Unsigned out of Division III Coe College in 2003, Fred Jackson took the hardest possible road to the NFL, starring in indoor football and grinding through NFL Europe with the Rhein Fire before finally catching on with the Buffalo Bills' practice squad. Making his NFL debut as a 26-year-old rookie in 2007, Jackson defied conventional career arcs to become one of the most productive and beloved running backs in modern franchise history.

Jackson exhibited a composed running style, superior vision, and remarkable resilience in pass protection. Predominantly operating from single-back and I-formation formations, his paramount characteristic was his versatility; he maneuvered with a low center-of-gravity advantage between the tackles while functioning as a natural, highly dependable receiver and an assertive contributor on special teams.

Jackson solidified his legacy within the NFL during the 2009 season. Establishing himself as Buffalo's primary offensive contributor, he accumulated 1,062 rushing yards and undertook kick-return responsibilities, amassing 1,014 kickoff return yards. Consequently, he became the inaugural player in NFL history to achieve 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 kickoff return yards within a single season. He concluded the year as the NFL's leading all-purpose yardage holder with an impressive total of 2,516 yards, thus earning the team's Most Valuable Player award.

Despite sharing backfields with players such as Marshawn Lynch and C.J. Spiller throughout his career, Jackson consistently exceeded expectations. He surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage on five occasions in Buffalo (2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014). His most productive rushing period occurred in 2011, when he averaged 5.5 yards per carry and accumulated 934 rushing yards over just 10 games before a leg injury prematurely ended what was on track to be an All-Pro season.

After eight seasons with the Bills (2007–2014) and a final year in Seattle, Jackson retired, having played 122 games (61 starts) with 5,746 rushing yards, 2,897 receiving yards, 1,014 return yards, and 39 touchdowns.

Jim Dunaway, selected ninth overall in the second round of the 1963 AFL Draft from Ole Miss—where he was a consensus All-American and national champion—joined Western New York as a highly regarded interior lineman. Playing next to Tom Sestak, Dunaway quickly proved himself to be a powerful, relentless tackle who contributed to one of the most formidable defensive fronts in professional football history.

Dunaway had remarkable strength and lateral agility for his time. Playing as a left defensive tackle, he was adept at filling A-gaps, overpowering offensive guards, and disrupting running plays early. His skill in resetting the line made it hard for opponents to set up an inside run, and his strength in collapsing the pocket often pressured quarterbacks into hurried throws.

Dunaway was a central force behind Buffalo's dominance in the mid-1960s, helping lead the franchise to consecutive AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965. He was a core member of the legendary Bills front seven, which set an All-Pro football record by holding opposing ball-carriers to zero rushing touchdowns for 17 consecutive games across the 1964 and 1965 seasons.

During his peak, Dunaway received four consecutive AFL All-Star selections (1965–1968) and was honored as a First-Team All-AFL selection in 1966. His interior presence enabled Buffalo's defense to maintain a consistently leading position in the league concerning points and yards allowed during the AFL's prosperous years.

Following nine seasons in Western New York (1963–1971) and accumulating 126 regular-season appearances with the Bills, Dunaway's tenure concluded prior to the 1972 season when he was released by Buffalo. He was promptly acquired by division rival Miami, where he spent his final NFL season as a primary rotational tackle on the undefeated 1972 Dolphins team that secured victory in Super Bowl VII.

With the Bills, Dunaway played 126 regular-season games (114 starts), won 2 AFL Championships, earned 4 AFL All-Star selections, 1 First-Team All-AFL honor, and recorded 22.5 unofficial sacks along with 12 fumble recoveries.

Drafted out of Penn State in 1961, Stewart "Stew" Barber originally signed with Buffalo as a linebacker. It didn't take long for head coach Lou Saban to realize Barber's potential on offense, shifting him to the trenches, where he became the primary architect of the team's pass protection and edge blocking for nearly a decade.

Barber possessed a rare blend of linebacker agility and trench-warfare strength. Settling in at left tackle, he excelled at setting wide, immovable bases against the league's fastest pass rushers, keeping the pocket clean for Jack Kemp. In the run game, his athletic mobility allowed him to seal off defensive ends on the perimeter, creating massive cutback lanes for heavy-hitting backs like Cookie Gilchrist.

Barber locked down the left tackle spot in 1962, earning his first career AFL All-Star selection during a season that saw Buffalo introduce its high-powered offensive attack.

His prime coincided directly with Buffalo's back-to-back AFL Championship runs in 1964 and 1965. Barber was named a First-Team All-AFL selection in 1964 after leading an offensive line that paved the way for Cookie Gilchrist and captured the franchise's first league title. He backed that up in 1965 with his second First-Team All-AFL nod, keeping Jack Kemp protected through a 23–0 championship shutout of San Diego.

Barber remained a model of elite performance, racking up five total AFL All-Star selections (1962, 1964–1967) and adding a Second-Team All-AFL honor in 1966.

Spending his entire nine-year professional career (1961–1969) exclusively with the Bills, Barber played in 122 regular-season games, anchoring the line through the greatest decade in the organization's early history before retiring on the eve of the AFL-NFL merger. In 1998, the organization recognized his contributions to their early dynasty by inducting Barber into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame.