Ted "Mt. Washington" joined the Buffalo Bills as an unrestricted free agent in 1995, following periods with San Francisco and Denver. He arrived in Western New York as a formidable presence. At 6 feet 5 inches and over 365 pounds, Washington was the key pillar of Buffalo's 3-4 defense, delivering the most outstanding and commanding phase of his 17-year NFL career.

At his size, Washington redefined what it meant to play nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme. Lined up head-up over the center, he was virtually impossible to move with a single block, regularly absorbing double and triple teams without giving up an inch of ground. His ability to reset the line of scrimmage inside allowed pass rushers like Bruce Smith to operate on the edges, while leaving linebackers clean to flow freely and make plays in the run game.

Although nose tackles generally don't achieve flashy stats, Washington consistently contributed in the box score during his six seasons in Buffalo. Partnering with Pat Williams to create the well-known interior duo called "The Package," Washington led a run defense that consistently ranked as one of the AFC's toughest to face.

His peak came in the late 1990s, when he earned three Pro Bowl selections (1996, 1997, and 2000) and was named Second-Team All-Pro in 1997. Despite his large physique, Washington showed impressive durability and ability to collapse the pocket, missing no games throughout his time with the Bills.

After the 2000 season, the Bills faced a significant salary-cap crisis. Washington was released in March 2001 after refusing a second restructuring pay cut. He then signed with the Chicago Bears, earning a First-Team All-Pro honor and eventually winning Super Bowl XXXVIII with the New England Patriots before retiring in 2007.

In Buffalo, Washington played and started in 96 regular-season games, recorded 378 combined tackles and 19.5 sacks.