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Bruce Smith was also considered a great athlete his rookie year.

 

And great was an understatement.

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Baby Huey

 

In his first training camp with the Bills, Bruce began to impress everyone with his speed and agility, even though his physique resembled Baby Huey more than the chiseled specimen that Bruce was known for throughout his career.

 

Coach Kay Stephenson named Bruce the starter at right end in the season opener in his rookie season against Dan Fouts and the San Diego Chargers. Bruce held his own, pressuring Fouts several times and getting in on six tackles. In his next game, against the Jets, Bruce and the Bills defense had a terrible game losing 42-3. Bruce was trampled by Jets' running back Freeman McNeil as McNeil ran for a Jets record 192 yards.

 

Two days later, Bruce was benched for the first time in his career. He recorded his first two sacks against the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Tommy Kramer. Kramer was just the first of many. Even though he looked impressive, he sat out two games, watching the Bills lose as well as watching Stephenson lose his job in favor of defensive coordinator Hank Bullough. Bullough sat Bruce out one more game before Bullough returned him to the starting line up, where he would stay.

 

Bruce recorded a sack in his first game back as a starter, sacking Patriots quarterback Tony Eason and putting him out of the game. Eason would be just the first of many. Bruce's rookie season started slow but picked up at the end as he registered six and a half sacks that year, leading the team. He recorded 53 tackles and even ran the ball once. 1985 was the year of the Chicago Bears and William, The Refrigerator, Perry. Bullough had said that Bruce resembled Perry and intended to use him in the same manner. What a genius, this Hank Bullough. :ph34r:

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