Top 50 Buffalo Bills
Say what you want about the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990’s.At the end of the day there was only one professional football team that went to the Super Bowl four years in a row, and while they did not win any of them, or an Super Bowls for that matter, the accomplishment of getting there four times consecutively should be celebrated.
The history of the Buffalo Bills dates back to 1960, where they were charter members of the American Football League and were part of the AFL/NFL merger. This list will include AFL accomplishments, and it is forgotten that the Bills were two time AFL Champions (1964 and 1965).
This list is up to the end of the 2015 regular season.
Note: Football lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics and post-season accolades.
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.
One of the most dynamic offensive players in Football, Thurman Thomas was a superstar who incredibly led the National Football League in Yards from Scrimmage four years in a row, a feat almost as incredible his team making the Super Bowl four years in a row!
PRESEASON: LOS ANGELES RAMS AT OAKLAND RAIDERS AT OAKLAND-ALAMEDA COUNTY COLISEUM IN OAKLAND, CA
Aug 10, 2019
Buy your Tickets to see Preseason: Los Angeles Rams at Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA HERE for as little as $18!
PRESEASON: DALLAS COWBOYS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT LEVI'S STADIUM IN SANTA CLARA, CA
Aug 10, 2019
Buy your Tickets to see Preseason: Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA HERE for as little as $34!
PRESEASON: LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT LEVI'S STADIUM IN SANTA CLARA, CA
Aug 29, 2019
Buy your Tickets to see Preseason: Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA HERE for as little as $9!
DENVER BRONCOS AT OAKLAND RAIDERS AT OAKLAND-ALAMEDA COUNTY COLISEUM IN OAKLAND, CA
Sep 09, 2019
Buy your Tickets to see Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA HERE for as little as $105!
Considering how he originally stated he didn’t want to be in Buffalo (he went to the Houston Gamblers of the USFL first), there might be no player in Bills history who is more synonymous with the city than former Quarterback, Jim Kelly.When the USFL folded, Kelly resigned himself to the cold weather, but would become a major star in that…
The Buffalo Bills had the Quarterback (Kelly), the Running Back (Thomas) and to finish off that triumvirate of skill, they had Andre Reed.
While the first three years of O.J. Simpson’s professional career was basically average, he would explode the next five seasons where he would explode for five consecutive First Team All Pro nods as well as four Rushing Titles. One of those titles included becoming the first Running Back in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season.
With the stars that the Buffalo Bills had in the late 80’s and early 90’s, you needed a capable leader of the Offensive Line, which they had in Mississippi State alumni, Kent Hull.
Considered one of the most underrated players (at least in the eyes of his teammates), the acrobatic Darryl Talley is the Buffalo Bills all-time leader in Tackles. Talley would also accumulate 38.5 Sacks and would never miss a game over his twelve seasons in Buffalo.
Fred Smerlas was one of the few shining lights for some awful Buffalo Bills teams and he was there to see the franchise rise. The bruising Nose Tackle would make five Pro Bowls and achieve a high level of popularity in Western New York. He was named a First Team All-Pro in 1982.
A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Joe DaLamielleure had the best years of his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills and was adept at opening holes for O.J. Simpson to plow through. DeLamielleure had five of his six Pro Bowls as a Bill and was a three time First Team All Pro. It was also noted how…
Holding the distinction of being the only member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who never played in the NFL. Shaw was an elite Offensive Lineman who spent his entire career with the Buffalo Bills and would be named to five consecutive First Team All AFL Teams and the All-Time AFL roster. It is very plausible to state that…
Ruben Brown played nine seasons for the Buffalo Bills and secured eight Pro Bowl invitations, a whopping percentage! Brown, who would also be named to another Pro Bowl as a Chicago Bear would start all of his 136 Games Played as a Bill. He would be chosen for the Second Team All Pro roster four times.
A vital part of the Buffalo Bills defense during those four straight Super Bowl appearances, Cornelius Bennett was the AFC Defensive Player of the Year twice and was also a member of the 1990’s All-Decade Team. Bennett would also be a five time Pro Bowl selection.
Mike Stratton is a forgotten piece of Buffalo Bills Football lore, which is unfortunate as he was a dominating Linebacker during the 1960’s who in the 1964 AFL Championship game executed “The Hit Heard Round the World” when he stopped San Diego’s Keith Lincoln and took him out of the contest. That hit changed the momentum of the game, which…
Jack Kemp would actually become more famous for his foray into politics, but in Buffalo he was an exceptional Quarterback who would lead the Bills to two AFL Championships.
The starting Left Guard for the Buffalo Bills during their elite run in the late 80’s and the early 90’s, Jim Rtcher would be named to two Pro Bowls and is one of the few players to suit up for Buffalo for over 200 Games.
A three time Pro Bowl selection with the Buffalo Bills, Eric Moulds would exceed 1,000 Yards receiving in four seasons and would finish second in that category in 1998. He would set a Bills Playoff record in a game against the Miami Dolphins where he had 240 Yards from the air.
Without question, Steve Tasker is the most famous (and best) Special Teams player in Buffalo Bills history. Tasker was not a large man, but an exceptionally hard hitter and was known for forcing fumbles. He was held in such high regard that he would make multiple Pro Bowls and was a Semi-Finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
While Joe Ferguson was never a Pro Bowl selection, he was a long time starter with the Bills and would lead the NFL in Passing Yards in 1977 and Touchdown Passes in 1975. He may have had more picks than TD passes, but many of the top quarterbacks did have that in that era, and this is still one of…
A member of the 1964 and 1965 AFL Championship Teams, Defensive Tackle, Tom Sestak was a master pass rusher and was chosen for the All-Time AFL Team. Sestak would only play for the Buffalo Bills and was a four time AFL All Star.