This was the sort of transaction that few people probably even noticed. Two weeks ago, linebacker Tyrel Dodson re-signed with the Buffalo Bills as an exclusive rights free agent. Most people outside of Western New York may not know who Dodson is — hell, maybe they’re still discovering him in WNY — but he plans on changing that in 2022.

Undrafted out of Texas A&M, Dodson originally signed with the Bills in 2019 and has developed into one of the team’s core special teams players. The last two seasons, he played 416 snaps on special teams with 250 on defense. We’ve seen countless playmaking linebackers across the league cut their teeth on special teams before getting their shot.

Dodson plans on being the next. The Bills could use him, too.

We talked football, life and everything in-between for nearly an hour.

As you’ll learn, a gritty upbringing in Franklin, Tenn., made Dodson who he is today. Many lessons were learned from his mother and grandmother and, holy, he could’ve easily sifted into the streets as a teen. Now, Dodson is banking on his undrafted mentality being the difference this upcoming season — it’s a perspective that certainly has roots. Dodson is on Twitter at @tdots25, and is quite an entertaining follow. The next time it’s sub-zero in Orchard Park, chances are, he’ll pop the shirt off again, too. That earned him a cool $500 before Buffalo’s wild card win over New England.

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