Two Bills Drive

‘It contains five linebackers, four offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, three running backs, three tight ends, three wide receivers, two quarterbacks, a defensive back and a special teams star.’

‘The award was established to recognize individuals that exemplify characteristics of the late Knox, including dedication to community, being active in humanitarian causes, support of the arts and humility. Wilson founded the Buffalo Bills Youth Foundation in 1987 and has been a supporter of food banks in the Western New York area, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, the Ronald McDonald House, and the United Way.’

‘"Jim came into Fredonia (N.Y.) in a limo," Hull recalled. "And I went in there in the back of an equipment truck. I was sitting on a pile of helmets, footballs and jocks. There were helicopters following the limo, people hanging over the overpasses on the highway. It was 49 miles from Buffalo to Fredonia. I couldn’t see any of it. The guy who was driving the truck told me about it."’

‘Every game I was the first one in the lockerroom and the last one to leave. On that day, I looked over and Scott Norwood was sitting on the bench, still fully dressed in his uniform, and he was weeping. I told him I wasn’t leaving until he left, and that it wasn’t his fault. That was a 47-yard field goal on grass for someone used to kicking on turf. It was a very tough kick. I told him, ‘If I had done a better job, then maybe it would have been a 37-yarder, now get in the shower.'”‘

‘It’s the middle of the football offseason, so that means activity is at a lull at One Bills Drive right? Wrong!’

‘Every time Hull overcame an obstacle in his football career, his wife, Kay, was by his side. "There are a lot of ups and downs in athletics, especially on the pro level, so the support that I got from Kay was so important. It took somebody strong like her to keep me going when things got tough…I wouldn’t be receiving this honor today if it weren’t for her. I have been lucky to have a strong woman behind me and understanding children."’

‘The Leflore County Board of Supervisors honored former All-Pro Buffalo Bills center Kent Hull with a resolution Monday. The tribute came after Hull was inducted Friday into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Last year, the Bills organization put the Leflore County native on its Wall of Fame.’

His agent, Frank Murtha, indicated the Lions, Buffalo and Jacksonville have expressed interest in signing Gary.

The Chargers re-signed kicker Steve Christie, one of the most prolific kickers in NFL history, to a one-year deal on Monday. The bulk of his career was spent in Buffalo, where he played for eight seasons (1992-2000). During his time in Buffalo, he became the Bills’ all-time leader in career points and field goals.

Nearly one year later, here's a look back at the Bills' draft class of 2002, including a recap of their rookie-year contributions and a thought about where each player fits into the team's current plans.

The Bills primary objective this off-season was to upgrade a defense that ranked last in the NFL in takeaways, 27th in points allowed and 29th against the run.

The coaching staff is addressing ways to cut down on the number of sacks allowed last season – 54, fourth most in the NFL. OC Kevin Gilbride, though, isn’t lying awake nights. He’s put the onus on QB Drew Bledsoe. “Some of that falls to him, getting rid of the ball and not trying to show his manhood every play,” Gilbride said.

Signing Gash, a fan favorite during his first tour with the Bills, is the latest sign of the team’s commitment to running the ball more and creating more balance for an offense that set numerous team passing marks last fall.

Buffalo – Sure, the Bills lost one key component off their explosive offense in WR Price, but GM Donahoe has radically improved the defense with the additions of DT Adams, LBs Posey and Spikes and highly respected assistant coach LeBeau. That, in turn, should take the pressure off the offense to have to put a ton of points on the board for the Bills to win. Bledsoe is a battle-tested QB who seems rejuvenated in Buffalo. RB Henry and WR Moulds are game-breaking talents and Buffalo believes second-year WR Reed can adequately fill Price’s big shoes. If the defense and special teams improve as they should, I look for the Bills to win a couple more games this season, leaving them in the running for a playoff spot.

“It’s extremely deep,” Bills GM Tom Donahoe said. “In the years we’ve been doing this, this is one of the deepest drafts — numbers-wise — for defensive linemen that we’ve seen. We talked about the defensive line (in team meetings before the Combine) for a long time. It’s usually a short list. But this year there are a lot of names.”