Are players’ comments about the Bills’ culture typical?

[eball]

As we enter the next Golden Era of Buffalo Bills football, I keep reading comment after comment from players who come to the Bills touting the culture, professionalism, and family atmosphere of the organization from top to bottom.  I can’t count the number of “players around the league know about Buffalo” statements I’ve read or heard.

 

My question is:  do players arriving at any new team say that sort of stuff, or can we finally start to believe that the Bills are unique and have become a top destination for talent?

 

My own opinion is that any player is going to say “nice” things about his new employer, but typically they are the “this is a great organization committed to winning and I’m eager to contribute” type of fluff.  It feels to me as though Buffalo is different.  Guys almost always mention the fans, the community, the way the team helps them feel comfortable, etc.

 

Call me a homer (many have, and I wear that badge proudly), but I believe we are long past the days of Buffalo being considered NFL Siberia.  As long as Beane, McDermott, and Josh Allen (a key piece no doubt) are around the Bills are well positioned for long term success attracting and retaining talent.  That includes coaches.

 

Yes, money will always matter — I’m not naive — but the players simply going for the most jack are typically not going to be the guys who fit this culture anyway.  We’ll get plenty of really good players who are willing to forego a bit of cash to play for an organization they truly believe will take care of them.

 

Just a little feel-good post as we are stuck in the doldrums before camp.  Cheers and Go Bills! 🦬 

 

[ddaryl]

Most all players will say something positive regarding their new team, what we have is players wanting to play here more so in past and most of that is being a winning team.

What we have different is players, after being here a year or 3, still sing the same praises but have more emphasis on culture etc... We also have players looking to come back and take big discounts to do so.

Edited June 22, 2022 by ddaryl

[Greg S]

Winning cures all. Four playoff appearances in five years. Back to back division titles. One of the favorites to win the Super Bowl this year. The Bills window to win is open for the next few seasons plus having one of the best QB's in the game. Players, coaches, media, fans notice stuff like this.

[mushypeaches]

The comment is a good one that you have to separate the stock player responses from what they are saying that's truly unique about the Buffalo culture and experience.  I think there's been enough positive momentum over the past few years that it's become very contagious and sustainable - and to the point, winning does cure all.

 

But also having top homegrown talent that's getting rewarded with second contracts is a key piece that makes it sustainable.  Guys come here knowing that other guys are getting taken care of and also want to be here long term.

 

And everyone wants to play with Josh Freaking Allen too

 

[machine gun kelly]

To add to some good points other than the obvious of four playoffs, an MVP type QB,  leading WR in 2020 and the list goes on now Von is this point.

 

The exiting players from the Bills like Feliciano, John Brown, Williams, even Spain was not negative on the team.  The guys that are leaders are advocating like Diggs to Von advertising the Bills, and that exiting players are still saying this os a special place is helpful.

 

A deep run will help this year.  I feel it’s taboo to say SB or bust, but I’ll be pi..ed if we don’t make it to the AFCCG and and are in it to the end.  After that it’s a crap shoot.  It’s so hard to make much less win the Lombardi.

 

Dont get me wrong as I have those voices in my head Josh casting the trophy for Terry and Kim.

[wjag]

I believe the statements are genuine.  We sometimes forget that players are more connected than ever off the field.  They game together, they practice together, they share agents, and they are networked through social media and cell phones.  What we hear in the television and print media are the snippets packaged for general audiences and platitudes abound.  What I suspect we don't hear is the back channel chatter amongst players.  And this is where the team reputation is most important.  Made up examples of what I imagine is player grapevine fodder: Did you hear what Urban did?  Did you see the Buffalo weight  room?  Saleh is a tyrant in the film room, etc..  

 

We grew up in Buffalo, so we are not unbiased.  But there has to be something to it as players who come here, seem to love it here.  And some stay after their careers are done.

[BillsFanSD]

Players always say nice things about the team they just signed with.  That's normal.

 

What's not normal is seeing a first-ballot HOFer bail on the team that he literally just won a SB with because he wants to play for your franchise specifically.  When you see stuff like that happening, it's a clear sign that it's not just words and agent-driven PR spin.  We actually have something special brewing here, and it wouldn't be happening without #17.  

[eball]

1 hour ago, Greg S said:

Winning cures all. Four playoff appearances in five years. Back to back division titles. One of the favorites to win the Super Bowl this year. The Bills window to win is open for the next few seasons plus having one of the best QB's in the game. Players, coaches, media, fans notice stuff like this.

 

Understood to a point, but in professional team sports I think you'd be amazed by how many athletes don't really care about winning as long as they are making bank.

 

The importance of Buffalo's culture is that players who do want to be a part of something special are now clamoring to come here, even if for slightly less moolah.

 

[BillsFanSD]

Just now, eball said:

 

Understood to a point, but in professional team sports I think you'd be amazed by how many athletes don't really care about winning as long as they are making bank.

Pretty sure all Bills fans are very familiar with this phenomenon.  

[Son of a K-Gun]

2 minutes ago, eball said:

 

Understood to a point, but in professional team sports I think you'd be amazed by how many athletes don't really care about winning as long as they are making bank.

 

The importance of Buffalo's culture is that players who do want to be a part of something special are now clamoring to come here, even if for slightly less moolah.

 

 

Edited June 22, 2022 by Son of a K-Gun
fixed link

[May Day 10]

People roll their eyes, but often-times, football players feel like they are treated like livestock.  They are judged at the combine, drafted without their control, haggled with contracts, trades, franchised, fined, cut, etc.  Then you get a player who takes a stand that gets some traction and some owners like Jerry Jones put them down.

 

I believe McDermott's #1 and most important philosophy is that the players and staff are humans with families, thoughts, ideas, etc.  A huge turning point was when McCoy chirped Trump.  The team had a meeting where Im sure they were allowed to speak their minds and collectively decided what to do.  They were allowed to protest while other owners and coaches were trying to stifle their players.  Pegula wrote an anti-Trump letter to support the players as well, which probably wasnt easy for him.

 

Another example was they allowed Beasley to speak his mind last year, even though some saw it as a possible distraction.  I do not think McDermott (and the organization as a whole) is in the business of censoring players.  They allow the leadership in the lockerroom to deal with things if needed.  These men are adults.  

 

I know they do things together as families.  I'm sure McDermott knows every player and staffer's wife/gf and kids' names.  I believe they are up-front and professional with players when it comes to contracts and negotiations.   

 

All this goes a long way to stand out from many other places.  

[Jerome007]

I totally agree with May Day 10, Of course, these guys are paid kings ransom and treated well if t hey produce, by the team and fans. But they are also often treated coldly, and these extra "family" steps go a long way. Why I like about McDermott's approach, is that he treats like men, while making it obvious it's a business with all the cold side to it, accountability matters, you have to be a pro, etc. Some coaches tend to be too authoritarian while others too lax. He has  the right balance. 

[Logic]

I’ve seen just this offseason a non-Bills player refer to the player relationships on his previous team as being “fake”, and another non-Bills player bemoaning the fact that the players never hang out outside of the facility and don’t have strong friendships/relationships.

 

I think the culture in Buffalo is 100% real, and that it is NOT typical. As just one example, look at Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson preferring to play here for relative peanuts over the lucrative paydays they had elsewhere.

 

For whatever shortcomings coach McDermott may have, probably the BEST thing he did here was purposefully start building a culture — and insisting on bringing in only players that fit that culture.

 

The culture is real and the players know it and feel it. That’s my opinion.

 

Edited June 22, 2022 by Logic

[BarleyNY]

2 hours ago, eball said:

As we enter the next Golden Era of Buffalo Bills football, I keep reading comment after comment from players who come to the Bills touting the culture, professionalism, and family atmosphere of the organization from top to bottom.  I can’t count the number of “players around the league know about Buffalo” statements I’ve read or heard.

 

My question is:  do players arriving at any new team say that sort of stuff, or can we finally start to believe that the Bills are unique and have become a top destination for talent?

 

My own opinion is that any player is going to say “nice” things about his new employer, but typically they are the “this is a great organization committed to winning and I’m eager to contribute” type of fluff.  It feels to me as though Buffalo is different.  Guys almost always mention the fans, the community, the way the team helps them feel comfortable, etc.

 

Call me a homer (many have, and I wear that badge proudly), but I believe we are long past the days of Buffalo being considered NFL Siberia.  As long as Beane, McDermott, and Josh Allen (a key piece no doubt) are around the Bills are well positioned for long term success attracting and retaining talent.  That includes coaches.

 

Yes, money will always matter — I’m not naive — but the players simply going for the most jack are typically not going to be the guys who fit this culture anyway.  We’ll get plenty of really good players who are willing to forego a bit of cash to play for an organization they truly believe will take care of them.

 

Just a little feel-good post as we are stuck in the doldrums before camp.  Cheers and Go Bills! 🦬 

 

I agree with you. The only thing I’d nitpick is that you use the word unique.  I think the Bills are in the upper echelon of teams, but there are some others right there with us and maybe one or two that have us by a hair.  Franchise QB, roster, front office, coaching, facilities, culture and more play into it.  About the only thing that teams like the Rams and KC have on us is that they’ve won a SB recently.  That carries some weight.  The Bills are favorites to do that this year and if they pull it off, then they’ll be second to no team. 

[Draconator]

Wyatt Teller commenting on how McDermott called him after being traded, asking Wyatt how he was doing, says it all. I would bet Teller would love to come back to Buffalo. 

Edited June 22, 2022 by Draconator

[Thurman#1]

Players always say good things about new teams. But most of it is boiler-plate. The same stuff you hear every time. They value me as a player. Their best player is terrific, it's great to join him and the second-best player. Really looking forward to coming in and making a difference. I'm gonna give 110%.

 

It's when they start getting very specific about the compliments that you know they are real. And players are very specific on Buffalo lately.

[US Egg]

Only interested in what they do during a game.

 

Feel good player chatter does not impress me.

[sherpa]

22 minutes ago, I am the egg man said:

Only interested in what they do during a game.

 

Feel good player chatter does not impress me.

 

Thankfully, it impresses players.

There is a genuine family atmosphere in Buffalo that appeals to some players who are used to be treated as mere commodities. 

 

It as appeal to some, as South Florida has appeal to others.

[hondo in seattle]

I agree with a lot of you guys.

 

It's normal for a player to say nice things about his time.  But if you follow football long enough, you can gage the expected volume and intensity of those comments.

 

The things we're hearing from Bills players go beyond the norm.  

[Jauronimo]

1 hour ago, I am the egg man said:

Only interested in what they do during a game.

 

Feel good player chatter does not impress me.

Having a culture that attracts, retains, and develops players is a sustainable formula for success.