‘Station WGRZ-TV in Buffalo reported last night that Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis is the leading candidate to replace deposed Bills coach Wade Phillips.’
BillsBeat - January 11, 2001
Bears down to 4
‘Bills were ninth in yards gained and 20th in points scored this season. They were 11th in yards and 16th in points last season and sixth in yards and seventh in points in 1998.’
4 in hunt to run Bears offense
‘Bears coach Dick Jauron has narrowed his list of offensive coordinator candidates to…Bears interim coordinator John Shoop…Jimmy Raye, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Pendry, formerly of the Buffalo Bills and Marc Trestman, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals.’
Flutie backer takes over as Bills GM
‘The Buffalo Bills have a new general manager and, it would seem, a firm backer of Doug Flutie as the club’s starting quarterback in 2001.’
Donahoe comes full circle in NFL
‘The Bills have hired a highly competent, thoroughly loyal, dedicated football man who is respected and liked throughout the sport.’
Donahoe named Bills GM
‘Wilson, the team’s founder who turns 83 in October, has expressed a desire to cut back on his duties with the team, meaning Donahoe will be the club’s chief voice at league-level meetings on down.’
Donahoe prepared for new job
‘Team owner Ralph Wilson gave Donahoe unprecedented power within the organization, and to some men who worked with or know Donahoe, he is a man who richly deserves it.’
Cottrell deserves chance to coach Bills
‘Ted Cottrell probably won’t be the next coach of the Buffalo Bills — despite the fact that he would be the logical successor to the fired Wade Phillips. Nobody said the NFL world is fair.’
Wade a Minute
‘According to the anti-Wade movement, Phillips has no business coaching a team at the NFL level. To his detractors, the former Denver Bronco head coach is a bumbling, unenthusiastic incompetent. Football insiders, those intimately familiar with the game, have a far different take on Phillips.’
MORE POWER TO HIM DONAHOE'S AUTHORITY IS COMPLETE
‘It is more power than Donahoe has ever had in his career. His duties during his eight-year tenure as director of football operations for the Pittsburgh Steelers were equivalent to those of a general manager. But Steelers owner Dan Rooney had several vice presidents, including two of his own family members, between himself and Donahoe in the Pittsburgh front office.’
NEW GM IS A QUIET ACHIEVER
‘Donahoe’s down-to-earth style figures to win him friends in Buffalo, the City of No Illusions. If he can repeat the success he had in Pittsburgh, his popularity will be guaranteed.’
DONAHOE COMES WITH STERLING REPUTATION
‘”You can’t overstate Tom. He will accomplish his goals.”‘
WILSON GETS RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB
‘He could not have found a better available man than Donahoe, who is respected throughout the NFL and was widely perceived as the best personnel man on the NFL market when Wilson abruptly fired Butler three weeks ago.’
TNT DELAYS BILLS SUPER BOWL VICTORY; REGIS WELCOMES ANOTHER SYTA
‘The movie, which was directed last summer in Toronto by Buffalo native Rob Lieberman, is about a group of second string Bills who win the Super Bowl after the first team gets food poisoning.’
Phillips would like to coach expansion Texans
‘On Wednesday, Phillips said he is looking forward to becoming an NFL head coach again, possibly with the expansion Houston Texans, who start play in 2002. Phillips, 53, said he expects to interview with Houston in the coming weeks, though nothing has been formally set up.’