Archives for August 2015

'“I look forward to being a good teammate, an accountable player and an accountable teammate to this organization,” he added. “I’m just happy to be here and I’m thankful.”'

'Richardson said he did not believe the waiver claim was Ryan’s version tweaking the Jets, as many believe was the case. “No. Not at all,” Richardson said. “He drafted him. He knows what he brings to the table.”'

'IK Enemkpali is looking for a clean slate, but he’s not going to jawbone about it.'

'“He drafted him so there wasn’t really a reaction,” defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson said. “I kind of figured it actually. I’m pretty sure the whole locker room knew that was going to happen.”'

'The NFL said Tuesday it will investigate the incident, although Enemkpali will be allowed to remain with the team until further notice.'

'The report said Bills coaches were told that "Smith was mouthing off about the debt in the locker room, and Enemkpali told Smith to come over and say it to his face. Smith did, and put his finger in Enemkpali's face, at which point Enemkpali slugged him."'

'"Not at all,' he said. " . . . IK's an excellent pass rusher off the edge, he does his thing in the special-teams area too, so he's an asset to a team. For real."'

'"You guys know," right guard Willie Colon told reporters, laughing. "You know what it is, man. Rex is Rex. So we weren't surprised that he went to Buffalo."'

'"I think it's like the ultimate troll move by Rex picking up the guy who broke his former quarterback's jaw," Woody told NJ Advance Media. "But obviously Rex was his coach last year. I tend to think Rex wouldn't bring someone in that he felt wouldn't be a good fit in his locker room. So it remains to be seen how everything works out but Rex does know the player. I'm pretty sure they probably talked, had some discussion about what happened and feels good about it."'

'With the Bills, Enemkpali has been reunited with head coach Rex Ryan, who had drafted him in the sixth round last year, when Ryan was the head coach of the Jets. Much of Ryan's former Jets staff, including defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, is on the Bills' staff now, too.'

'"I want to apologize to the Jets organization, the fans, my teammates and the coaches. I apologize for what happened," Enemkpali said, speaking at a podium placed beneath a goalpost on one of the fields of the Bills' training camp facility in suburban Rochester.'

'A day after he was claimed by the Buffalo Bills, linebacker IK Enemkpali apologized for the incident that led to his dismissal from the New York Jets and said he plans to be a good teammate in Buffalo.'

'“And you know what, people are going to blame me for it, too. I get blamed for everything that goes on there,” Ryan said on the practice field Wednesday night. “Whatever. That part of my life is over. That’s all behind me. I’m just trying to focus on this football team. We’re going to do what is in the best interests of this team.”'

'Up until now, we’ve only been able to wonder how all the parts would fit together. How all those personalities, meshed with the many already on the roster, would be able to work together for the same goal. As of Friday night, the wondering stops and the watching begins. Albeit in extremely limited action for most, the Bills will take the field against the Carolina Panthers with the most talent they’ve had from top-to-bottom of their roster since the previous millennium.'

'It was never my intention to hurt anybody. I’m just very grateful for Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills organization for giving me an opportunity to further my career here in 2015. I’m very grateful and thankful and happy to be a Bill. I look forward to being a good teammate, accountable player, and accountable teammate to this organization. I'm just happy to be here and thankful. Thank you.'