Kaiir Elam reveals feeling about playing in Buffalo, cold weather
Instead of playing football in 80 degree weather this December in Gainesville for the Florida Gators, Kaiir Elam will be playing it on top of seven feet of snow in Buffalo after being drafted by the Bills in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Elam, a Florida native, seems to think that will be the least of his worries this season.
“I played in some cold games,” Elam assured. “I’m definitely excited to play in cold weather. I’m ready to embrace any challenge the NFL throws at me and I just feel like it’s another stepping stone for me growing as a man. Being able to adjust to adversity. I’m really confident that I could do it, and do it at a high level.”
Does weather really matter? After all, football is football and is played the same way no matter the conditions. That seems to be the way Elam is going about the major move up the east coast. In fact, he knew Buffalo was the place he wanted to be when he visited the team during a pre-draft visit.
“I just felt something special,” Elam said about his draft process with Buffalo. “As soon as I got off the plane [during my pre-draft visit], there was just something special about Buffalo. I could see myself, envision myself here and making a lot of plays and that’s something that I’m going to strive to do.
“Everything happens for a reason. It was God’s plan for me to be here, so I’m just trying to take my talent and run with it.”
The former Florida star said that when he arrived in town for the first time following the draft, it was like a breath of fresh, relieving air, comparing it to the feeling of coming home and plopping yourself down on the bed before taking your shoes off.
Elam made a name for himself early on during his tenure at Florida, notching with three interceptions as a true freshman. Elam would go on to start all 12 games in 2020 and posted a team-high 11 pass breakups, along with 39 tackles and two interceptions.
His 2020 season earned him first-team All-SEC honors from the SEC coaches. In 2021, Elam missed three games with a knee injury, but recorded 29 tackles, one interception and five pass breakups in the ten games he was given the starting nod.
“It’s not college anymore where teams are recruiting you to go to their school, like you’re basically trying to promote yourself,” Elam said about taking his future into his own hands in Buffalo. “I felt relieved when I got off the plane. I felt at home and I really believe that something special is going to happen.”