Two Bills Drive

‘”Since the day I was elected (in late January), I prayed to God that my son would be here with me today,” Kelly said. “God has granted me that blessing. It has been written throughout my career that toughness was my trademark. Well, the toughest person I’ve ever met in my life is my hero, my soldier, my son, Hunter.”‘

‘I thought I had showed up at a Bills’ tailgate party at the Ralph, not the induction ceremonies at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.’

‘”But the minute he walked into the locker room, he walked up and spoke to me and Joe Devlin and Bruce Smith and Jim Ritcher and told each of us that he had followed us and he felt we had the material to become a winning football team. He immediately started rallying people. I had read him totally wrong.”‘

‘All in all, the Bills performed admirably, but along with the good, there was more than enough bad that must be corrected before the Bills line up against the New York Jets in the season opener on Sept. 8.’

‘Missing featured running back William Green because of a minor injury to his right shoulder, the Browns first-team offense accomplished little, if anything, in the scrimmage at St. John Fisher College.’

‘Looking for a No. 2 receiver so wide receiver Kevin Johnson has more room to operate, Browns coach Butch Davis has been raving all week about Northcutt’s play in training camp.’

‘This was the first time the Browns and McAulay’s crew have met since Dec. 16, when the infamous beer bottle toss broke out in Cleveland.’

”’He’s Paul Bunyan in cleats,” said Lang of the 6-foot-6, 375-pound Williams. ”He’s a big, strong guy with good feet who’s going to learn how to play in this league. I bet he’ll have a much better season next year because he’ll know a lot more.”’

‘”I like the idea of bringing in Drew Bledsoe and I think they are going to be good, but I’m more excited about my Browns. I think they are going to make it to the playoffs.”‘

‘”We lacked in that area last year … we had tons of opportunities, but whether we had enough skills to finish those opportunities…”‘

‘He was the linchpin for a franchise about to take its long-suffering fans for the ride of a lifetime. In fact, I proposed to my wife in the afterglow of a playoff-clinching victory in 1990.’

‘Hunter Kelly’s fragile life is only five hard, surprising years long, but it has given his famous father a sense of purpose after football.’

‘The No. 1 defense roared out, causing a Drew Bledsoe incompletion and then three successive negative plays before Bledsoe whipped an 18-yard strike to Peerless Price. Price had another 20-yard gain before the defense held off Bledsoe with a sack at the Browns’ 5 on the 12th play.’

‘Kelly is the first player from the Bills’ Super Bowl teams to be elected to the Hall of Fame. He will not be the last. Next year, kick returner Steve Tasker will be eligible for the first time. “He’s the greatest special teams player ever to play the game,” Kelly said. “There was nobody, nobody like Steve Tasker.”‘

‘When the 6-foot-4, 265-pound Smith sat on the cart, the vehicle’s four tires seemed to wilt under the duress. But away it chugged, whisking the 17-year veteran to his spot at the forefront of the celebration.’