Buffalo wide receiver Khalil Shakir welcomed a baby into the world with his wife Sayler just a few days before the Bills face the Texans during Thursday Night Football on Prime Video
23:02 ET, 19 Nov 2025Updated 23:07 ET, 19 Nov 2025
Khalil Shakir warms up before Bills-Panthers
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Khalil Shakir is a new father
Buffalo wide receiver Khalil Shakir became a father just a few days before the Bills take the field for Thursday Night Football against the Houston Texans on Prime Video.
Shakir and his wife Sayler welcomed their child Sunny Haven Shakir and announced the news on Instagram in a post that earned reactions from Bills players, their partners, and the team's fan base. The timing came after the WR missed time on the field this season due to ankle and rib injuries.
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Sayler shared the message “You are oh so loved already,” with Khalil responding with heart emojis. It drew comments from Hillary Trubisky, the wife of backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Mitchell was one of the players to recently congratulate Baker Mayfield on his newest child.
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Bills safety Jordan Poyer's wife, Rachel Bush, and reporter Maddy Glab also joined in on the compliments.
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Shakir's absence from practice was listed on the injury report on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, though the team never officially ruled him out. Buffalo entered the week with only three confirmed inactives for Thursday's game, including Mecole Hardman Jr., Dalton Kincaid, and Curtis Samuel, while defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis remained questionable.
The Bills remain thin at wide receiver with three pass catchers out, making Shakir's availability even more crucial as a short-week decision.
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The birth announcement arrived on the same day the Bills revealed that Allen had been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the seventeenth time in his career. He earned the honor after a performance against Tampa Bay that included three passing and three rushing touchdowns, tying Cam Newton for the most career rushing scores by a quarterback.
Allen also surpassed Peyton Manning for the most passing touchdowns by age 30 with his 290th. His six-touchdown showing lifted the Bills to a 44-32 win days before heading into another primetime slot.
Khalil Shakir, James Cook III, and Josh Allen walk off the field
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Shakir is active for the Buffalo Bills-Houston Texans
Shakir has held a steady role in Buffalo's offense this season with 46 receptions for 454 yards and three touchdowns through the first stretch of the 2025 season.
His numbers place him in the top half of the league across multiple receiving metrics, including ranking tied for thirtieth in total catches and tied for forty-ninth in touchdowns.
His yards-after-catch mark of 7.9 per reception highlights his ability to extend plays in space. Shakir's 101.6 passer rating when targeted shows how frequently he rewards Allen's trust in timing routes and quick-break concepts.
Keon Coleman helps Khalil Shakir after being tackled
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Shakir leads all Bills in WR yards with 454
The Bills extended Shakir on a four-year contract worth up to $60.2 million after a career-best 821 yards and four TDs last year. Buffalo (7-3) aims to stay in the race behind New England (9-2) in the AFC East, trailing the Patriots by two games.
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The Bills have won the division consecutively since 2020.