39). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Mitchell Trubisky (10). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Matt Breida (22). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tre'Davious White (27). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jordan Poyer (21). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tre'Davious White (27), Levi Wallace (39). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Gabriel Davis (13). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott fields punts at the conclusion of practice. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott fields punts at the conclusion of practice. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott celebrates after fielding punts at the conclusion of practice. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott celebrates after fielding punts at the conclusion of practice. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott celebrates after fielding punts at the conclusion of practice. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (19) reacts as Sean McDermott fields punts at the conclusion of practice. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 16, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Rousseau noted that around 12-13 members of his family will be in attendance to watch his first game back in Miami, and his second-career game as a pro. Sunday will mark 670 days in between his last college game played at Hard Rock Stadium and his first game back as a pro. His last game was on November 9, 2019, and it was a 52-27 route over the Louisville Cardinals and Rousseau had one pass break up and one QB hurry.
The 2019 season is what put Rousseau on a lot of team's draft boards this past spring after having 54 total tackles, 19.5 TFL, 15.5 sacks, one PBU, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. That was Rousseau's redshirt freshman season in which he won ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and trailed Chase Young by one sack for the most in the nation.
Rousseau opted out of the 2020 colligate season due to Covid-19. His absence on the team opening the door for Rousseau's former college teammate and current Miami Dolphin Jaelan Phillips. Rousseau and Phillips are good friends, and they became the first defensive ends from the same school to both be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2006. Rousseau said that he'll most likely get in contact with Phillips at some point before Sunday's game, and both rookies are ready for the reunion down in the Sunshine State.
"We're both looking forward to it," Rousseau stated. "It's going to be great to see him again. I haven't seen him in a minute, so it's going to be fun."
