Aug 30, 2012; Detroit, MN, USA; Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman (8) walks to the field prior to the game against the Detroit Lions in a preseason game at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US Presswire
We begin today by looking at those players in Buffalo Bills history to wear the number 8. Over the course of the Bills history there have been 4 players that have worn the number 8.
The first player to show off the number 8 in the red, white, and blue came during the 1977 season. Neil O’Donoghue only played for a season with the Bills. He returned to his home in Ireland after the season to play for the Shelbourne F.C. He came back to the NFL a year later to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2 seasons. He finished his kicking career with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1980 to 1985. He had a career average of 59%.
The next Bills player to wear the number 8 was QB Billy Joe Hobert. Hobert also only played for the Bills for a season (1997) which was for less than the full season. He was expected to compete against AVP (Alex Van Pelt) and Todd Collins for the starting job that Jim Kelly left open. He publicly admitted that he was unprepared to play and was released shortly after. He signed on with the Saints later that season and was traded to the Colts in 2000 where he stayed for two seasons and didn’t play a snap.
The final player to wear the number 8 for Buffalo is none other than Brian Moorman. Moorman has been Buffalo’s longtime punter has been with the team since 2001. He was released in the middle of the 2012 season when Buffalo was looking to move in a younger direction with Shawn Powell. Powell proceeded to put his foot in his mouth and was released during the 2013 season and Brian Moorman was brought back. Moorman has been elected to the Pro Bowl twice and has been the named to both the NFL’s 2000s All Decade Team as well as the Bills’ 50th Anniversary Team.
During Moormans absence, Jeff Tuel worn Number 8 during the first part of 2013 but gave the number up when Moorman rejoined the team. We looked at Tuel in our Who Worn Number 7 Segment.