The Best “One Year Wonders” in Bills History

[JohnNord]

With news of the recent retirement of Kiko Alonso, some Bills fans on Twitter have named him the best “one year wonder” in Bills history.  
 

Who are some other players that come to mind who had really one great year and then a middling to below average career?  
 

A few come to mind:

 

1. Karlos Williams - He had a monster 2015 season averaging almost 6 YPC and scoring 7 TD’s, despite missing 6 games and playing behind Shady. He also was decent in the pass game.    He seemed to be the perfect back and should’ve had a big career.  But his attitude and failure to stay in shape forced him out of the NFL and he never played again.   Tremendous waste of potential.  
 

2. Peerless Price - he went from being a steady WR2 to exploding in 2002 with career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.  Donahoe traded Price as a RFA and he continued to be steady but unspectacular WR he was prior to 2002.  
 

3. Terry Miller - Rushed for 1060 yards his rookie season in 1978.   He rushed for less than half that during the remainder of his career.  Out of the NFL 3 years after his rookie standout season.  
 

4. Robert Foster - Became one of Josh Allen’s favorite targets and established himself as a bonfide deep threat with over 500 yards and 20 yard avg in just 11 games.  But he sunk on the depth chart and was out of the league 3 years later. 
 

5. CJ Spiller - high draft pick that had a middling career until his 2012 breakout season where he rushed for over 1,200 yards.    He had a decent year in 2013 but his production dropped quickly after and he was out of the NFL by 2017.  

 

 

[John from Riverside]

Bryce Paup?

Edited August 7, 2022 by John from Riverside

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

Lorenzo Alexander- while still a good player in his other years with the Bills, he was a one-year-wonder in terms of sacks. He had 12.5 in 2016 with the Bills and never had more than 6 in any of his other 12 seasons.

Edited August 7, 2022 by Allen2Diggs

[JohnNord]

3 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Bryce Paup?

Yeah I thought about Paup too.  Still was a good player but never the force he was during his DPOY campaign in 1995

Edited August 7, 2022 by JohnNord

[Rc2catch]

I think it would be Karlos for me. 
He seemed to have some homerun potential. I’m still in shock he flamed out completely 

[TheBrownBear]

Jairus Byrd - in terms of INTs.  He had some good years afterwards i guess, so maybe not a one year wonder.

Edited August 7, 2022 by TheBrownBear

[billybrew1]

What about Bills that had their career cut short?  Derrick Burroughs, Shane Nielsen, Shane Conlan (sort of), Sam Cowart, Stupid Will Wolford would have been on the wall and in the HOF if he just took a little less dough…. Jeff Nixon I think? Wasn’t he great but couldn’t play long?

[Freddie's Dead]

***** Karlos Williams.  They cut Fred for that POS.

[Mr. Wonderful]

38 minutes ago, billybrew1 said:

What about Bills that had their career cut short?  Derrick Burroughs, Shane Nielsen, Shane Conlan (sort of), Sam Cowart, Stupid Will Wolford would have been on the wall and in the HOF if he just took a little less dough…. Jeff Nixon I think? Wasn’t he great but couldn’t play long?

 

Jerry Butler.  Fantastic talent but never reached potential because of knee injuries.  

Greg Bell.  A definite one year wonder us old guys remember.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

2 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

Bryce Paup?

 

No he had 3 good years before the injury.

 

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

2 hours ago, JohnNord said:

With news of the recent retirement of Kiko Alonso, some Bills fans on Twitter have named him the best “one year wonder” in Bills history.  
 

Who are some other players that come to mind who had really one great year and then a middling to below average career?  
 

A few come to mind:

 

1. Karlos Williams - He had a monster 2015 season averaging almost 6 YPC and scoring 7 TD’s, despite missing 6 games and playing behind Shady. He also was decent in the pass game.    He seemed to be the perfect back and should’ve had a big career.  But his attitude and failure to stay in shape forced him out of the NFL and he never played again.   Tremendous waste of potential.  
 

2. Peerless Price - he went from being a steady WR2 to exploding in 2002 with career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.  Donahoe traded Price as a RFA and he continued to be steady but unspectacular WR he was prior to 2002.  
 

3. Terry Miller - Rushed for 1060 yards his rookie season in 1978.   He rushed for less than half that during the remainder of his career.  Out of the NFL 3 years after his rookie standout season.  
 

4. Robert Foster - Became one of Josh Allen’s favorite targets and established himself as a bonfide deep threat with over 500 yards and 20 yard avg in just 11 games.  But he sunk on the depth chart and was out of the league 3 years later. 
 

5. CJ Spiller - high draft pick that had a middling career until his 2012 breakout season where he rushed for over 1,200 yards.    He had a decent year in 2013 but his production dropped quickly after and he was out of the NFL by 2017.  

 

 

Solid list. Spiller came top of mind but can’t argue foster or Karlos…

 

j Byrd almost fits in here somehow too

[MJS]

Karlos Williams for sure. I'd put him WAY ahead of Kiko Alonso in Bills one year wonder fame.

 

Another name to add is Mike Gillislee. Had that 8 TD year with the Bills, then went to the Pats and didn't do much there.

Edited August 7, 2022 by MJS

[RobbRiddick]

Vontae Davis?

 

Oh sorry, I thought you said one half wonders

[freddyjj]

Marlin "the magician" Briscoe RIP.  In 1970, with a rookie QB (Dennis Shaw) Marlin had 57 catches for over 1000 yards and 8 TDs. Marlin made his only Pro Bowl that year. Bills went 3-10-1 that year under John Rauch. 

[NewEra]

I don’t think price should be considered a “one year” wonder,   If he is, than I’d consider him the best.  His one year was much better than Karlos’ best and yielded us a 1st rd pick. 
 

The legend of Kiko would certainly be up there imo.  Dude was a bum everywhere he went after his one good year with us.  
 

Maybe not an entire year, but Trent Edwards had us thinking he could be our franchise QB 

 

Mike Gillislees stand out year yielded us Matt Milano iirc.  

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Mr. Wonderful said:

 

Jerry Butler.  Fantastic talent but never reached potential because of knee injuries.  

Greg Bell.  A definite one year wonder us old guys remember.

Butler was a very good WR for 3 seasons iirc

 

Bell was good in his first 2 seasons before his injury and we were able to trade him for Bennett.  

[LeGOATski]

One of our current players.... Jordan Phillips. Had a great season and capitalized on it with the contract the Cards gave him. Now he's back.

[Big Blitz]

That year everyone thought Ryan Groy was going to be an elite Center - after filling in for Wood for 9 games in 2016

 

 

 

Bills backup O-lineman Groy a Secret Superstar, and there's data to prove it

 

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/football/nfl/bills/2017/08/19/buffalo-bills-ryan-groy-center-backup/563157001/

Edited August 7, 2022 by Big Blitz

[Mcdermott]

Ahmad Rashad

[TheWeatherMan]

Terrell Owens played well for the Bills for his one and only year.  His career dropped off with the Bengals.  

[JimBob2232]

Trent Edwards?