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Why Buffalo is the perfect landing spot for rookie punter Tommy Doman Jr.

Rookie Minicamp, May 08, 2026 at the Kaleida Health Performance Center.
Rookie Minicamp, May 08, 2026 at the Kaleida Health Performance Center.

With their second-to-last pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bills selected a punter who dreamed about what playing for Buffalo would be like. That dream became a reality when Tommy Doman Jr. saw a Buffalo area code flash across his phone.

"I was itching to pick the phone up when I saw it was a Buffalo number," Doman said of draft night.

Rookie Contract Signing, May 07, 2026 at the Kaleida Health Performance Center.

Doman's a Michigan native, so he wasn't born into the Bills Mafia lifestyle. But he does know all about a blue-collar work ethic. It's that type of mentality that's helped earn him a chance to compete on an NFL roster.

The newest punter's affinity with Buffalo started in high school. Doman would drive from Michigan to Buffalo to train with his kicking coach, Adam Tanalski of Hammer Kicking Academy, during his high school years.

"I would drive across from Canada to visit my coach for training sessions," Doman said reflecting on the past. "During the pre-draft process, me and a couple other top guys in the draft class came up to Buffalo. Adam and his staff helped us learn about what it takes to be an NFL punter."

During the month and a half that Doman spent in the land of Bills Mafia, he got acquainted with the area, local establishments and lifestyle. All that was left out was a Sabres game.

"We wanted to go see a Sabres game so badly, but they were always on the road when we were free," Doman said hoping to catch a playoff game when he gets to Buffalo. "We watched the Bills-Jaguars and Bills-Broncos playoff games at some local bars. I definitely understand the Mafia part of the Bills fanbase after that. I've even been to Wegmans too, so I get the hype.

"I've even experienced all the snow already. You drive through the lake effect snow, and you're like, 'Wow this is different.'"

Even though he didn't get "Buffalo snow" growing up in Michigan, it's not different enough to scare Doman off.

In addition to checking out Wegmans, Doman also saw Buffalo's new Crown Jewel.

"Obviously if you're in Buffalo, you want to see the Bills' new stadium," Doman exclaimed. "So, we drove by and were like, 'Wow. This is going to be one heck of an atmosphere.' I definitely thought about how cool it would be to play there."

Doman doesn't have to do any more thinking because being a Bill is now his reality. He's juiced up to welcome the lifestyle and call Buffalo home.

"I am so fired up. The first thing I thought about was, I was kind of laughing a little bit, I don't know how much Josh Allen really needs me to play," Doman said of his quarterback's scoring antics. "I was like, 'Wow, a team that is an offensive Juggernaut, and then always in title contention.' And they think that I can help them win even more, that was just the biggest compliment I could ever receive."

The Bills believe Doman is worthy of competing for a roster spot because of his versatility, strength and familiarity punting in cold weather. The newest Bill has experience punting, holding and kicking.

"I was a kicker and kickoff guy at Michigan as the backup but also did it in high school. So, I've been doing all three for a long time," Doman said. "I describe it as the golf bug. I love that feeling of a great field goal, punt, kickoff, and seeing the ball fly. You just become addicted to every little piece that helps you get that feeling again and again."

Doman's got the special teams bug and is insanely committed to his craft. The punter averaged 44 yards per punt at Florida last season and downed 17 inside the 20. His career-average is 43.6.

"My preparation and my athleticism, I think, are the two things that make me stand out," Doman shared. "I'm very athletic and believe in my ability. I think the different things that I do are in the weight room, my field work, and my routine. Everything is built around being the best punter I can be.

"I'm just absolutely obsessed with everything special teams."

That obsession comes through loud and clear when you get a chance to talk to Doman. He wants to understand every little detail of the game and also ace the test when his name is called.

"It comes from a fire within to be the best punter I can be," Doman said of his love for the game. "Having a big glossary of kicking knowledge helps me adjust from one punt to the next. I don't want to be dumbfounded with something that I'm doing and have multiple bad reps. I want to have a lot of knowledge so I can diagnose what's going on, make the adjustment and move onto the next one."

When it comes to hangtime, Doman has that diagnosed and figured out. He led the FBS in hang time last season at an average of 4.52 seconds.

"I'm blessed to be close to 6'5, so having a longer lever makes it easier," Doman said of nailing hang time in 2025. "It's mainly leg speed and ball contact. If you're leg's moving fast, and then you connect on the hard part of your foot, on the belly of the ball, you can press the ball, and it just pops off your foot."

It may seem simple, but Doman's taken years to work at his craft and get it to a level where it's NFL ready. Another area that Doman's put a lot of time and effort into is feeling comfortable punting in cold weather. For the Michigan native, it's not just the temperature, it's having a deep understanding of the situation and conditions.

"I'm from up north, so I know how it is. It's about understanding what's the most effective play," Doman explained. "If you're trying to be Superman and pull out these big punts, they'll get eaten up in the wind. There are so many things you can subtly tweak and do to put your ego aside. It's about being directionally sound, making sure you understand the temperature and wind."

Doman's blue-collar work ethic and mental strength come from how he was raised. His father, Tommy, was a colonel in the United States Marine Corps. Seeing how hard his dad worked and the sacrifices he made along the way, inspires Doman to grind at a high level. The punter is also motivated by the fact that his dad played football in college.

"He worked hard in the military for 29 years," Doman said. "The fact that I have the opportunity to play football for a living, after all the sacrifices him and my mom have made for me, you're never going to have a bad day if you're just trying to figure out how to punt a football. I know my dad would do anything to have this type of opportunity because he was a middle linebacker at Navy and a long snapper as well."

The Michigan-turned-Florida punter is taking this new opportunity and running with it. He plans to use his special-teams obsession, versatility, work ethic and mental strength to do whatever it takes to earn a roster spot.

"Going to a team that is built to win now, it was just like, 'Wow, I get to be part of something so special,'" Doman shared. "I'm going to work hard to make sure everything I'm doing is to be the best punter I can be for the Buffalo Bills."

Scroll to view the best photos of the Buffalo Bills 2026 Draft Picks and UDFA's as they participate in Rookie Minicamp.

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