188 Fun Facts About Buffalo Bills

The Bills began play in 1960 as a charter member of which upstart rival to the NFL?

The Bills were a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960 and joined the NFL in the 1970 merger; the name honored an earlier AAFC Buffalo Bills team named for Buffalo Bill Cody.

The Bills are the only NFL team that plays its home games in which state?

The Giants and Jets play in New Jersey; the Bills draw much of their fanbase from western New York and southern Ontario.

In which two consecutive years did the Bills win the AFL Championship?

The Bills won the AFL Championship in 1964 and 1965 under coach Lou Saban, with quarterback Jack Kemp, later a congressman, at the helm; the 1965 title came via a 23-0 shutout.

In 1959, Ralph Wilson sent Lamar Hunt a telegram reading what?

Wilson's telegram read 'Count me in with Buffalo'; Miami had been his first choice, but local officials were wary after the AAFC's Miami Seahawks lasted only the 1946 season.

Ralph Wilson was a minority owner of which NFL team when he decided to join the AFL?

He was one of only three AFL owners on solid financial footing and lent the struggling Raiders $400,000.

Which ex-CFL running back did the Bills 'fire' mid-game in the 1960s before Jack Kemp brokered a reconciliation?

Cookie Gilchrist, a former CFL star, refused to re-enter a 1964 game against the Boston Patriots; coach Lou Saban cut him, and Jack Kemp persuaded Saban to take him back.

How many rushing yards did O.J. Simpson finish with in his record 1973 season?

Simpson ran for 2,003 yards in 1973, the first 2,000-yard season in NFL history, done in just 14 games; he averaged 143 yards per game.

O.J. Simpson won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 playing for which college?

Simpson starred for the USC Trojans in 1967 and 1968, winning the 1968 Heisman Trophy; the Bills then drafted him first overall in 1969, and he was first-team All-Pro five straight years (1972-76).

How many straight Super Bowls did the Bills lose from the 1990 through 1993 seasons?

The Bills lost four straight Super Bowls, XXV through XXVIII, after winning four consecutive AFC championships from the 1990 through 1993 seasons; Scott Norwood's wide-right miss ended the first.

How long was Scott Norwood's missed field goal at the end of Super Bowl XXV?

ABC's Al Michaels called it 'wide right'; the Giants won 20-19, still the only Super Bowl decided by a single point.

Who was named MVP of Super Bowl XXV for the Giants against the Bills?

Ottis Anderson carried 21 times for 102 yards and a touchdown as the Giants held the ball for over 40 minutes; neither team committed a turnover, a Super Bowl first.

Which jersey number did the Bills retire in honor of Jim Kelly?

Jim Kelly wore No. 12 throughout his Bills career, 1986 to 1996; the team retired the number in 2001.

What deficit did the Bills overcome to beat the Oilers 41-38 in 'The Comeback' of January 1993?

Buffalo trailed 35-3 early in the third quarter, then scored 35 unanswered points and won 41-38 in overtime on a Steve Christie field goal, a 32-point rally.

Which backup quarterback led The Comeback after Jim Kelly was hurt?

Frank Reich replaced the injured Jim Kelly and threw four touchdown passes in the second half, including three to Andre Reed, to rally Buffalo past Houston 41-38; he later coached the Colts.

Jim Kelly was drafted by the Bills in 1983 but instead spent two seasons with which USFL team?

Kelly signed with the USFL's Houston Gamblers, throwing 83 touchdown passes in the run-and-shoot over 1984 and 1985; he joined Buffalo in August 1986 after the USFL collapsed.

Jim Kelly was one of how many quarterbacks taken in the first round of the famous 1983 draft?

Six quarterbacks went in the 1983 first round: John Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly (14th overall), Tony Eason, Ken O'Brien, and Dan Marino; Kelly, Elway, and Marino all reached the Hall of Fame.

Before Buffalo, Marv Levy won two Grey Cups as head coach of which CFL team?

Levy coached the Montreal Alouettes from 1973 to 1977, winning Grey Cups in 1974 and 1977; he took the Bills job midway through the 1986 season and stayed through 1997.

Thurman Thomas won the NFL MVP award in which year?

Thomas was the NFL's MVP in 1991 after leading the league with 2,038 yards from scrimmage, the third of four straight seasons he topped that category.

Where did Thurman Thomas normally leave the helmet he could not find at the start of Super Bowl XXVI?

Thomas habitually left his helmet on the 34-yard line, matching his jersey number; it was moved for Harry Connick Jr.'s pregame stage, and he missed the game's first two plays.

Bruce Smith retired as the NFL's all-time leader in sacks with how many?

Smith finished with 200 career sacks, 171 with Buffalo and 29 with Washington, when he retired after the 2003 season; sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

Andre Reed, a fourth-round pick in 1985, played college football at which small Pennsylvania school?

Reed played at Kutztown State, a Division II school in Pennsylvania; he caught 941 passes in 15 Bills seasons and entered the Hall of Fame in 2014.

Steve Tasker earned seven Pro Bowl selections primarily in what role?

Tasker was a special-teams gunner, covering kicks and punts, and made the Pro Bowl seven times in that role; he later became a CBS Sports broadcaster.

In the 2000 'Music City Miracle', who threw the lateral and who ran it 75 yards for the Titans' touchdown?

Frank Wycheck took Lorenzo Neal's handoff and threw across the field to Kevin Dyson, who ran 75 yards for the touchdown moments after Buffalo's go-ahead field goal; the Titans won 22-16.

Which quarterback did Wade Phillips controversially start over Doug Flutie in the Music City Miracle game?

Phillips benched Doug Flutie, 10-5 as the 1999 starter, for Rob Johnson in the wild-card game at Tennessee after Johnson had won the meaningless regular-season finale.

How many straight seasons did the Bills' playoff drought last before it ended in 2017?

Buffalo missed the postseason 17 straight seasons, 2000 through 2016, then the longest active drought in the four major North American leagues, until Sean McDermott's first team ended it in 2017.

Sean McDermott came to Buffalo in 2017 after six seasons as defensive coordinator of which team?

McDermott ran the Carolina Panthers' defense from 2011 to 2016 under Ron Rivera, including the Super Bowl 50 season, before the Bills hired him in January 2017.

Where did Josh Allen play college football before the Bills drafted him seventh overall in 2018?

Allen started for Wyoming in 2016 and 2017, throwing 44 touchdown passes over those two seasons after transferring from a California junior college; the Bills traded up to take him seventh in 2018.

In which season was Josh Allen named NFL Most Valuable Player?

Allen won the 2024 AP MVP, edging Lamar Jackson 27 first-place votes to 23, after throwing 28 touchdown passes against six interceptions and rushing for 12 more scores.

What was the final score of the '13 seconds' playoff loss to Kansas City after the 2021 season?

Kansas City won 42-36 in overtime after Patrick Mahomes moved the Chiefs 44 yards in the final 13 seconds to set up a tying field goal; Buffalo never touched the ball in overtime, prompting a playoff rule change.

Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a January 2023 Monday Night game against whom?

Hamlin collapsed after tackling the Bengals' Tee Higgins in Cincinnati on January 2, 2023; medics restored his heartbeat on the field, the game was cancelled, and he returned to play in 2023.

Terry Pegula, who bought the Bills in 2014, made his fortune in what industry?

Pegula founded East Resources with $7,500 in 1983 and sold its Marcellus Shale natural gas holdings to Royal Dutch Shell for $4.7 billion in 2010; he also owns the Sabres.

Which three ex-Canadian-based pro athletes joined private equity investors in buying a Bills stake in December 2024?

Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Jozy Altidore, all former Toronto stars, joined Arctos Partners in a roughly 20 percent stake approved in December 2024; Terry Pegula kept control of the franchise.

How much public money did New York and Erie County commit to the new Bills stadium?

The March 2022 deal committed $600 million from New York State and $250 million from Erie County, $850 million in all, then the largest public subsidy for an NFL stadium.

When the Bills' longtime suburban home opened in 1973, it was named after which local food company?

Rich Products, the Buffalo frozen-foods company, paid $1.5 million for 25 years of naming rights, making Rich Stadium an early corporate-named venue; it was renamed for Ralph Wilson in 1998.

In 1984 the Bills changed their helmet shell from white to red mainly to help which quarterback tell his teammates apart from division rivals?

Quarterback Joe Ferguson, Buffalo's starter since 1973, reportedly struggled to pick out receivers against the white-helmeted Colts, Dolphins and Patriots, so the Bills switched to red shells in 1984.

The name 'Bills Mafia' was organized via Twitter beginning in 2010 by Del Reid and which two others?

Del Reid, Leslie Wille and Breyon Harris coined 'Bills Mafia' on Twitter in late 2010 after fans mobbed ESPN's Adam Schefter over a Stevie Johnson tweet; the team officially embraced the name years later.

From 2008 to 2014, Ralph Wilson negotiated for the Bills to play some home games in which city?

The Bills Toronto Series, announced in 2008, sent one regular-season home game a year to Toronto through 2013 to tap the southern Ontario fanbase; new ownership ended the deal in December 2014.

What regular-season record did the Bills post in their 1964 AFL championship season?

The 1964 Bills went 12-2, the best record in the AFL, then won the AFL Championship Game 20-7 at War Memorial Stadium.

In which year was Ralph Wilson inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Wilson entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009, the same class as Bruce Smith and Rod Woodson; he died in March 2014, having owned the team since its founding.

Which expansion team was the first visitor ever to win a playoff game at the Bills' stadium, in the 1996 season?

The second-year Jacksonville Jaguars won 30-27 at Rich Stadium on December 28, 1996, the first road playoff win ever there; it was Jim Kelly's final game.

In which town do the Bills play, a suburb of Buffalo?

The Bills have played in Orchard Park, a suburb south of Buffalo, since Rich Stadium opened there in 1973.

Who was the Bills' first head coach when they began AFL play in 1960?

Buster Ramsey, previously an NFL defensive assistant, coached the Bills' first two AFL seasons, going 5-8-1 in 1960 and 6-8 in 1961 before Lou Saban replaced him.

The Bills' AAFC predecessor was originally called what before a 1947 name-the-team contest?

The AAFC club played its 1946 season as the Buffalo Bisons, a name shared with the city's baseball and hockey teams; owner James Breuil ran a 1947 contest that produced 'Bills', punning on Buffalo Bill Cody.

Which jersey number did the Bills retire for Bruce Smith in 2016?

Bruce Smith wore No. 78 for the Bills from 1985 to 1999; the team retired it at halftime of a game against the Jets in September 2016.

What did the Bills' original 1960 silver helmets display instead of a logo?

The team's first colours were Honolulu blue, silver and white.

In which year did the standing red bison become the Bills' helmet logo, with new red-white-blue colours?

The jerseys echoed the Buffalo Bisons AHL hockey team of the era.

Who designed the Bills' charging-buffalo logo in 1974?

Stevens Wright, an aerospace designer, created the charging blue buffalo with the red streak in 1974; it replaced the standing bison used since 1962.

In which year did the Bills return to white helmets and a throwback-style royal blue uniform?

In 2011 the Bills unveiled throwback-inspired uniforms with white helmets and royal blue, ending the dark-navy, red-helmet look of the 2000s.

On November 12, 2015, the Bills and Jets were the first teams to take part in which NFL uniform program?

The NFL's Color Rush program debuted on Thursday, November 12, 2015, with Buffalo in all red against the Jets in all green; the matchup drew complaints from colorblind viewers.

What nickname did the Bills give their all-white 2025 'Rivalries' uniform, which omits red?

The 2025 Nike 'Rivalries' uniform was named Cold Front, an all-white look with blue accents and no red, which designers left off because red signified warmth.

Rex Ryan was the Bills' head coach for which two seasons?

Rex Ryan coached Buffalo in 2015 and 2016, going 15-16 before he was fired with one game left in the 2016 season; his brother Rob was an assistant.

As of 2024, how many jersey numbers had the Bills officially retired?

Three numbers were retired as of 2024: Jim Kelly's 12 (2001), Bruce Smith's 78 (2016) and Thurman Thomas's 34 (2018); O.J. Simpson's 32 was withheld but never retired.

Which Bills running back scored on a 31-yard run in Super Bowl XXV?

Thurman Thomas's 31-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter gave Buffalo a 19-17 lead in Super Bowl XXV; he finished with 135 rushing yards and 190 from scrimmage.

O.J. Simpson's No. 32 was returned to circulation in which year?

The Bills issued No. 32 to running back Senorise Perry in 2019, the first time since Simpson left after 1977; Ralph Wilson had kept it out of use.

How many seasons did defensive tackle Kyle Williams play, all with the Bills?

Kyle Williams, a fifth-round pick in 2006, played 13 seasons for Buffalo through 2018 and made six Pro Bowls.

Which Bills safety wore a padded 'Gazoo' shell over his helmet in the Super Bowl years?

Safety Mark Kelso wore a ProCap padded shell over his helmet for the Super Bowl seasons after repeated concussions; fans nicknamed it the 'Great Gazoo' after the Flintstones character.

Who succeeded John Murphy as the Bills' radio play-by-play voice after Murphy's stroke?

Chris Brown, the team's longtime in-house reporter, filled in after Murphy's December 2022 stroke and was named the permanent play-by-play voice in 2023; former center Eric Wood is the analyst.

Van Miller called Bills games for 37 years; from which New York town did his career begin?

Miller, a Dunkirk native, started on local radio there before joining WBEN in Buffalo, where he called Bills games across 37 seasons ending in 2003.

In what year did Billy Buffalo debut as the Bills' official mascot?

Billy Buffalo, an eight-foot-tall blue buffalo, debuted as the Bills' official full-time mascot in 2000.

What was the name of the charity cereal launched by Bills quarterback Doug Flutie in 1998?

Flutie Flakes, a frosted corn flake cereal launched in 1998 during Flutie's Bills run, raised money for the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, named for his son.

In what year did the Buffalo Jills cheerleading squad suspend operations amid a wage lawsuit?

The Jills suspended operations in April 2014 after five former cheerleaders sued over unpaid hours and working conditions.

What is the name of the Bills' official percussion group?

The Stampede Drumline, the Bills' official percussion group, is staffed by Buffalo's Downbeat Percussion and performs at the stadium on game days.

Who recorded the Bills' 'Shout' theme, a variation of the Isley Brothers hit?

Scott Kemper wrote and recorded the Bills' 'Shout' song in the late 1980s, reworking the Isley Brothers hit with Buffalo-specific lyrics; it plays after every Bills score.

How old was Marv Levy when he coached his final Bills game in 1997?

Levy, born August 3, 1925, retired after the 1997 season at age 72; he returned as the Bills' general manager in 2006 at 80.

Which song by The Killers did Bills players adopt as a fourth-quarter hype anthem in 2024?

The Killers' 'Mr. Brightside' became a fourth-quarter singalong at Highmark Stadium in 2024 after players embraced it in the locker room; Buffalo went unbeaten at home that season.

Bills fans are famous for wearing which zebra-print clothing brand?

Zubaz, the Minnesota brand of zebra-striped pants launched in 1988, became a Bills fan staple during the early-1990s Super Bowl runs, when the team sold red-white-and-blue versions.

Jim Kelly's Hunter's Hope foundation fights which disease, which killed his son in 2005?

Hunter Kelly was diagnosed with Krabbe disease, a rare inherited leukodystrophy, as an infant and died in 2005 at eight; Hunter's Hope funds research and newborn screening.

Bills Mafia tailgaters are notorious for jumping off cars and RVs onto what?

Bills Mafia's signature tailgate stunt is leaping off cars and RVs through folding tables, a wrestling-style spectacle that went viral in the mid-2010s.

In what year did the Bills file to trademark 'Bills Mafia'?

The Bills filed to trademark 'Bills Mafia' in 2020, a decade after fans coined it, and began using the name and hashtag in official team marketing that season.

Whose charities did Bills fans flood with donations after a Bengals win ended the 17-year drought?

Andy Dalton's fourth-down touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd beat Baltimore 31-27 in the final minute on December 31, 2017, sending Buffalo to the playoffs; fans poured donations into Dalton's foundation and Boyd's charity.

After Josh Allen played the day after his grandmother died in 2020, fans gave nearly $700,000 to what?

Fans sent $17 donations, matching Allen's jersey number, to Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo after he threw for 415 yards against Seattle the day after his grandmother's death.

Which ESPN announcer coined 'No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills!'?

Chris Berman's ESPN catchphrase 'No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills!' was a staple of his highlight shows during the team's Super Bowl years; he presented Ralph Wilson at the 2009 Hall of Fame induction.

Which Meet the Press host and South Buffalo native was a famous Bills fan?

Tim Russert, born in South Buffalo in 1950, hosted NBC's Meet the Press from 1991 until his death in 2008 and famously signed off with 'Go Bills'; his son Luke shares the fandom.

Which Cheektowaga-raised actor narrated the 30 for 30 film 'Four Falls of Buffalo'?

William Fichtner, who grew up in Cheektowaga and attended Maryvale High School, narrated ESPN's 2015 film 'Four Falls of Buffalo' about the four straight Super Bowl losses.

Superfan 'Pinto Ron' Johnson began attending every Bills game, home and away, in which year?

Ken 'Pinto Ron' Johnson began his streak of attending every Bills game, home and away, in 1994; his tailgate is famous for its ketchup-and-mustard shower and food cooked on the hood of a Ford Pinto.

Superfan 'Pancho Billa', who wore a sombrero and lucha mask, was invited to do what at the 2018 draft?

Ezra Castro, from El Paso, died in May 2019.

Jack Kemp's backup Ed Rutkowski went on to hold which political office?

Rutkowski, a Bills backup quarterback and receiver in the 1960s, served as Erie County executive from 1979 to 1987.

Which Bill was named AP Defensive Player of the Year in both 1990 and 1996?

Bruce Smith was named AP Defensive Player of the Year in 1990, a 19-sack season, and again in 1996, when he had 13.5 sacks.

What was the nickname of War Memorial Stadium, the Bills' first home?

War Memorial Stadium, nicknamed 'the Rockpile' for its crumbling concrete, opened in 1937 as Roesch Memorial Stadium, hosted the Bills from 1960 to 1972, and was demolished in 1989.

The old Orchard Park stadium was known by what name from 2016 to 2019?

It was Bills Stadium in 2020 and Highmark Stadium from 2021 until closing.

The Highmark Stadium that opened in 2026 was designed by which architecture firm?

Populous, the Kansas City firm behind many NFL venues, designed the new Highmark Stadium, an open-air bowl built across Abbott Road from the old stadium in Orchard Park.

In which year did the Bills break ground on their new Orchard Park stadium?

Ground was broken on June 5, 2023, across from the old stadium; the Bills played the 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons next door while the new venue rose.

Who was the Bills' first-ever draft pick, taken in the inaugural 1960 AFL draft?

Quarterback Richie Lucas, the 1959 Maxwell Award winner, was Buffalo's first-round selection in the inaugural 1960 AFL draft; he played just two seasons for the Bills.

The Bills Toronto Series games were played at which venue?

All Toronto Series games were at Rogers Centre, the domed home of the Blue Jays; the first, on December 7, 2008, was a 16-3 loss to Miami, the first regular-season NFL game in Canada.

How much did Ted Rogers pay for the original five-year Toronto Series deal?

Rogers Communications paid C$78 million for eight games over five years, one regular-season game each season from 2008 to 2012 plus three preseason games, about C$9.75 million per game.

From which team did the Bills claim Jack Kemp off waivers in 1962?

The Chargers thought Kemp, who had led them to two title games, had a bum hand.

Jack Kemp later served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under which president?

Kemp served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993 after 18 years in Congress; he was Bob Dole's running mate in 1996.

How many rushing yards did Cookie Gilchrist gain in 1962, the AFL's first 1,000-yard season?

Gilchrist ran for 1,096 yards in 1962, the AFL's first 1,000-yard season, and was named the league's MVP in his first year with Buffalo.

Before joining the Bills, Lou Saban was the first head coach of which AFL team?

Saban was the original head coach of the Boston Patriots in 1960 and 1961, then took over the Bills in 1962; he later coached the Broncos before returning to Buffalo in 1972.

The 1964 AFL Championship Game was Buffalo's first title game since which year's AAFC championship?

The AAFC Bills lost the 1948 championship game 49-7 to the Cleveland Browns; the AFL Bills' next title-game appearance came in 1964 at War Memorial Stadium.

Mike Stratton's 'Hit Heard Round the World' in the 1964 title game flattened which Charger?

Stratton's first-quarter tackle on a swing pass broke a rib of Chargers back Keith Lincoln, knocking him out of the 1964 title game; Buffalo won 20-7 and shut out San Diego 23-0 a year later.

Which Bills kicker of 1964-65 was pro football's first soccer-style placekicker?

Pete Gogolak, a Hungarian refugee who played at Cornell, joined the Bills in 1964 as pro football's first soccer-style kicker; he jumped to the NFL's Giants in 1966, helping trigger the merger war.

Elbert 'Golden Wheels' Dubenion played college football at which small Ohio school?

Dubenion played at tiny Bluffton College in Ohio before becoming an original 1960 Bill and a key receiver on the 1964 and 1965 championship teams.

Bills guard Billy Shaw played college football for which school?

Shaw played at Georgia Tech under Bobby Dodd before the Bills drafted him in 1961; he spent his whole nine-season career in the AFL and entered the Hall of Fame in 1999.

Bills defensive tackle Tom Sestak was drafted in the 17th round in 1962 out of which college?

Sestak came from McNeese State in Louisiana as a 17th-round pick in 1962 and became a four-time AFL All-Star defensive tackle, named to the All-Time All-AFL Team.

Bills guard Bob Kalsu was killed in action in which war?

Kalsu, an All-American at Oklahoma and the Bills' 1968 rookie of the year, was killed by mortar fire in Vietnam on July 21, 1970, at Firebase Ripcord; he was 25.

The 1970s Bills offensive line that blocked for O.J. Simpson was nicknamed what?

Simpson's blockers, led by guards Reggie McKenzie and Joe DeLamielleure, were nicknamed the Electric Company because they 'turned on the Juice', Simpson's nickname.

How many rushing yards did O.J. Simpson gain in his record Thanksgiving 1976 game at Detroit?

Simpson ran for 273 yards on 29 carries against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day 1976, a single-game record that stood until Walter Payton's 275 in 1977; the Bills lost 27-14.

Simpson was traded after the 1977 season to which team?

The Bills traded Simpson to his hometown San Francisco 49ers in March 1978 for a package of draft picks; he played two seasons there before retiring after 1979.

Joe DeLamielleure, the Bills' 1973 first-round pick, was an All-American where?

DeLamielleure was a consensus All-American guard at Michigan State in 1972 before Buffalo drafted him in the first round in 1973; he anchored the Electric Company and entered the Hall of Fame in 2003.

Ahmad Rashad, traded to the Bills in 1974, was known by what name until 1973?

Born Bobby Moore, he converted to Islam and took the name Ahmad Rashad in 1973; the Cardinals had drafted him fourth overall in 1972, and he played for the Bills in 1974.

Bills nose tackle Fred Smerlas, a five-time Pro Bowler, was a lineman for which school?

He was bench-pressing over 400 pounds by 12th grade.

Jim Haslett won 1979 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year with the Bills out of which small school?

Haslett starred at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), a Division II school, before the Bills drafted him in the second round in 1979; he later coached the Saints and was 2000 Coach of the Year.

Joe Cribbs was UPI AFC Rookie of the Year in 1980 after playing college ball where?

Cribbs ran for 1,185 yards as a rookie in 1980 after starring at Auburn, where he shared the backfield with James Brooks and William Andrews; the Bills drafted him in the second round.

Chuck Knox coached the Bills between stints with which two other NFL teams?

Knox coached the Los Angeles Rams from 1973 to 1977 and the Seattle Seahawks from 1983 to 1991, with his Bills tenure (1978-82) in between; he won AP Coach of the Year with all three teams.

Whom did the Bills fire midway through 1986 to hire Marv Levy?

Hank Bullough, 4-17 since replacing Kay Stephenson in 1985, was fired after a 2-7 start in November 1986 and Marv Levy took over; Bullough had run the Patriots' early 3-4 defense in the 1970s.

What record did the Bills post in both 1984 and 1985?

Buffalo went 2-14 in both 1984 and 1985; the first of those seasons earned the top pick in 1985, spent on Bruce Smith.

Marv Levy was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in which year?

Levy entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001, alongside Jack Youngblood, Ron Yary, Mike Munchak, Lynn Swann, Nick Buoniconti and Jackie Slater, after 112 regular-season wins with Buffalo.

Before Buffalo, Marv Levy spent five seasons as head coach of which NFL team?

He also coached the USFL's Chicago Blitz.

Which GM built the four-straight-Super-Bowl Bills and later the Panthers and Colts?

Bill Polian, Bills general manager from 1986 to 1992, assembled Kelly, Thomas, Smith, Reed and Bennett; he later built the Panthers and Colts and entered the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Jim Kelly was named offensive MVP of which postseason game while at Miami?

Kelly was named offensive MVP of the 1981 Peach Bowl, played January 2, 1981, when Miami beat Virginia Tech 20-10; the Bills drafted him 14th overall in 1983.

Jim Kelly was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in which year?

Kelly entered the Hall of Fame in 2002, his first year of eligibility, and closed his speech by addressing his son Hunter, who had Krabbe disease.

Thurman Thomas played college football for which school?

Thomas ran for 4,595 yards at Oklahoma State, where he was a two-time All-American ahead of Barry Sanders; a knee injury dropped him to the Bills in the second round in 1988.

Thurman Thomas spent his final NFL season with which team?

Thomas played his final season, 2000, for the Miami Dolphins after the Bills released him in a salary-cap purge; he spent 12 of his 13 seasons in Buffalo.

Bruce Smith won which award at Virginia Tech in 1984?

Smith won the 1984 Outland Trophy as college football's best interior lineman, the first Virginia Tech player so honoured; the Bills made him the first overall pick in 1985.

How many Pro Bowl selections did Bruce Smith earn?

Smith made 11 Pro Bowls, four straight from 1987 to 1990 and seven straight from 1992 to 1998, along with eight first-team All-Pro selections.

Bruce Smith is a native of which Virginia city?

Smith was born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1963 and starred at the city's Booker T. Washington High School before staying in-state at Virginia Tech.

Andre Reed was picked with which overall selection of the 1985 draft?

The Bills took Reed 86th overall, in the fourth round of the 1985 draft, the same draft that brought Bruce Smith first overall and Frank Reich in the third round.

Andre Reed spent his final season, 2000, with which team?

After the Bills released him in 2000, Reed signed with the Washington Redskins and played one final season there; he entered the Hall of Fame in 2014.

Scott Norwood led the NFL in scoring in which season?

Norwood led the NFL with 129 points in 1988, earning first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl berth, after two USFL seasons with the Birmingham Stallions.

Scott Norwood played college football and soccer at which university?

Norwood kicked for James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he also played soccer, before signing with the USFL's Birmingham Stallions in 1983.

Steve Tasker began his career with which team before joining the Bills?

The Oilers took him in the ninth round of the 1985 draft out of Northwestern.

Frank Reich played college football for which school?

Reich quarterbacked Maryland, where in 1984 he rallied the Terrapins from 31-0 down at halftime to beat Miami 42-40, then the biggest comeback in college history; Buffalo drafted him in the third round in 1985.

Bills center Kent Hull blocked for which record-setting back with the USFL's New Jersey Generals?

Walker set the pro record with 2,411 rushing yards in a season.

Bills guard Jim Ritcher was a 1979 All-American at which school?

Ritcher was a two-time All-American center at NC State and won the 1979 Outland Trophy; the Bills took him 16th overall in 1980 and moved him to guard.

Which running back joined the Colts in the 1987 three-team trade that sent Bennett to Buffalo?

On October 31, 1987, the Rams sent Eric Dickerson to Indianapolis; the Colts sent the rights to rookie Cornelius Bennett to Buffalo, and the Bills sent Greg Bell and draft picks to the Rams.

Bills linebacker Darryl Talley, who played in all four Super Bowls, was an All-American where?

Talley was a consensus All-American linebacker at West Virginia in 1982 before the Bills drafted him in the second round in 1983; he played in all four Super Bowls.

Which Bills linebacker was named Defensive Player of the Year under Wade Phillips?

Paup came from the Packers and grew up on a farm in Scranton, Iowa.

Doug Flutie was picked 285th overall in 1985 by the Rams, the lowest ever for a what?

Flutie, the 1984 Heisman winner at Boston College, fell to the 11th round (285th overall) in 1985 because he had already signed with the USFL's New Jersey Generals; no Heisman winner has gone lower.

Which Bills GM left for San Diego after the Flutie-Johnson controversy, taking Flutie with him?

John Butler, Bills general manager from 1993 to 2000, left for the San Diego Chargers in 2001 and signed Doug Flutie and Marcellus Wiley there; he died of cancer in 2003.

Who sang the national anthem before Super Bowl XXV, the Bills' first Super Bowl?

Whitney Houston's rendition, backed by the Florida Orchestra at Tampa Stadium ten days into the Gulf War, was released as a single and reached the Billboard top 20.

Super Bowl XXV was the first to feature two teams from the same what?

Super Bowl XXV was the first with two teams representing the same state, New York, though the Giants actually play in New Jersey; the Giants won 20-19.

Super Bowl XXVI, a 37-24 Bills loss to Washington, was played in which stadium?

Super Bowl XXVI was played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis on January 26, 1992, the first Super Bowl in Minnesota; Washington led 24-0 before Buffalo scored.

Which showboating Cowboy did Don Beebe strip at the goal line in Super Bowl XXVII?

Leon Lett scooped a fourth-quarter fumble and slowed to celebrate near the goal line, and Don Beebe sprinted the length of the field to knock the ball out of the end zone for a touchback, denying a Dallas touchdown.

What was the final score of Super Bowl XXVII, the Bills' loss to Dallas at the Rose Bowl?

Dallas beat Buffalo 52-17 at the Rose Bowl on January 31, 1993, forcing nine Bills turnovers; Troy Aikman was the game's MVP.

Super Bowl XXVIII, the Bills' fourth straight loss, was played in which venue?

Super Bowl XXVIII was played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on January 30, 1994; Buffalo led 13-6 at halftime before Dallas scored 24 unanswered points to win 30-13.

On what date was 'The Comeback' against Houston played?

The Comeback was played on January 3, 1993, at Rich Stadium, one week after the Oilers had beaten Buffalo 27-3 in the regular-season finale at Houston; the Bills won 41-38 in overtime.

Which Oilers quarterback threw four first-half touchdown passes in The Comeback?

Warren Moon threw four touchdown passes in the first half of the January 1993 wild-card game, staking Houston to a 28-3 halftime lead before Buffalo's rally.

The 1960 Bills blew a 38-7 lead in a 38-38 tie with which AFL team?

On November 27, 1960, Buffalo led the Denver Broncos 38-7 in the third quarter, then gave up 31 unanswered points in a 38-38 tie.

At which stadium did the Music City Miracle take place?

The game was played at Adelphia Coliseum in Nashville, the Titans' home that opened in 1999; it was later renamed LP Field and then Nissan Stadium.

How many seconds remained when the Bills took a 16-15 lead just before the Music City Miracle?

Steve Christie's 41-yard field goal put Buffalo ahead 16-15 with 16 seconds left; the ensuing kickoff return made it 22-16 and sent the Titans on to Super Bowl XXXIV.

On what date was the '13 Seconds' playoff game against Kansas City played?

The divisional-round game at Arrowhead Stadium was played on January 23, 2022; the teams scored 25 points in the final two minutes of regulation before Kansas City won in overtime.

Which Bills receiver caught a playoff-record four touchdown passes in the '13 Seconds' game?

Gabriel Davis caught eight passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns, the first four-touchdown receiving game in NFL playoff history, yet Buffalo lost 42-36 in overtime.

Which team did the Bills beat 17-3 in the divisional round of the 2020 season playoffs?

Buffalo beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-3 on January 16, 2021, with Taron Johnson returning a Lamar Jackson interception 101 yards for a touchdown; the Bills then lost the AFC title game in Kansas City.

What was the Bills' regular-season record in 2022, the year of the cancelled Hamlin game?

Buffalo finished 13-3 in 2022, playing only 16 games after the Hamlin game was cancelled; they beat Miami 34-31 in the wild-card round before losing 27-10 to Cincinnati.

How many straight wins did the Dolphins run up over the Bills in the 1970s under Don Shula?

Miami beat Buffalo 20 straight times from 1970 through 1979, a streak the Bills ended 17-7 in the 1980 opener, after which fans tore down the goalposts.

As of 2024, how many AFL/AFC titles had the Bills and Patriots won between them?

Through 2024 the Bills had six (AFL titles in 1964 and 1965 plus four straight AFC crowns 1990-93) and the Patriots eleven AFC championships, seventeen in all.

The Bills-Chiefs rivalry dates to 1960, when Kansas City was known as what?

Kansas City began as Lamar Hunt's Dallas Texans, an AFL charter franchise that won the 1962 AFL title before moving to Kansas City and becoming the Chiefs in 1963.

Which Bills quarterback led the team to its first playoff berth in 18 years in 2017?

Tyrod Taylor quarterbacked the 2017 Bills, their first playoff team since 1999; Buffalo traded him to Cleveland for a third-round pick in March 2018.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Bills' quarterback under Chan Gailey, played college football where?

Fitzpatrick graduated from Harvard and was a seventh-round pick of the Rams in 2005; he went on to start games for nine NFL teams, Buffalo (2009-12) among them.

Whom did the Bills draft third overall in 2011 after he was defensive MVP of the BCS title game?

Marcell Dareus, the defensive MVP of Alabama's January 2010 BCS title win over Texas, went third overall to Buffalo in 2011; the Bills traded him to Jacksonville in 2017.

Sammy Watkins was drafted fourth overall by the Bills in 2014 out of which school?

Watkins, a two-time All-American at Clemson, went fourth overall in 2014 after the Bills traded their 2015 first-round pick to Cleveland to move up; he won Super Bowl LIV with Kansas City.

Bills receiver Lee Evans was the 13th overall pick in 2004 from which school?

Evans caught 1,545 yards' worth of passes for Wisconsin in 2001, missed 2002 with a knee injury, then went 13th overall to Buffalo in 2004; he caught 43 touchdowns in seven Bills seasons.

Which Bills defensive end, a 2001 second-round pick, made Pro Bowls in 2006 and 2007?

Aaron Schobel, a second-round pick from TCU in 2001, spent all nine seasons in Buffalo, making the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007 and finishing with 78 sacks.

Takeo Spikes retired in 2012 having played how many NFL games without a playoff appearance?

Spikes played 219 regular-season games for the Bengals, Bills, Eagles, 49ers and Chargers from 1998 to 2012 without ever reaching the playoffs.

How many receiving yards did Eric Moulds gain in the January 1999 wild-card loss at Miami?

Moulds caught nine passes for 240 yards in the January 1999 wild-card loss at Miami, setting an NFL postseason record at the time.

Kyle Williams was drafted by the Bills in the fifth round of 2006 out of which school?

The AP called him 'the heart and soul' of the Bills.

Stefon Diggs led the NFL in 2020 with 127 catches and how many receiving yards?

Diggs led the NFL with 127 catches and 1,535 yards in 2020, his first Bills season, breaking Eric Moulds's 1998 franchise record of 1,368 yards.

Which Bills tight end caught nine touchdown passes in 2021, a then-team record for the position?

Dawson Knox, a 2019 third-round pick, caught nine touchdown passes in 2021, the most ever by a Bills tight end at the time, then signed a four-year extension in 2022.

How many days after his cardiac arrest was Damar Hamlin released from hospital?

Hamlin was transferred to Buffalo on January 9 and discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center on January 11, 2023, nine days after his collapse; he returned to play in 2023.

Damar Hamlin played for which school before the Bills drafted him in 2021?

Hamlin, from McKees Rocks outside Pittsburgh, played five seasons at Pitt and was a sixth-round pick in 2021.

Tre'Davious White was the Bills' first-round pick in which draft?

White went 27th overall in 2017 with a pick acquired from Kansas City, which had traded up to take Patrick Mahomes at No. 10; he was first-team All-Pro in 2019.

Matt Milano earned first-team All-Pro honours in which season?

Milano was named first-team All-Pro in 2022, his sixth Bills season, after intercepting three passes; a broken leg then cost him most of 2023.

Jordan Poyer formed a top safety tandem in Buffalo alongside whom?

Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, both signed as free agents in March 2017, started together at safety for seven seasons; Hyde came from Green Bay, Poyer from Cleveland.

James Cook was drafted by the Bills in which round of the 2022 draft?

The Bills took James Cook, Dalvin's younger brother, 63rd overall in the second round in 2022 after he helped Georgia win the national title.

James Cook's 16 rushing TDs in a season tied a Bills record set in which year?

O.J. Simpson set the Bills record with 16 rushing touchdowns in 1975, part of a then-NFL-record 23 total touchdowns; Cook matched the 16 in 2024.

Dalton Kincaid walked on at which school before transferring to Utah?

Kincaid walked on at the University of San Diego, an FCS program, after a single season of high school football, then transferred to Utah and became the Bills' first-round pick in 2023.

Greg Rousseau, the Bills' 2021 first-round pick, was born to parents from which country?

Rousseau, born in Florida to Haitian parents, had 15.5 sacks as a redshirt freshman at Miami in 2019, opted out of 2020, and went 30th overall to Buffalo in 2021.

Dawson Knox walked on at which college program before the Bills drafted him?

Knox walked on at Ole Miss in 2015 after playing quarterback in high school, earned a scholarship as a tight end, and went to Buffalo in the third round in 2019, 96th overall.

Bills receiver Khalil Shakir played for which school?

Shakir was a three-year starter at Boise State, topping 1,100 receiving yards in 2021, before the Bills took him in the fifth round in 2022.

Keon Coleman, the Bills' 2024 second-round pick, also played which other sport in college?

Coleman played basketball as well as football at Michigan State, appearing in games for Tom Izzo's team in 2021-22, before transferring to Florida State for 2023 and going 33rd overall to Buffalo.

Josh Allen began his college career at which junior college before Wyoming?

Allen, overlooked by four-year schools, spent 2015 at Reedley College in California's Central Valley, throwing 26 touchdown passes, before Wyoming offered a scholarship.

How many touchdown passes did Josh Allen throw in 2020, then a Bills single-season record?

Allen threw 37 touchdown passes in 2020, breaking Jim Kelly's 1991 franchise record of 33, while passing for 4,544 yards, also a team record at the time.

Josh Allen's great-grandfather Arvid, who settled near Firebaugh, emigrated from where?

Allen's great-grandfather Arvid emigrated from Sweden and settled in California's San Joaquin Valley, where the family later farmed cotton, wheat and cantaloupes near Firebaugh.

Sean McDermott began his NFL coaching career in 2001 as an assistant with which team?

He was Eagles defensive coordinator in 2009-10.

What was the Bills' record in Sean McDermott's first season, 2017?

McDermott's first Bills team went 9-7 in 2017 and claimed the AFC's final wild card on the season's last day, ending the 17-season playoff drought.

Bills fans dubbed the pairing of Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane what?

'McBeane' fused the names of coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane, Panthers colleagues reunited in Buffalo when Beane was hired from Carolina in May 2017.

Founder Ralph Wilson earned his undergraduate degree from which university?

Wilson, born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1918, graduated from the University of Virginia before law school and Navy service in World War II.

Ralph Wilson paid what franchise fee to join the AFL in 1959?

Wilson paid the AFL's $25,000 franchise fee in 1959; the team was valued at roughly $1.4 billion when his estate sold it in 2014.

Terry Pegula earned his petroleum engineering degree from which university?

Pegula earned a petroleum and natural gas engineering degree from Penn State in 1973; he later gave $102 million to build the university's hockey arena.

Kim Pegula, former Bills president, was born in which city?

Kim Pegula was born in Seoul in 1969 and adopted at age five by a family in Fairport, New York; she served as Bills president from 2018 until her 2022 cardiac arrest.

Which Bills quarterback of the 2000s had a 21-0 lead collapse into a 24-23 loss to Miami in 2005?

Losman, the 2004 first-round pick, started the December 4, 2005 game in which Buffalo led 21-0 before Miami's Sage Rosenfels rallied the Dolphins to a 24-23 win; he was benched for Trent Edwards in 2007.

Doug Marrone did what on December 31, 2014, ending his Bills tenure?

Marrone opted out of his contract on December 31, 2014, using a clause triggered by the ownership change, and collected his $4 million 2015 salary; Rex Ryan was hired in January 2015.

In which month of 2014 did the NFL approve the Pegulas' purchase of the Bills?

NFL owners unanimously approved Terry and Kim Pegula's $1.4 billion purchase from Ralph Wilson's estate on October 8, 2014, weeks after the estate accepted their bid in September.

Bills running back Fred Jackson went undrafted out of which Division III Iowa school?

Jackson played at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, went undrafted in 2003, and reached the Bills in 2006 by way of the indoor Sioux City Bandits and NFL Europa's Rhein Fire.

Drew Bledsoe set a Bills record with how many passing yards against the Vikings in 2002?

Bledsoe threw for 463 yards in a 45-39 overtime win over Minnesota on September 15, 2002, a franchise record; he finished that first Bills season with 4,359 yards and a Pro Bowl berth.

In March 2012 the Bills gave which defensive end a six-year deal worth up to $100 million?

Mario Williams, the 2006 first overall pick, left Houston for a six-year, $100 million Bills deal in March 2012, then the richest contract for an NFL defensive player, with about $50 million guaranteed.

Which linebacker did the Bills send to Philadelphia in the 2015 trade for LeSean McCoy?

McCoy made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three Buffalo seasons and helped end a 17-year playoff drought.