Buffalo Bills History: Who Wore It – Number 23

Oct 20, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline (82) can

Today we look at the Buffalo Bills players that wore the number 23 throughout their history.  There has been a total of 21 players that have worn the number 23 for the Buffalo Bills since the 1960s.

Willmer Fowler starts it off for the Bills wearing number 23 during the 1961 season. Fowler played for the Bills during the 1960-61 seasons.  These were his only two years in the NFL.  He finished with 372 yards rushing on 94 carries.

Bill Shockley is the next player to wear the number 23 during the 1961 season.  Shockley came into the AFL league in 1960 with the New York Titans.  He then came to the Bills in ’61 and was active for 2 games but never played.  He returned to the Titans in ’62 and then was out of football until showing up in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform in 1968.

Carl Taseff is the next player for the Bills to wear the number 23.  Taseff was on the last leg of his career when he came to Buffalo in 1962.  He started back in 1951 with the Cleveland Browns .  His biggest stint was with the Baltimore Colts, 1953-1961.

Gene Sykes is the next to come in the number 23.  He played for Buffalo from 1963-1965.  He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1963 in the 19th round and then made his way to Buffalo the same year.  Played for the Bills during their championship years in ’64 + ’65.  Finished his career in 1966 with the Denver Broncos.

Bobby Ply and Charley Brown are the next two players to wear number 23.  Ply played for the Bills during the 1967 season and Brown played for them the following season in 1968.

Five years go by before we see another number 23 on the field.  Safety Ken Stone was drafted by the Redskins in 1973 and also played for the Bills during that season.  He returned to the Redskins in 1974 and finished with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980 after playing 4 seasons with them.

Steve Schnarr is the next player to wear the number 23 for the Bills.  He was active for 12 games during the 1975 season and didn’t see any action for them. This was his only year in the NFL.

Clifford Brooks was seen in the Bills uniform with the number 23 attached to it during the 1976 season.

Steve Powell played for the Bills during the 1978-79 season.  He only played for Buffalo and was done with football after the 1979 season.

Van Williams was drafted in the 4th round of the 1982 draft.  He played for the Bills during the 1983-84 seasons.  He finished his football career in 1987 with the New York Football Giants.

Jim Perryman, Kevin Williams, and Kerry Parker were the next three to played for the Bills.  Each one had a 1 year stint with them.  Perryman played in 1985 and Williams played in 1986 for the Bills. Parker played for the Bills in 1987 during the players strike.