Endzone Animal Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I liked Ferguson more than most, but when he would hang his head coming off the field after an INT you new it was over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I liked Ferguson more than most, but when he would hang his head coming off the field after an INT you new it was over. He is my all-time favorite Buffalo Bill... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I liked Ferguson more than most, but when he would hang his head coming off the field after an INT you new it was over. Here is a blast from the past! The Buffalo Bills Other Number 12 January 12, 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- by Tom "Rockpile" Benson TBD Guest Columnist -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There should be no doubt in any long-time fan's mind that Jim Kelly was the greatest quarterback in Bills history; all one has to do is scan the record book for proof. But there was another number 12 at the helm of the Buffalo Bills during some of their most exciting and most frustrating years who also had the heart of a lion - Joe Ferguson. Ferguson was drafted out of Arkansas in 1973 in the third round, after leading the Razorbacks for three years. His college accomplishments include All-Southwest Conference quarterback where he passed for 4,431 career yards. He set a school record that still stands with 2,203 passing yards in 1971. He was Most Valuable Player of the 1971 Liberty Bowl. In his rookie year with the Bills, Ferguson became the starting quarterback and played in all fourteen games, but his role went from "Air Arkansas" to a role that mostly involved handing the ball to O.J. Simpson. He only attempted 164 passes that entire year (in one game at Arkansas he had passed 51 times!), but he was an integral part of the squad that helped O.J. get his 2003 yard season. Sometimes Ferguson looked at OJ and asked himself why he was needed in Buffalo. But instead of fretting over the lack of an aggressive passing offense, he concentrated on his primary role on the team - play every down, work hard, study the game. There is always room to improve and his day would come. In 1980, the Bills won their first division title in 14 years, and the goal posts came tumbling down! This led to a playoff game against San Diego that, for me, will always be one of the most memorable contests I have ever watched. Ferguson was playing hurt; his ankle caused him so much pain that he could barely stand. But he stood in there and took a pounding, unable to scramble and injured too severely to plant his foot to throw. The Bills held a 14-13 lead until late in the fourth quarter when an across the middle slant pass put the Chargers ahead 20-14. After the game was over, the ankle was examined again. It was sprained, torn, stretched, pulled, and had a cracked bone in the back. But the hardest part for Joe Ferguson was that he knew this was likely the closest his team would get to the Super Bowl. For his tenure with the team, in fact, it was. Ferguson was widely praised when the Bills won, and crucified when they lost. The biggest misunderstanding was his posture when he left the field after an interception, failed conversion attempt, or other offensive miscue. He would walk off the field, head down, which was misinterpreted by fans as hanging his head in defeat. But for Joe it was a personal statement: whatever play he was trying to execute had not worked and he was already concentrating on what he would do the next time he got the ball in his hands. Joe Ferguson retired in 1990. In all, he spent twelve seasons with the Buffalo Bills and six more with Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Indianapolis. During his NFL tenure, he passed for 29,827 yards and 196 touchdowns (27,590 yards and 181 touchdowns as a Bill). After his career in the NFL was finished, he worked at real estate for a while, and was a football radio commentator and pre-game co-host on Arkansas Razorback Sports Network. In 1995, he filled in for two weeks for an injured David Archer as a favor to an old friend, former Bills quarterback and head coach, Kay Stephenson, then head coach of the San Antonio Texans of the CFL. Stephenson had tried to get him to commit to the entire season, but at 45, he and his family decided playing football was no longer an option! 1995 was also the year Joe Ferguson's name went up on the Wall of Fame in Rich Stadium. Football was still in his blood, even if he was through as a player. He served as quarterbacks coach for Louisiana Tech in 1990 and 1991, eventually returning to Arkansas as quarterbacks coach for the Razorbacks. At the age of 47, he is back at his alma mater, 28 years after he first arrived. He and his wife Sandy have a daughter Kristen, 14, and son Trey, 11. He is in excellent physical shape and still looks like he could come out and take some snaps from center! He will always be one of the players I look up to; he made the most of every opportunity that came his way. He was never a quitter. Now he is teaching those same qualities to a new generation of college and NFL hopefuls - play every down, work hard, study the game. Copyright ©1998 Tom "Rockpile" Benson. All rights reserved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCBoston Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Ken Johnson was the backup QB in 1977. Ken Johnson? I wonder if he drove his red Pinto to the stadium on gamedays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogblitz Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 That is one of those Buffalo Bills "suburban legends"....you know, somebody said it as a joke, at the time, to disparig Fergusons' play, and it has been repeated so many times, ad nausium, that it has become fact, although that was never given as a reason for changing team colors... Actually the Bills changed helmet colors after Joe retired: http://www.buffalobills.com/display_cont.jsp?cont_id=111004 I had always heard that it was the other #12 (Jim Kelly) was color blind. And yes, at one time all teams in the AFC Least wore white helmets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sen. John Blutarsky Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Actually the Bills changed helmet colors after Joe retired: http://www.buffalobills.com/display_cont.jsp?cont_id=111004 I had always heard that it was the other #12 (Jim Kelly) was color blind. And yes, at one time all teams in the AFC Least wore white helmets. IIRC the helmets changed in 1984, which was Fergy's last year with Buffalo. I think Kelly was color blind as well. And while all the AFC East teams did have white helmets at one point in time in 1984 the Jets helmets were green so it wasn't all 5 at the same time. Prior to 1978, however, I believe that all the AFC East teams had white helmets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 That is one of those Buffalo Bills "suburban legends"....you know, somebody said it as a joke, at the time, to disparig Fergusons' play, and it has been repeated so many times, ad nausium, that it has become fact, although that was never given as a reason for changing team colors... Well, he threw 25 INTs in 1983, they made the switch, and then he threw 17 in 1984. Fact #7 - In February of 1984, the Bills announced that they were switching their helmet color, going to red after wearing white headgear since 1962. While the color changed, the charging buffalo on the side and blue facemasks both remained. It was speculated that the color switch was to help quarterback Joe Ferguson distinguish his receivers from opposing defenders, especially the three division opponents (Dolphins, Patriots, and Colts) who also wore white helmets. Ferguson threw 25 interceptions in 1983 and 17 in 1984. http://www.ssur.org/history/BuffaloBillsHistoricalFacts.htm I think the Jets first changed their helmets to green in 1978 because they thought Richard Todd couldn't differentiate the WRs from the other team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ (not THAT RJ) Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Well, he threw 25 INTs in 1983, they made the switch, and then he threw 17 in 1984. http://www.ssur.org/history/BuffaloBillsHistoricalFacts.htm I think the Jets first changed their helmets to green in 1978 because they thought Richard Todd couldn't differentiate the WRs from the other team. True, but Fergy missed several games in 1984, which would explain the lower INT total just as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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