The Buffalo Bills released outside linebacker Mike Danna on Monday as part of a series of roster moves before their Monday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, via the NFL transaction wire.
The two-time Super Bowl champion’s tenure in Buffalo lasted just one regular-season appearance after he signed a one-year contract in May.
Danna, 28, joined the Bills following six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he appeared in 87 games with 49 starts, recorded 21.5 sacks, 194 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, roughly 51-52 quarterback hits, and six forced fumbles while winning Super Bowls LVII and LVIII.
A fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, he played college football at Central Michigan (where he earned first-team All-MAC honors) before transferring to Michigan for a graduate season.
In Buffalo, Danna made the initial 53-man roster but saw extremely limited action. He played nine defensive snaps in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions after defensive tackle Ed Oliver suffered a hip injury during pregame warmups.
That proved to be his only appearance; his sole statistical contribution was one quarterback hit. By the time of his release, he had zero tackles and zero sacks in a Bills uniform.
The move created a roster spot for cornerback Anthony Kendall, who was signed from the practice squad to the active roster.
The Bills also elevated defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis and wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. from the practice squad for the Rams game. The secondary has been dealing with injuries, including nickel corner Dee Alford, who was listed as questionable with an ankle issue.
Danna had been brought in to provide veteran depth at outside linebacker as the Bills transitioned to a 3-4 defensive scheme under head coach Joe Brady and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
He was expected to compete behind starters Greg Rousseau and free-agent addition Bradley Chubb, with second-round pick T.J. Parker also in the mix. His one-year deal carried a modest cap hit of roughly $1.27 million.
The Bills entered Monday’s game at 3-1 and first in the AFC East.
Danna becomes an unrestricted free agent and is likely to draw interest elsewhere given his playoff experience and production in Kansas City, where he occasionally made notable contributions against Buffalo, including a strip-sack of Josh Allen in the 2024 AFC Championship Game.
For a veteran with Super Bowl pedigree, the Bills stint was brief and largely unproductive—an outcome that underscores the tight competition and injury-driven roster shuffling common across the NFL.
Danna’s next opportunity will come quickly as teams continue to fill out depth charts midseason.
