Two Bills Drive

That’s not to say, however, that all trades that fit into this category are busts. The deal that secured quarterback Drew Bledsoe a year ago legitimized the Buffalo Bills, made them immediately competitive, and dramatically moved forward for GM Tom Donahoe a refurbishing of the franchise. There is no player in this year’s draft, none at the No. 14 spot he forfeited to New England, likely to have meant more to the Bills than Bledsoe means to the health of the team.

Signed with the Bills on 1/22/03 as an unrestricted free agent…released by the Seahawks on 8/27/02 before the start of the 2002 season…originally signed by Seattle on 1/23/02 and attended Seattle's 2002 training camp.

April 17, 1999 – CB ANTOINE WINFIELD IS BILLS' 1999 NO. 1 PICK

CB Antoine Winfield from Ohio State was the Bills' No. 1 pick (23rd overall) in the 1999 NFL Draft.

Lucius Sanford, an outside linebacker with Buffalo for nine seasons, had a tendency to hit running backs head-on, lift them off their feet and plant their backs on the field. Offensive linemen have ‘pancake blocks.’ Sanford had ‘pancake tackles.’

Numbers Assigned: Antonio Brown (19), Sam Gash (33), Rian Lindell (9), Sammy Morris (31), Izell Reese (43), Dainon Sidney (37).

Win an Authentic NFL Game Ball autographed by Mike Williams. Selected by the Bills with the fourth overall pick in the 2002 Draft, Williams was Buffalo's highest draft pick since taking Bruce Smith #1 overall in 1985.

Enter to win a trip for two (2) from Buffalo to New York City to watch the NFL Draft at Madison Square Garden on April 26th, courtesy of the Buffalo Bills and JetBlue. Winner will be notified on or about April 21, 2003. Register now before you miss your exclusive chance to attend the 2003 NFL Draft.

Signed by the Bills on 1/24/03…allocated to the NFL Europe where he played for the Frankfurt Galaxy…originally signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted rookie free agent on 4/26/02…released by the Redskins during their 2002 training camp.

When the former GM of the Bills died on Friday, he left behind legacy that will live through the NFL forever. His talent for plucking anonymous players from out-of-the-way schools is legendary. His competitiveness was unmatched – the man was Chris Spielman in a sport coat.

TBD Special Photographer Cindy Fox was at Athletes in Action Breakfast to honor Frank and others on the 10th anniversity of the greatest comeback and has provided pictures of some of those in attendence including Frank Reich, Jim Kelly, Travis Brown, Marlon Kerner, and ex-Bills TE Jay Riemersma.

‘Did you know Chuck Noll considered coaching the Bills in 1969? Noll served as defensive coordinator for Don Shula’s Baltimore Colts team, which had just lost to the Jets, 16-7, in Super Bowl III. After the game, Buffalo and New England offered Noll head coaching positions, but he instead chose to coach Pittsburgh…’.

‘For the third straight year, the Bills coaching staff will be hosting the Buffalo Bills Coaches Clinic for local high school and college coaches. It will be held on Friday, May 9th and Saturday May 10th in the Bills Fieldhouse and training facility in Orchard Park.’

‘His ability to find talent in the football hinterlands made names like Don Beebe of Chadron State, Phil Hansen of North Dakota and Marcellus Wiley of Columbia a big reason the Bills averaged 10 wins per year during Butler’s 14 seasons in their front office.’

Marv Levy once described John as a guy who builds morale. I witnessed that morale-building outside the cafeteria every afternoon. He would shake the player’s hand, ask how practice was going, inquire about a nagging injury, tell me a little funny story about the player to make him laugh, and ask how everyone at home was. He was old fashioned and he made them all feel special. The veterans who had been at other places before Buffalo knew it was special, and they knew the difference was John Butler. Rarely do NFL players have daily conversations with the top club executive.

I will say that the pressures of being a GM hardened John a bit through the years. His job and everything associated with it became increasingly personal. He looked at players and coaches as family, and would staunchly defend them against criticism. He found parting ways with a player, a standard part of a GM’s duties, emotionally painful and, at times, downright unbearable.