Guardian of the gridiron

Bills edge rusher Rousseau shows Groot-like’ growth in three-sack opener

- JOHN WAWROW

Greg Rousseau was apprehensive entering his redshirt freshman college season in 2019, because he didn’t know what to make of hearing then-Miami Hurricanes defensive co-ordinator Blake Baker start calling him “Groot.”

The reference to the Marvel Comics treelike character with spiky hair and long-limbed arms was foreign to the then-19-year-old defensive end, even though the resemblance is apparent to this day. The Bills edge rusher has maintained his spiky hairstyle, and carries himself with a substantial wingspan to accompany his six-foot-six, 266pound frame.

“I was never self-conscious about my size. I just hadn’t watched the movie ‘The Guardians of The Galaxy,” so I didn’t know what that was,” Rousseau said on Tuesday as Buffalo prepared to play at Miami on Thursday night. “And then I watched it. Pretty good movie and I liked the character. He’s pretty cool.”

He quickly warmed to the nickname when teammates and fans started chanting “Grooooooooot!” during a season he finished with an ACC-leading 151⁄2 sacks.

Selected 30th in the 2021 draft after opting out the previous year for COVID-19 reasons, Rousseau spent his first three seasons in Buffalo flashing his potential but he was knocked for lacking consistency as he combined for 17 sacks in 46 games.