Two Bills Drive

‘Buffalo still has coaching vacancies at offensive line, linebacking and running back.’

Season and individual game tickets in several sections will increase by $3.00 per game. Those sections include lower level sideline seats, upper deck seats, and 200 level seats in the tunnel end zone.

The price for tickets in the Tops Family Section will remain the same and over 500 new seats have been added. That brings the total number of seats in the Tops Family Section to nearly 1,400.

‘Danny Smith (special teams), Fred Graves (receivers), Steve Jackson (safties/third down specialist) Dan Neal (tight end) and Pat Thomas (defensive backs/cornerbacks) all resigned contracts.’

Kicker Steve Christie connected on five field goals and quarterback Jim Kelly returned to the lineup to lead Buffalo to a 29-10 victory over Miami, and a berth in a third straight Super Bowl.

Have you ever wondered what happens to NFL players when their playing days are done? Read about Ray Bentley, Jerry Butler, Joe Cribbs, Joe Ferguson, Daryle Lamonica, Pete Metzelaars, Darryl Talley and other former Buffalo Bills players.

Special teams coach Danny Smith will return for at least another year, despite his units’ overall performance drop-off, in which punt and kickoff return yardage declined and opponent kickoff return yardage increased. The Bills also signed six other coaches, but their running backs coach or defensive line assistant coach were not among them.

The Buffalo Bills today announced that five assistant coaches have re-signed contracts.

‘The Buffalo Bills requested permission to interview Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander. Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan couldn’t confirm Thursday night whether the team has given the Bills the right to speak to Alexander. The Rochester, N.Y., native has been the Bengals’ offensive line coach since 1995.’

‘Lewis on Wednesday spoke with current offensive line assistant Paul Alexander about staying on but there was no resolution of his status. Alexander was recently interviewed by the Buffalo Bills.’

Writers in recent years have aptly described Bills Chairman Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. as "the voice of reason" and "the conscience of the NFL" and his fortitude may be best illustrated by the fact that of the original eight AFL owners only Wilson has kept his team in its originating city. This point was one of those more obvious reasons from the Buffalo News selecting Wilson as the "Top Sports Figure" in Western New York in the past millennium.

‘Szabo, 59, was linebackers coach for Jacksonville the past nine seasons.’

‘Meanwhile, according to broadcast reports in Buffalo, the Bills are interested in former Atlanta assistant Don Blackmon and former Seattle assistant Johnny Holland, as candidates for its linebackers opening.’

Jerry Rice acquired one of the few possible records he does not already own, most yards in postseason play — 2,132. Whom did he surpass? Thurman Thomas, who played seven years fewer than Rice. (You’ll hear the postseason yardage records, rarely discussed, mentioned a lot when Thomas is a first-ballot Hall of Fame entrant.)

The way we hear it, it would be more of a surprise if former Bengals head coach Dick LeBeau was not hired by the Bills than if he were hired at this point. LeBeau is a coach whom general manager Tom Donahoe has faith in from their days together in Pittsburgh, and Donahoe truly wants him on the staff. Since the Bills are looking to add more experience in the coaching ranks, LeBeau seems to be a perfect fit. Still, the Bills’ pursuit of the one-time Steelers defensive coordinator doesn’t mean Bills defensive coordinator Jerry Gray is on the outs. After Buffalo’s defense turned it up a notch down the stretch, Gray’s job may be safe – for now. But if the Bills hire LeBeau and make him the new LB coach or create a position for him, LeBeau could be in line to take over for Gray if the defense doesn’t show well right away next season.

Former Arizona Cardinal O-Line Coach Andy Warhop, thought to be sought by the Bills, has signed with Bill Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys.