Print this page

1. Bruce Smith

This page generously sponsored by: Nobody yet! Sponsor it on Patreon to be the first name on this list!
1. Bruce Smith
Bruce Smith was the first overall Draft Pick of 1985 and he did not disappoint the fans of the Buffalo Bills.  Smith would become the leader of the Bills defense for years and would emerge as the most dominating Quarterback destroyer in history amassing 200 Quarterback Sacks (171 with Buffalo) and is the all-time leader in that category.
Smith would be a nine-time First Team All-Pro and was named to both the 1980’s and 1990’s All-Decade Team.  Twice the Defensive Player of the Year, the only thing that Bruce Smith didn’t win was a Super Bowl Ring, but he certainly did everything he could to put the Bills in contention to win one.  The Bills may have always been thought of in terms of the K-Gun Offense and its three stars but it was Bruce Smith who was their best player.

The defensive superstar entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009, and was also named to the NFL 100th Anniversary Team.  The Bills also retired his number 78 in 2016, fittingly making him the first to earn that accolade in franchise history.  This occured eight years after he was placed on their Wall of Fame.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Defensive End
  • Acquired: Drafted in the 1st Round, 1st Pick, 4/30/85.
  • Departed: Waived at the end of the 1999 season.
  • Games Played: 217
  • Notable Statistics: 213 Games Started
    2 Interceptions
    171 Quarterback Sacks
    35 Forced Fumbles
    14 Fumble Recoveries
    33 Fumble Recovery Yards
    1 Fumble Recovery Touchdown
    1,054 Combined Tackles
    294 Solo Tackles*
    112 Assisted Tackles*
    5 Tackles for Loss**
    1 Rushing Attempt
    0 Rushing Yards
    201 Approximate Value

    20 Playoff Games
    14.5 Quarterback Sacks
    102 Combined Tackles
    13 Solo Tackles*
    1 Assisted Tackle*
    2 Tackles for Loss**

    *Solo Tackles and Assisted Tackled were not official stats until the 1994 Season.
    **Tackles for Loss were not an official stat until the 1999 Season.
  • Major Accolades and Awards: AP Defensive Player of the Year (1990 & 1996)
    PFWA Defensive Player of the Year (1993 & 1996)
    UPI Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1988, 1990 & 1996)
    First Team All Pro (1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 & 1997)
    Second Team All Pro (1989 & 2010)
    Pro Bowl (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 & 1997)
    Highest Approximate Value (1996)
    Most Forced Fumbles (1994 & 1996)
Last modified on Tuesday, 31 May 2022 02:50
Tagged under

Comments powered by CComment