Archives for June 2003

The Bills continued to add more to their rebuilt defense by reaching a one-year, $680,000 agreement with Rams strong safety Chad Cota, including a $25,000 signing bonus.

Cota, 31, is entering his ninth season and will be joining his fifth team. He’s played with the Panthers, Saints, Colts and Rams. Cota becomes the 12th veteran addition to the Bills. Earlier, the Bills signed Izell Reese, a safety, to a four-year, $3.2 million contract.

Cota’s contract will count only $475,000 against the Bills salary cap.

This was the Bills first regular season appearance at Joe Robbie Stadium.

Jim Kelly: "I don't know if this was my best game ever, but I'll tell you what, it's awfully sweet. I wouldn't trade this for anything. I prayed so much before that coin flip. I didn't want Marino to get the ball first."

‘"I know Dave (Moore) has been around a long time," Campbell said. "A coach can take you so far but I think you really learn a lot from players that have played against opponents and know things that maybe a coach wouldn’t know because they aren’t on the field. I look forward to becoming a better player and learning from Dave."’

Q: Coy, how much different is this defense compared to last year’s?

Coy Wire: Schematically, it’s a lot different. The philosophy that we have on defense has changed a little too. I think we’re combining Dick LeBeau and Jerry Gray’s schemes and philosophies and now we have this defense that, to me, is going to wreak havoc on opposing offenses.

Former Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas has been selected for induction into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame for 2003. He will be inducted along with ten other members of the Class of 2003 at an awards dinner on Wednesday, October 29 at the HSBC Arena in downtown Buffalo.

Only the second true punter ever drafted by the Bills and the first one to make the team, Greg Cater came to Buffalo after being selected in the tenth round of the 1980 draft out of the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga.

Date: Sunday, June 8, 2003

Check-in: 9:00 to 10:00 AM

Walk Start: 10:00 AM

Walk Distance: 5K (3.1 Miles)

Where: Ralph Wilson Stadium (One Bills Drive off Abbott Road)

‘"I’m real excited to come out here and compete and try to make this team better," said Jett, who watched the Bills’ minicamp practice. "We had a couple guys who had been around forever and a young guy coming in last year, so I kind of got lost in the shuffle."’

‘The arrival of Jerry Rice in 2001 and the emergence of third-year man Jerry Porter in 2002, combined with the fact that Jett does not play special teams, made him a non-entity during the Raiders AFC championship season.’

‘The 32-year-old Jett posted career highs in catches (46) and touchdowns (12) in 1997. He then followed that season up with a career-best 882 yards in 1998.’

”’Nah, nah, I don’t need to set a franchise record again,” Fletcher said. ”When you have a defense where you have a great deal of talent on it, one person doesn’t have to make all the plays.” Also noting the addition of defensive tackle Sam Adams, Fletcher grinned and said: ”We’ve got a pretty stout group.”’

‘Jett says Sam Adams convinced him to come to Buffalo.’

‘The Bills already have depth at receiver with Eric Moulds, Josh Reed and recent free-agent acquisition Bobby Shaw.’

Why Buffalo? What made it attractive?

“I talked to a couple of guys and they said it was a great place to be, a great place to play, good people here in the organization and they need some speed.”