Plane crashes in Buffalo Bills OL Dion Dawkins’ yard 

Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins missed practice on Thursday after a small plane crashed in his yard, per TMZ Sports. The plane crashed in Aurora, New York around 11:22 am local time.

Authorities said a single-engine aircraft went down after experiencing mechanical issues. After the plane landed, it was engulfed in flames. Neither Dawkins nor anyone else in the area of the wreck was injured, but the person in the plane died. Notably, Dawkins told reporters that he does not live in the house, as he owns several properties in Western New York.

Officials said the plane was flying from Lansing, Michigan to White Plains, New York. The National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday it has launched an investigation into the matter. The Bills excused Dawkins from practice once they learned about the situation.

Dawkins was reportedly at the facility when he learned of the accident and offered his condolences for the family of the pilot.

Dawkins, 30, has been with the Bills since the team drafted him in the second round in 2017. He has been named to the Pro Bowl for the last three seasons and has helped the team clinch the AFC East this year. In March, Dawkins signed a three-year contract extension with the Bills.

Dion Dawkins is a star in the NFL

“I don’t want to be like one of those guys to walk away from greatness and to walk away because, oh, there’s palm trees,” Dawkins said after signing his new contract, per the Bills’ official website. “Buffalo is Buffalo. I love it, the freakin’ snow, the wings, the table jumps. … I can’t see myself starting over with somebody else.”

Dawkins also praised Bills head coach Sean McDermott. “Like my head coach just jumped on a Zoom call when he could be chilling with his family just to say a couple things and to put a smile on my face,” Dawkins said. “It’s those little wins that the coaches and the people here go beyond to do that make it special. … He’s a good man at heart and that’s all I could ask for.”