Buffalo Bills History: Who Wore It – Number 14
By Dennis Amo
Oct 20, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (6) and quarterbacks coach Frank Reich, right, in the second quarter of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-6. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
The Buffalo Bills have had over 1200 players play for them over the years. During those years, they have had 6 players wear the number 14 for them. All 6 of them were quarterbacks.
It first started in 1960. Tom O’Connell was a quarterback that played for the Bills in their beginning. He played for two seasons; 1960-1961. He came to the Bills at the end of his career. He played for 7 years, 5 years in the NFL (Bears and Browns) and 2 in the AFL (Bills).
In 1961, there was another player that wore the number 14. M.C. Reynolds played for five seasons. Three of those season were in the NFL and two in the AFL. He finished his career in 1962 with the AFL Oakland Raiders.
The next player to wear the number 14 didn’t come until 1969 when Tom Sherman wore 14 along with the number 18. He only played for the Bills for that one season. Sherman played for eight seasons total in his football career. He played for the AFL (Bengals – 1968, Boston Patriots – 1968-69, and the Bills 1969). In 1974 he moved to the World Football League and played for the New York Stars. The Stars moved to Charlotte, NC and changed to the Hornets. Sherman played for them as well in 1975. He also played for the CFL in 1975 with the Calgary Stampeders.
The fourth player to wear the number 14 came in 1977. Ken Johnson spent most of his career in the CFL and the USFL. He was signed as a free agent by the Bills in 1977. He was active for 14 games but saw no action. He was released in 1978 and signed on with teams in the CFL and USFL for the next 7 years.
Frank Reich is the fifth of six players to wear number 14. He is most notable for his comeback game in the 1993 playoffs against the Houston Oilers. Reich was able to lead the Bills to 38 points in the second half and overtake the Oilers 41-38. To this day, it still stands as the greatest comeback in football history. Reich was picked from the Bills roster in the 1995 expansion draft by the Carolina Panthers. He stayed in the league until 1998 and finished with the Lions. He is currently a coach for the San Diego Chargers as their offensive coordinator.
Ryan Fitzpatrick is the final player to don the number 14 for the Bills. He came to the Bills in 2009 and was released by the Bills in 2013 prior to the NFL draft. This move showed the Bills would be looking to move into a different direction at quarterback. In 2011 Fitzpatrick finished with a league leading 23 interceptions. He did have 24 touchdowns that year as well. Fitzpatrick moved on to the Titans last year and was released earlier this year and shortly after signed on with the Houston Texans. Fitzpatrick will see his former Bills team in week 4 of the season when Buffalo travels to Houston.