PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) - LeSean McCoy had no doubts he’d be allowed to report for the start of Bills training camp after the running back was accused of bloodying his ex-girlfriend two weeks ago.
And McCoy on Thursday also said he’s confident he’ll be playing in Buffalo’s season opener at Baltimore on Sept. 9.
“I’m here right now, so I feel very confident,” McCoy said about an hour before the Bills opened training camp in suburban Rochester.
The comments were the first McCoy has made publicly since being accused of playing a role in his ex-girlfriend being injured during a home invasion at a house McCoy owns in the Atlanta suburbs.
No charges have been filed.
McCoy previously denied any involvement in the home invasion and other allegations posted on social media by a woman who appeared to be a friend of his ex-girlfriend.
McCoy on Thursday addressed the allegations just once in answering the first question during a near nine-minute news conference by saying: “It’s an active investigation and I’ll leave it at that.”
He then repeatedly deflected other questions on what happened by saying he’s solely focused on being ready for training camp and the upcoming season.
“Right now, my main focus is here on my teammates, my team, trying to build together in camp to reach our goal together, and that’s a championship,” McCoy said.
“I don’t want to let things distract me or get in the way of that, because I’d be cheating my teammates,” he said. “I came here focused for camp and just ready to play, ready to roll.”
General manager Brandon Beane said the team has done what he called its due diligence on the allegations and is satisfied by the conversations he’s had with the NFL, which is holding its own investigation.
“We feel comfortable that LeSean’s going to be here and ready to roll,” Beane said. “We don’t see that changing.”
Coach Sean McDermott also backed McCoy.
“It’s a situation that we take very seriously because of the nature of the situation,” McDermott said. “That said, as Brandon mentioned, we’ve done our part, looked into what we need to look into and, as an organization, feel that we can move forward at this point in time.”
Court records show McCoy has been attempting to evict his former girlfriend, 34-year-old Delicia Cordon, for the past year. Police records show officers had previously been called to the home twice, but no violence was reported.
During the home invasion, a man entered the home around 3 a.m. on July 11, and demanded specific pieces of jewelry McCoy had given to Cordon and that he had asked her to give back many times.
Veteran linebacker Lorenzo Alexander called the allegations a private matter and said McCoy didn’t have to address anything with the team.
“He’ll continue to handle that and we’ll uplift him and support him in any way we can,” Alexander said following practice.
“Obviously, we feel for the victim as well. You never want to see anybody in those situations. So hopefully everything is found out and handled in a well manner,” he added. “But this won’t be a distraction for anybody in the locker room.”
McCoy said the team has been supportive, in noting he had a lengthy conversation with Beane and McDermott upon reporting to camp Wednesday.
“They’re backing me 110 percent,” he said. “We’re moving forward.”
McCoy spent much of the past six weeks working out in southern Florida with several NFL players, including Miami Dolphins running back Frank Gore.
He said he’s lost about 13 pounds after weighing 225 a few months ago.
McCoy is entering his 10th NFL season and fourth with Buffalo since being acquired by the Bills in a trade with Philadelphia.
Now 30 years old, McCoy is coming off a season in which he had 1,138 yards rushing, and 1,586 yards from scrimmage (including 448 receiving) for the fifth-best totals of his career.
McCoy ranks third among active running backs and 29th overall with 10,092 yards rushing.
NOTES: The Bills signed free agent DT John Hughes to a one-year contract. Hughes has six years of NFL experience including spending last season with New Orleans, where he played eight games before sustaining a season-ending injury to his elbow. He spent his first four-plus seasons with Cleveland and has 10 starts in 66 games. … Beane declined to provide a timetable on when WR Zay Jones will be cleared for practice after having knee surgery in May. Jones opened camp on the active/non-football injury list. Beane said the team is being cautious to avoid any setback after the second-year player missed all of the team’s spring practices.
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