Bills backup had RV packed for vacation. He canceled to rejoin team for playoff win

Orchard Park, N.Y. — A.J. Klein had his RV packed and was ready to set out for Key West on a family vacation last week when he received a text message from Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane.

Klein had been on the couch for five weeks after the Bills cut him on Dec. 10 to make room for tight end Dawson Knox, who was returning from injured reserve. But after linebacker Tyrel Dodson suffered a shoulder injury in the regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins, Beane wanted to see if Klein would be open to rejoining the team’s practice squad.

After convincing his family to cancel their vacation, Klein told the Bills yes. He jumped on a plane last Wednesday to Buffalo, practiced on Thursday and Friday, and then suited up for the Bills in their Wild Card playoff game against the Steelers.

The Bills were lucky to have Klein, who entered the game in the third quarter after starting middle linebacker Terrel Bernard was carted off the field with an ankle injury. Klein played the rest of the game in his place and finished with a team-high 11 tackles.

“At this point, who doesn’t want to be in the playoffs?” Klein said. “I always say you gotta get your feet wet. The first few plays obviously weren’t great. But knocked the rust off and it’s like riding a bike.”

Bills coach Sean McDermott joked that Klein was like Clark Griswold from the famous Vacation movie series, set to take off for an exciting vacation with his family.

“We stopped him, I think, just short of WallyWorld,” McDermott said with a smile. “And he came back and he put the uniform on and had to go out there and play. I think that’s pretty special right there. So I applaud A.J. for that and pretty remarkable. I should applaud his family as well.”

McDermott said after the game that Klein was thinking about retirement when he left the team in early December. Klein thought he may have reached the end of the line with the Bills when he was released.

“I’m the kind of guy that’s always said whatever you need me to do, I’ll come back,” he said. “If you want me, great. And if not, I understand. When they let me go a few weeks ago ... think it was before the Kansas City game and said that I was gonna get released so they can bring Dawson back. I said, hey, no hard feelings. I completely understand. I’d been inactive a few games before that so you just kind of got to roll with the punches at this point in my career.”

The five weeks between when Klein was released and signed back with the Bills gave the former Saints and Panthers linebacker something he hasn’t had in more than a decade -- Christmas with his family.

While the Bills were rattling off five straight wins and entering the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the NFL, Klein was spending invaluable time with his wife and children.

“Being home at Christmas time with my family was fantastic,” he said. “To wake up and see my kids on Christmas morning - I haven’t had that in 14 years - ever since college. So it was nice. I’m not gonna lie. I was able to go back to my hometown and see my extended family as well. I was enjoying my time but when the opportunity came back and they threw the lure out to me, I took it.”

Bernard reportedly suffered a sprained ankle against the Steelers and backup linebacker Baylon Spector, who had started in place of Dodson against Pittsburgh, left the game with a back injury. Klein led the Bills with 11 tackles in relief and he’ll likely remain in the lineup next week against the Chiefs, considering how banged up the Bills are at the position.

Klein said he’s comfortable in McDermott’s defense. He’s played in it the past few seasons in Buffalo and also backed up Luke Kuechly when McDermott was the defensive coordinator in Carolina.

“I can play both positions (middle and outside linebacker) and I’ve always been a person, if you need me to run down on kickoff or punt or kickoff return, whatever it is, I’ll do it,” he said. “I hope (Bernard) - whatever he has, it’s not as bad as whatever it looked on the field. We want him back. But if they need me to go, I’ll be ready.”

McDermott said the Bills are fortunate to get Klein back and said everything happens for a reason.

“Yeah, only AJ. His career, getting drafted where he was drafted in terms of the round he was drafted in. He’s always believed in himself,” McDermott said. “To basically say goodbye to him a few weeks ago, maybe a month it was? My timeline may not be accurate on that, but then to call him and say now you know that retirement thing he was talking about or you were talking about? Let’s put that off a little bit here.”

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