Two Bills Drive

‘The hiring is a crucial move for Williams and one that needs to work if he is going to survive as coach of the Bills.’

‘Kevin Gilbride’s most recent stop in the NFL was either a big failure or it laid the foundation for a lot of success this season.’

‘Though hospital personnel would not discuss specifics of his illness, it was learned that the boy, for whom the Hunter’s Hope Foundation was named, was admitted to the hospital earlier in the day suffering from collapsed lungs as a result of pneumonia.’

‘During his eight seasons as an offensive coordinator, Gilbride’s teams ranked in the top three in the NFL five times, including the Oilers’ number one ranking in 1990.’

‘The Bills have scheduled a news conference for Monday.’

‘If such a thing is possible, Tom Clements did not have a good weekend in Hawaii.’

‘”We’ve had an exhaustive search,” Bills coach Gregg Williams said. “The names that have gotten out are a fraction of the people we’ve talked to.”‘

‘Gilbride, a coach for 12 years in the NFL, was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator in 1999 and 2000.’

‘Possessing 12 years of experience as an NFL coach and coordinator, Gilbride takes over for Mike Sheppard, who served as offensive coordinator under Gilbride in San Diego from 1997-98.’

‘Their record didn’t look very good, but Gregg Williams established a long-term foundation that should pay dividends for the Bills down the road.’

The Bills today named Kevin Gilbride as offensive coordinator, Gregg Williams has announced.

Gilbride is an NFL veteran of 12 years, having served as QB coach for the Houston Oilers in 1989, Oilers OC from 1990-1993, Oilers assistant head coach in 1994, Jacksonville Jaguars OC from 1995-1996, San Diego Chargers head coach from 1997-1998 and Pittsburgh Steelers OC from 1999-2000.

During those eight years as an OC, Gilbride’s offenses were ranked in the NFL’s top three in total offense five times, including the Oilers number one ranking in 1990.

‘If only Winfield had said that when pressed about his comments in U.S. News & World Report. If only he had stood behind his quotes and explained why he did what he did, explained why the system is broken and needs to be fixed…It’s just too bad Winfield wasn’t man enough to do it.’

Gilbride was a coordinator with the then-Houston Oilers (working with Gregg Williams) and Jacksonville Jaguars before being named head coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1997. But he was dismissed by the Chargers six games into the 1998 season after compiling a 9-23 record. His most recent job in the NFL was as the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator in 1999.

‘Possessing 12 years of experience as an NFL coach and coordinator, Gilbride takes over for Mike Sheppard, who served as offensive coordinator under Gilbride in San Diego from 1997-98.’

Don’t be surprised, now that Wade Phillips has been hired as the Atlanta DC, if the Falcons switch to a 3-4 front in 2002. The Falcons really like their young LB corps and feel it is one of the club’s few areas of strength. Phillips is also hinting to friends that he will try to pry Buffalo LB Sam Cowart, whom he drafted, away from the Bills in unrestricted free agency