Two Bills Drive

‘Head coach Wade Phillips caused great debate in upstate New York last season when he benched Doug Flutie in favor of forgotten man Rob Johnson on the brink of the playoffs, despite the fact the diminutive folk hero completed his final 12 passes in a victory over the Patriots in the second-to-last regular-season game.’

‘Sammy Morris, the former Texas Tech running back selected in the fifth round of the NFL draft, signed with the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday. During the recently completed minicamp, the Bills used Morris in the backfield and as a receiver.’

‘‘‘Helping our players go out into the communities and interacting with our fans is one of the benefits of these caravan stops,’’ said Russ Brandon, the Bills Vice President/Business Development & Marketing. ‘‘We’ve had some great crowds on some of our recent stops and we are looking forward to the remaining visits.’’’

‘The 6-foot-4, 300-pound [Leif] Larsen, whose first name is pronounced "Life," is the first member of the 2000 draft class to sign with the team.’

‘Half of the Quarterback Class of 1983 will be on hand Aug. 23 at Pro Player Stadium when the Dolphins honor one of its grads, Dan Marino. John Elway and Jim Kelly will join the public tribute to Marino, which starts at 7:30 p.m. All three won more than 100 regular-season games and threw at least 200 touchdown passes.’

‘The Dolphins announced Tuesday that Don Shula, John Elway and Jim Kelly will be among the guests for Dan Marino’s retirement party Aug. 23 at Pro Player Stadium at 7:30.’

‘Gabe Northern, a starter for the Buffalo Bills at weakside linebacker the past two seasons, has signed a two-year contract with the Steelers, his agent said Tuesday.’

‘Free-agent linebacker Gabe Northern has signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Wednesday…Both the Bills and Steelers use four linebackers on defense behind three linemen. Northern, 26, a four-year veteran from Louisiana State, will be replaced in Buffalo by Keith Newman, a fourth-round draft choice last year.’

‘A native of Norway, Larsen, 25, went to the Texas-El Paso on a track and field scholarship as a shot putter and never played football before college. He played 10 games last season and recorded 69 tackles. One of the strongest players in college football, he set the NFL combine record by bench-pressing 225 pounds 45 times.’

‘NFL Insider followed Flutie each day through one of the most tumultuous weeks of his pro career. Monday, January 3…’

‘Tennessee is playing at Buffalo. It is 4th and 4, and the Bills are forced to punt. Daryl Porter is lined up in the "gunner" position for the Bills, near the right sideline away from the offensive and defensive linemen. He is checked in as an eligible receiver. Porter is looking to make a big play, and takes off as soon as the ball is snapped…’

‘If any fans are thinking about coming to training camp and asking Phil Hansen about the "L" word when they get his autograph, they better reconsider. Hansen has been hammered with questions about leadership ever since Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed were released.’

‘Ken Irvin suffered a torn ligament in his left ankle toward the end of last season. He has been rehabilitating it throughout the off-season. The June mini-camp was his first real action in more than six months. The ankle passed the test. Here is a Q&A with Irvin from Day 1 of June mini-camp.’

‘When the Buffalo Bills hold training camp at St. John Fisher College this summer, academic performance will get attention on the same field as athletic prowess. Fisher will use the training camp to help launch a new department that is designed to prepare students for careers in the big business of sports, a broad category that includes high school athletic directors, marketers of clothing, managers of fitness clubs and executives with professional teams.’

‘[Martin] Bayless, however, is also a man of action and perseverance. He played with the Bills and four other teams over the course of a 12-year National Football League career but it’s what he has accomplished off the field that made him an attractive recruit by team management to fill the void of director of player development/special projects. Just what job is that you wonder? It is one all NFL teams, in light of the very disturbing series of arrests and allegations against numerous players, is taking quite seriously. In the past such hires would come about in a press release and in a wire transaction note. Now, the NFL wants these jobs to be more high profile. Thus, when the Bills announced Bayless, general manager John Butler was there and coach Wade Phillips presented Bayless as the replacement for Jerry Butler, who left the Bills and the post vacant over a year ago when he took a coaching job with the Cleveland Browns.’