‘Owner Ralph Wilson was stunned over the whole thing. He was particularly disturbed that Butler seemingly did not want to stay with the Bills. Wilson said since July he talked to Butler six times about renewing his contract, but Butler was non-committal each time – as if he had some place to go already, or he wanted to be somewhere other than Buffalo all along.’
BillsBeat - December 19, 2000
Bills send Butler packing
"I said, generally speaking, ‘John, if you can’t give me an answer that you’re going to be the general manager of the Bills, now, not in the future, not after the last game, then I’m going to have to look elsewhere,’ " Wilson said he told Butler. "He was just nonchalant about it and left."
Bills fire Butler
‘The Buffalo Bills on Tuesday fired general manager and executive vice president John Butler. "John Butler has been dismissed of his duties as executive vice president and general manager of the club effective immediately," team owner Ralph Wilson said in a prepared statement delivered at Bills headquarters.’
Flutie, not Johnson, likely to start finale
‘In what may be considered a mercy move by many Bills fans, Bills coach Wade Phillips said yesterday that quarterback Rob Johnson will probably sit out the season finale Saturday in Seattle.’
Johnson needs to help himself
‘It boils down to this: If the Bills’ deep thinkers still believe that Rob Johnson is their quarterback of the future, then there can be no future in Buffalo for Joe Pendry and Carl Mauck.’
Phillips taking heat from every side
‘Phillips took a big chance in his decision to go with Johnson over Flutie, and Johnson obviously has let him down.’
Patriots fans flock to Flutie
‘The storytelling wasn’t restricted to the game. CBS cameras caught some guy on one knee dropping his engagement ring while proposing. A cheerleader was led away by security guards, and while no one has gotten to the bottom of that story yet, it made for interesting viewing.’
Pats' problems snowball
‘The coaches deserve credit for keeping the team focused through the obstacles they faced because of the weather. Even beyond that, however, the game plan on both offense and defense was modified dramatically and effectively as the conditions deteriorated during the day.’
Johnson likely to miss Bills season finale with concussion
‘Injury-prone quarterback Rob Johnson, recovering from the third concussion he’s suffered this year, will probably miss the Buffalo Bills season finale on Saturday.’
Not so special teams
‘Phillips committed a mistake a year ago when he made a change. He commits a mistake this year if he doesn’t make one again.’
BILLS FIRE BUTLER AS GM
‘Owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. had been on record as praising Butler’s work and wishing to sign him to a new contract. But Butler had declined to negotiate seriously with the Bills and had expressed an interest in seeking his market value before making a commitment.’
WILEY HOPES PATS' GAME WASN'T A GOODBYE
‘”I just wanted to say thank you to the Bills and the Bills fans,” said Wiley, who will be an unrestricted free agent after Saturday’s season finale in Seattle. “I’m still a Bill for another game and, hopefully, for another contract, another year. But I’m not in a situation right now to even think about it or make any moves. If this is it, dire straits, I tried to show them everything I could and thank them for everything.”‘
JOHNSON'S 'HEADACHE' MEANS FLUTIE WILL START
‘”They’re calling it a slight concussion,” Phillips said of Johnson. “It’s more like a headache. He banged his head on the ground, but he never lost consciousness or had trouble remembering anything.”‘
CONCUSSIONS MAY FORCE BILLS' HAND
‘Johnson may never suffer another, but the decision makers can’t bank on it. For a promising young quarterback to suffer so many concussions so early in his career, you have to go back to Chris Miller with Atlanta. After a promising beginning, Miller’s career became a series of stops and restarts and finally retirement after a second comeback attempt in Denver.’
BillsBeat - December 18, 2000
Phillips' Excuses Don't Add Up
‘Instead of addressing why the same group of linemen who have operated under the same assistant coach within the same offensive coordinator’s system for three years can’t peform the most basic functions of their jobs, Phillips took the easy route.’