Former Bills FB Corey Knox: Exclusive Interview
Fullback Corey Knox grew up a Bills fan in Buffalo, played football at the University of Buffalo his senior year, and was signed by the Bills last offseason. He was cut from the team before he could even get into pads which is a shame because he never got a chance to prove himself during contact drills.
Here at the BuffaLowDown, we wanted to catch up with the Buffalo native and check in to see how his attempt to make it with an NFL team is going. If at the end of reading this interview, you can conclude that you’ve ever wanted anything in your life more than Corey wants to be an NFL player and more specifically a Buffalo Bills player, we’d love to hear your story.
So read on Bills fans. Knox has some great stories to tell!
BuffaLowDown: What was your childhood like growing up in Buffalo?
Corey: I didn’t exactly have the most “normal” childhood. I think a big part of who I am was really built while I was growing up in Buffalo. I know plenty of people on this earth had it worse than my brother and I but it was still a very challenging time given our situation at home. We had two parents that separate were very great people but when combined were incredibly toxic.
A big part of our childhood was spent in the midst of drug and alcohol induced fights that regularly resulted in the cops visiting our home. We saw and heard a lot of things that kids shouldn’t. We dealt with situations that were incredibly traumatizing and unforgettable. We spent a lot of time at friends houses and at our grandparent’s place.
We were lucky to have relatives and friends be there for us and we were lucky to have each other. I owe a lot to my big brother and the people we had around us because we never truly had a home. Even when the divorce came it was only a small step in sorting through the wake of a disaster that was our family. The next chapter of our lives was just as difficult. Custody battles, trips to prison to visit our father, and readjusting to our mother’s new marriage were all incredibly stressful situations that only built anger and rage within my mind. Both of our parents made selfish mistakes and no one is to blame more than the other.
That’s where football came into play for me. Especially in high school. It gave me the type of outlet and a platform to release my anger and rage that nothing else could.
Whether it was training in the weight room or filling a gap to make a tackle I brought every ounce of aggression and anger I had in my body that was built up from things I could never control. My second favorite football movie after Rudy was The Water Boy. I was affectionately named “Bobby Boucher” after my sophomore season in high school because of how angry and physical I played the game. Or perhaps it was just my coaches labeling my level of intelligence…either way, I loved it!
The anger and rage that was so evident eventually turned into a passion for the game. I think it saved my life in some ways because I was able to channel the pain, the emotional distress, and the anger I had into something positive. It was my “tackling fuel” if you will.
I’d like to be able to say that the fuel eventually ran out and things got better but in reality they stayed the same and at times got even worse. The only difference for me over the years was that I learned how to deal with it. College sports once again played a huge role in keeping my mental health and life on track. Even though almost everyone in my immediate family faced some form of substance addiction, my substance was training. My addiction was being successful in my sport.
Every time I was told I wasn’t good enough, every time I got knocked down, and every time I got cut, it reminded me of how our family failed. It reminded me how giving up, for my life, was never an option. It further motivated me to grow stronger both mentally and physically and never quit on myself no matter how tough the times were.
I wouldn’t trade my situation for anyone else’s. I’m thankful for the lessons I have learned and I don’t think I would have made it anywhere in life without them. Especially in sports. I try and love what I can about my family and try to remember that no family is perfect. I have them to thank for this ever burning fire of perspective, passion, and rage that has pushed me past the point of my wildest dreams and expectations. It has allowed me to grow and accomplish things that no one ever thought I could.
Getting signed gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, my parents could somehow be inspired enough to change their lives and improve upon our relationships so that we could enjoy the rest of our time on this earth together. Seeing the positive influence it had on my dad’s troubled life gave me even more motivation to succeed. The thought that me making that team could somehow help him get clean and live a more normal life was something I was willing to give everything I had for.
With that type of motivation alongside the heartache and pain of growing up a Bills fan, I find it hard to believe that there is anyone out there that wants to play for that team more than I do. There is no one that wants that team to win more than me and I will give everything in my mind, body, and heart to prove that.
Next: What are Corey's Thoughts on Rex Ryan?
BuffaLowDown: How did you like being coached by Rex Ryan?
Corey: The thing is I’ve tried to stay positive throughout my time there and after being released. I got signed at a point in time where, first of all, Rex Ryan was brought in, and second of all a bunch of big name free agents were brought in. I don’t want to say I got lost in the shuffle, but it was a star-studded cast of people and it might not have given me a chance to stand out as much. I liked a lot of the things that Rex stood for.
I was standing there the day he was sworn in as the head coach and I got goosebumps because he’s standing up there and he’s talking about how much of a blue collar community this is and how he wants nothing but the team to win for the city. I’m sitting there like Jesus this is awesome we finally have a coach who gets it, who connects to people and who is really going to give everything he has to bring a playoff win, a winning season, or a Super Bowl run for the city. I was literally getting jacked up. I’m standing in the field house thinking I just want to get pads on right now. I was ready to prove that I would be one of those guys that he would love to put out there on the field and let loose.
That’s what I’m about and that’s what I worked my whole life for. I’ve never given up because I want the chance to just do that. The chance to give every single Bills fan the satisfaction that one of their own fans was able to get out there and make it happen. So for me, I was really excited when he was first there in OTA’s and minicamp. I thought everything was going pretty well but I think the one thing about Rex that a lot of people are starting to pick up on is that he’s a super loyal guy. He stays very loyal to his former coaches and players. I don’t want to speak poorly on his behalf but I think my situation was affected a little bit because of that type of loyalty that he brings. In some cases, it can be a good thing but in some ways it can be a bad thing.
Like I said, I don’t know if I just didn’t stand out to him, if the writing was already on the wall when they signed Jerome Felton for $9.2 million, or if he thought he might as well bring in his old fullback from the Jets and give him a shot to maybe move on to another team. I was never given a straightforward answer as to why but I guess that’s my experience with Rex. I hope the best for the guy. I like what he brings and I like the idea of what he does.
Next: When did Corey have aspirations of being an NFL Player?
BuffaLowDown: It has to be a great experience stepping onto an NFL field. When did you have aspirations of becoming an NFL player?
Corey: Since I was a kid. My dad signed me up to play football at a very young age. Like I mentioned to a couple of other people he worked at Rich Stadium (now Ralph Wilson Stadium) when I was a kid in the HSBC box as a bartender. He would sneak my brother and me into games because he knew all the guys at the gate. I would go to every single home game from the time I was old enough to go until he stopped working there. I grew up in that atmosphere; I was born in ‘89 so I was born right before the Super Bowl years. I was probably too little to understand what was going on but I could definitely feel the energy and joy of what was happening.
I think it definitely impacted me at a young age that I could feel those Super Bowl losses. I think everybody could. Even if you were a baby or just growing up. Kids absorb energy and they can tell when something’s good and when something’s bad. At that point in my life, I started to get decked out in Bills clothes and I think that’s when the wheels started to turn. I grew up playing football in my backyard pretending I was some of the greatest Buffalo Bills of all-time. It just snowballed from that.
I loved playing football in high school. I played linebacker and fullback and I gave it everything I had. I always wanted to play college football but unfortunately, when I graduated high school I wasn’t quite big enough to command a Division I offer. I was a middle linebacker/fullback sitting at 185-190 pounds and those kinds of guys don’t get looked at by the big time schools. Even UB (University of Buffalo) would have probably been a stretch. I ended up having to go away. I got a track and field scholarship to a small school in Fremont Nebraska. I worked my butt off there and got bigger and stronger.
I earned a scholarship to go to that school but eventually wanted to come back to UB, to Buffalo, back home. I ended up doing that but it was a similar situation where I needed to fight to get a try out on the track team. I had a summer workout with the track coach and he was like “I don’t know if I am going to keep you” but I worked my butt off and ended up beating some of his throwers at that workout and he ended up keeping me as a walk on. Then the ball started to roll from there.
I got my foot in the door by outworking the guy next to me, doing everything I could to become a better thrower to try and earn a scholarship and to win conference medals. I slowly but surely every year started to do that. My first year I won a conference medal. My next year I earned a scholarship. The whole time I wanted more and more. By the time I was a junior there I had a 50% ride with books and I was big enough and strong enough to play football at a Division I level. I was about 250-255 pounds and the strongest I’ve ever been.
I was watching the football guys in the weight room saying to myself Damn, I’m throwing up some good numbers here. I think I can really make a difference on that team. Ever since I was a kid I wanted to play for UB. We talked about it in high school. It wasn’t a reality then but it did become a reality by the time I was a junior. I tried to walk on and they didn’t want any part of it. They said “you haven’t played in 3-4 years. There is no way you’ll adjust to the game speed. We can’t take a risk on a guy like you just to waste a spot.” I begged them my junior year to walk on and Jeff Quinn and his staff would not let me. I sat in their office everyday over summer until these coaches finally had a meeting with me. I sat down with one of the defensive coaches and he told me straight up that they don’t have any spots and they are not going to give me a chance.
That whole year I had to watch the football team. I still competed in track and field but the summer of my senior year that next year was my last opportunity. So I did the same thing I did the year before. I went to those coaches and I begged them and I begged them and I begged them. It wasn’t until about 3 weeks before camp that they decided to give me a walk-on spot. I had to beg and beg and beg and finally I got a meeting with Jeff Quinn. I sat there for an hour and a half and I talked his ear off about what I wanted to do and what I was willing to sacrifice for that team. I said I was giving up my scholarships, (it’s a NCAA rule that if you have a partial scholarship for one team, you need to forfeit it to walk on to another team) I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll play special teams, I’ll long snap, I don’t care. I just want to play for the city, I want to play for the team, I want to make a difference and give it everything I have. That’s what I always wanted to do. He gave me a walk-on spot. I had to forfeit my scholarship. I walked on to camp and basically just tried to be a psychopath.
I was the 4th fullback on the depth chart the first day of camp, a week later we had our first day with pads. The second day in pads I was the 3rd string fullback. The next day in pads I become the 2nd string fullback and finally after our first scrimmage at the end of that week I became the 1st string fullback. They started to notice that I was throwing my body at people. I was picking up the playbook and that I was really giving it everything I had. It was better than the guys who were playing in spring ball and some of the guys who already played football there. They recognized the physicality, that I love to hit, that I could catch, I could move my feet. That I really was someone who was giving it everything I had. That’s something I’ve always done and something I’ll always do.
A great moment for me, which probably helped me not only get #1 on the depth chart but my scholarship was that first scrimmage when we were running a power to the left side. The number 2’s were running against the number 1’s. Who was on the left side of that defense at the end linebacker? It was Khalil Mack. I’m sitting there in my first play from scrimmage and we run a power to the left side and I smack him and put him on his back. The next day Jeff Quinn walks into the locker room and comes right up to me and goes “You had a pretty good scrimmage out there”. He was really excited for me. He gave me an opportunity and I ran with it. That’s when everybody started to take me seriously including the coaches.
When you are a walk on those coaches don’t want anything to do with you until you prove that you can do something for them. I don’t think there was a coach on that team that thought I was going to do anything before that. I felt the same situation with the Bills. I felt like they thought I was just a guy they brought on. No one was expecting anything from me but I proved at UB in that scrimmage and at that time that I was worth something. The next day I had a full scholarship offer from Jeff Quinn. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I envisioned that happening with the Bills. I never let that dream go especially when I got the opportunity in college. I said ok I know I’m behind the eight-ball here. I know I only had one year of college football. I only played as a senior. I have a lot to learn about the game. But I will go into this camp for the Bills and I will study more than anybody else did.
I was there first thing in the morning and the last one there at night. Nobody was there, nobody was in the parking lot but I was in the running backs room studying. I was going over plays, I was making playbooks based on the sheets that they were giving us. I was making individualized playbooks for all this stuff. I was really giving it everything I had. I believed that I was going to have a chance to do this because it worked out so well at UB. I thought once the pads got on I was going to be able to further validate all of that hard work and to show my aggressiveness but unfortunately, I didn’t really get a chance to do that.
Next: More on Khalil Mack
BuffaLowDown: That’s an amazing story to be able to tell your kids that you knocked Khalil Mack on his back.
Corey: It’s funny because the next day the linebackers coach came up to me and he goes “We got a fullback now”. Like I said, that’s kind of how football coaches are. Football coaches are a certain breed. Not all of them, but you need to prove what you can do for them before they are really going to have respect for you. I guess I didn’t get a real chance to do that with the Bills staff.
I think there were some coaches on that staff that really did want to see what I could do but ultimately I feel like I got a half of a chance with them. I ran around in shorts, a t-shirt, a helmet on and no pads. I caught footballs, I moved my feet, and I learned plays. All that stuff is well and good but everybody knows when you play fullback it’s about can you be physical? Can you hit? Can you beat the guy in front of you? Can you be a maniac out there? That’s what they are looking for and that’s exactly what I planning on doing for them. I would die for that football team. There would be nothing better for me on this earth than to play for that team, to run out of that tunnel and to give it everything I have.
I think that’s something that a lot of players in today’s NFL don’t have. They are in it for other reasons, maybe the money, maybe the fame. I don’t know. For me, it meant so much to play for that team. That’s something powerful that I think I can really show and really stand out. It kills me that I didn’t get a chance to show that. That’s really the hardest part in a nutshell right there.
Next: Corey's thoughts on a developmental league
BuffaLowDown: With a player like you who was overlooked and always had to prove himself, a developmental league might be the perfect situation if the NFL had one. When things didn’t work out with the Bills there would’ve been another forum for you to show your physicality and skill set. Can you share your thoughts on whether the NFL should have a developmental league and what might it look like?
Corey: I absolutely 100% think they should. I say this to people all the time. It’s not as cut and dry as people believe. It’s not as black and white as people think it is. It’s not like you’re either good enough or you’re not and that’s it. There’s a lot of really good football players that I know personally and that other people know that are not playing football in the NFL right now. Guys who just missed their chance. A lot of it is timing and a numbers game. I’ve played with guys who were All-MAC and players who were All-Americans, who just got overlooked. Who weren’t in the right system at the right time. Unfortunately, there is a new crop of players every year so a lot of guys get overlooked.
I think something like a developmental league [would be great] if there was a big enough organization of people who had the funding and the plans to do it. There would be a ton of really good football players in it. Players that are just about good enough to play in the league, if not ready for the league. You can put them into a league and essentially it would be a farm system which every other pro sport has. Just look at the NBA D-league. That’s worked fantastic for them. I think it’s foolish that they don’t implement something like that not only for guys like me but for other people. It would be a really great way to get another crop of good players back in. Unfortunately, you have college football which acts as that, but then you get guys that get overlooked.
Next: Corey tells us about how his Dad worked at Rich Stadium
BuffaLowDown: You mentioned your dad worked at Rich Stadium as a bartender in the HSBC box, how long did he do that and do you have any good stories about a run-in with players during that time?
Corey: I want to say he worked there for 5-6 years when I was a kid so there was a solid chunk of time that I was going to games. I was also a really big Jacksonville Jaguars fan because they were an expansion team when I was younger and I liked their logo, their name, their team. I really liked Natrone Means. He was their big running back at the time. My dad and his friends knew that so they got me a huge Jaguars cut out and I went down after a game and got his signature which was pretty cool. My dad was really close with some of the older Buffalo Bills players.
Robb Riddick was a former Bill from back in the day. He was a running back. My Dad and him were best friends when they were younger. We spent Christmas at the Riddick’s and we have a VHS of us. It’s called “Christmas at the Riddick’s”. It’s my brother and I opening gifts with his kids Ian and Andre. It’s a really crazy thing to think about. The Buffalo Bills have always been ingrained in me and my family and I find it hard to think there is someone out there who wants to play for the team more than me. I’d like to meet them and I’d like to hear what they have to say but I don’t think so.
This is no offense to Felton or Gronkowski but I don’t think those guys want it as much as me and I think that means more than their last name or who they blocked for on their former team or the fact that they are a seven-year NFL vet. I think at the end of the day you throw that all out the window when you have the hungriest guy. That’s who you are going to get the most out of. To me, that’s what should matter. Unfortunately with the situation with the Bills, I don’t think that mattered as much. I don’t know why. I think that could just be the politics of the NFL and how coaches operate, but nobody is going to tell me I didn’t go out there and give it everything I had for that team. I was long snapping, I was playing special teams, I would’ve done anything to stay on that team and I know a lot of guys there that wouldn’t and that’s a frustrating thing.
Next: What made Corey interested in the fullback position?
BuffaLowDown: What made you so interested in the fullback position?
Corey: When I initially went out for the football team at UB, I spoke with one of their linebackers. I played with him in the Western New York High School All-Star Game when we were seniors. His name is John Syty. He is now a scout for the Philadelphia Eagles and he’s a great guy. I went to him because I wasn’t getting the time of day from the coaches. I said to him “what position do you guys need?” I told him “I’ve played linebacker, I’d love to play linebacker”. He goes “we got a ton of linebackers. We only have 1 or 2 fullbacks. That might be a position you can sneak into. You’re big, you’re strong, and I know you’re athletic”. That’s what got the ball rolling on the fullback position.
Looking back, if I could have gotten in there as a junior, if I had two solid years, I do stay at linebacker. I could play some inside linebacker. I have the skillset, the physicality, the lateral movement, all that kind of stuff. You can ask anybody from high school, which I know only matters so much, but in high school, I was a much better linebacker than a fullback. I could still get it done at fullback but I played more linebacker. I was very comfortable at that position. I played it since I was a kid so instinctively I took good angles, I was physical at contact, and I wrapped up well. I did the little things you learn from playing the position since you were younger.
[With UB] I only had one year, so my main goal was that I wanted to help the team. So I thought to myself what do I need to do to help this team? They needed me at fullback so that’s where I played. It wasn’t totally foreign to me because we used a fullback in high school. I blocked a lot of powers, I did a lot of iso’s up the middle, a lot of pass blocking, so it wasn’t completely foreign to me but the system in college and the game speed was something I had to pick up on but like I said I worked my butt off on that and that’s how I ended up playing fullback.
Next: Would Corey be willing to switch to a different position?
BuffaLowDown: There are a lot of offenses in the NFL that don’t use a fullback as much as they used to back in the day. If a team were to ask you to transfer to a different position such as tight end would you be open to it?
Corey: Yea. That’s part of what I am doing right now as far as drill work. Obviously, I can’t get into an 11 on 11 game right now. When I was with the Bills I did some tight end work. I have pretty solid hands, I can block on the line, and I am a physical guy. I like to use my strength on players so I know I would be able to handle some big defensive ends or even blocking down on a tackle now and again. I can do all of those things. Do I have film of me doing that in a game? No, but I do know that I possess that skillset and I can do that if I work on it. I think the same thing goes for a defensive position such as linebacker or defensive end.
I know that the market for fullbacks is slim and it’s almost like a punter or kicker where a team is going to have one guy and you’re not going to carry a practice squad spot. Some teams carry one but usually, teams pay their one guy and that’s how it goes. I know it’s a tough position to crack so I am willing to play any position, linebacker, defensive end, tight end, special teams, long snapper. I’m the type of athlete that can fit into all those in some way shape or form. I’m training hard to showcase that stuff but it’s not always easy especially around this time of year with the draft when all these young guys are coming out.
Next: What is the future of the fullback position?
BuffaLowDown: With the increase of spread offenses and other formations that don’t utilize the position what’s your take on the future for fullback’s in the NFL? Additionally, I heard an interesting point that NFL teams are trending towards smaller, quicker DE’s and LB’s. If this trend continues is it possible that the fullback position could become more important where a big bruising fullback would have a major advantage over some of these smaller players?
Corey: The trend has changed a bit. The point I always make to people is if you watch the teams that make late playoff runs they typically will have a solid fullback at least in recent years. I don’t think Denver did last year. I think their run game was just solid the way it was but some of those other teams that made long runs usually will have a decent fullback that they can use at the right times. I think the traditional fullback in the NFL is kind of obsolete.
I think the guys who are the 270-280 pound steamrollers that just run straight up and down, I don’t think there is a place for them anymore. Not to say that there shouldn’t be but like you said a lot of teams are running spread offenses, a lot of teams are running read options or zone and guys need to open up their hips and get out in space and attack moving targets not just a straight up and down iso to the right or left side.
Fullbacks these days need to be a little more of a hybrid. You have to sometimes split out, or run a route or catch the ball. I think guys like that that can do it all are going to give themselves a better chance. I do think that establishing a run game will become a trend again in the NFL. I know that obviously the passing game is huge and people say you can get a running back anywhere. You don’t really need it, it’s not that big of a part of the game. But late in the playoffs it is. The teams with the better running game typically have a better chance of winning because it opens up the passing game. Especially against good defenses because you have to keep them off balance.
I think a good fullback can be physical straight up and down in a power or iso situation, they can also open their hips and get out on the edge and seal off blockers to open up a wide sweep or a wide zone play. They can also fake the power and go into the flats and catch a nice pass as well. I think those are the guys who have a great chance. The fullback for the Ravens and also the guy from the Falcons had great years last year. They did a little bit of everything. The traditional fullbacks who are straight up and down and can’t get out of their own way are kind of obsolete. I would like to see more well-rounded athletes at the position who can do everything.
Like you said, if defenders are smaller, they are also probably a little quicker and more slippery. They are not your big 260 pound middle linebackers. They are 235-240 pound guys who can move their feet and hips. You need to lock onto those guys so it takes a better athlete to do that.
Next: What fullbacks did Corey mirror his game after?
BuffaLowDown: Were there any fullbacks you tried to mirror your game after or did you have any favorite fullbacks to watch growing up?
Corey: Guys that I respect and love the way they play include John Kuhn for the Packers. I think he is a fantastic fullback. He is a big physical guy who can get out on the edge and block. He can block straight up and down, he can carry the ball, and he can catch when he asked to. He has quietly been one of the best fullbacks in the league and I think he is underrated. Even I hate to say this but James Devlin for the Patriots. He is a solid fullback who can do it all. When I found out Greg Roman was going to be Buffalo’s Offensive Coordinator I went right to the running backs room and I was trying to gather as much information as I could about the offense we were getting and what Greg Roman liked to use.
I knew Bruce Miller was the fullback there and I had watched a bunch of San Fran games. I like the way he played for the most part. He was a converted defensive end and he was a new guy at the position as well. I saw myself being a very similar athlete to him when I would watch his film. We are both about 6’2″ 245-250 pounds. He opens his hips well, he can get out into space, he can catch the ball, and he is pretty physical. I like to think I’d be a little more physical than him just based on what I saw but I still think he is a good fullback. So when I saw Greg Roman coming and I thought this is going to work out well for me.
I don’t know what Greg Roman’s thoughts were on me, he complimented me on some plays I made in minicamp. I made some good catches and some good reads. I don’t know truly what he thought of me or if he ever thought I had a chance but I really thought I could mirror my game after Bruce Miller and have a chance to stand out to these guys. I was excited that we got Greg Roman. So I guess those would be the fullbacks that I learned from and watched over the years.
Next: What players helped support Corey at UB and for the Bills?
BuffaLowDown: Going back to your UB years or even your time with the Bills, who were the players who helped support you during your time and who did you look at as a mentor?
Corey: Going back to UB, John Syty was a guy who really wanted me to be there and saw something in me. He is a Buffalo guy through and through and wanted me to help the team and for us to win. Another guy who I didn’t get a chance to play with in college who I wish I played with was Pete Bittner. If I came on as a junior we would have played together. He was another Buffalo guy, a great football player and guy. He was super happy for me when I signed with the Bills and he was there to support me. As far as UB guys go there is no question that those two were huge.
When I was with the Bills Fred Jackson was a guy that I could talk to and from watching him my entire life I knew what type of heart that guy had. I wanted nothing but to block for him. I was more upset when they cut him then when they cut me. I texted him that and I told him that. I was really upset. When I was there he was what he had always been. The heart and soul of that team. He is a selfless guy. He wanted nothing but to help the community of Buffalo and to get us to win. To me, we needed more guys like that on the team. He was definitely a guy who heavily influenced me before and after I signed with the team.
Next: More on Corey's relationship with Fred Jackson
BuffaLowDown: Coming from a story like Fred’s, going from Division III to the NFL, I could see him approaching you and appreciating everything that you were attempting to do.
Corey: Absolutely and that was something that we shared and that he recognized. I didn’t talk to him too much after he left the team because I know his life got pretty busy. I don’t know if you want to say it this way but the same thing happened to me that happened to him. They brought a different guy in. The writing was on the wall when they signed LeSean McCoy the same way the writing was on the wall for me when they brought in Jerome Felton. I don’t think they ever really gave him a chance. He broke that 40 yard run against Pittsburgh in the preseason game and the whole stadium was chanting “Fred”. How do you let that guy go? He is still good. He is still the heart and soul of your team.
Heart to me is the most undervalued and under looked quality of a football player today. The money is so big, the fame is so big and the notoriety is so big that sometimes people forget what’s really inside of these guys. To me, that is more important than any skillset that any amount of money can buy. I don’t think enough teams value that. If more teams did go about it that way and find out what these guys were about and what they were willing to do for the team you would have more teams like the Patriots. I think they do a pretty good job of that. They find guys who just want to win and who will do whatever it takes to do their job. And if they don’t they’re gone. I hate the Patriots, but that’s a model that they have instilled in their scouting department and their coaches. It’s something that I wish the Bills would do more of.
Last year, I think they demonstrated that cutting a guy like Fred Jackson at a time when they did need running backs, they were thin at running backs, and they could’ve used that guy. I didn’t really like that move and he was someone who I drew inspiration from coming from Coe College, and from nothing, having to go to the European league and the Canadian league to work his way up. That guy never gave up. He was brought to five other teams before the Buffalo Bills. Five other teams he worked out for! Not one of them signed him. Finally, he gets to the Bills. They were the sixth team and guess what? They signed him and the rest is history. He is one of the greatest running backs in the history of the team and potentially a hall of famer if you look at it the right way.
He doesn’t have the playoff wins, or the career statistics but what he stands for and what he means is incredibly valuable to the people around here and I think it should be valuable to everyday people. You can draw into what he has been through and bring it into your own life. I look at football as a metaphor for life and what people go through in football is a metaphor for life so definitely don’t give up on it.
Next: What attributes does Corey think that GM's and scouts overlook?
BuffaLowDown: Are there any other attributes besides heart and leadership that you think aren’t judged properly by NFL teams and if they put more emphasis on them that they might be more successful like you alluded that the Patriots are?
Corey: I think that evaluating character should be the first step. It doesn’t matter how talented you are, if you’re sitting on the sidelines because you’re a jerk you’re not going to play anyways and you’re not going to be able to contribute. I think a lot of the scouts get obsessed with numbers and coaches get caught up in the buzz of player but they never take a second to truly analyze what their character is. If they pass that character test and they are a fantastic athlete, a football player and can really help your team then you should go after them. The unfortunate thing is there is an abundance of really talented players who have poor attitudes so I think that most teams think that they just have to deal with it.
At the same time, a lot of guys who do have the character and everything that it takes do get looked over because of that. Another thing is toughness! Undeniable mental, physical and emotional toughness. Two of my favorite football coaches of all time constantly reminded me that tough guys win football games. They also win in life. It’s something I’ve always tried to remember to live by. It’s helped a ton in everything I’ve tried to do.
Next: How does Corey stay in NFL shape without being on a team?
BuffaLowDown: What’s it like trying to work your way back onto an NFL team and how do you keep in shape in case a team does call?
Corey: I know it’s incredibly difficult to make it back to the NFL and it’s a long shot but me getting signed by the Bills three years after I played my last year at UB was also astronomical so I don’t give up. I’m not giving up. I’m doing everything I can to send film out, to get in front of scouts, to let people know what I’m about. I stood out in front of Ralph Wilson Stadium about three months ago in the middle of a snow storm with a sign saying “Nobody wants it more than me”.
I stood out there for two hours until the cops came. I had frost all over my face, my arms were beat red and I was frozen but I didn’t care because I wanted Russ Brandon to see, I wanted Rex to see, I wanted Doug Whaley to see, I wanted every single coach who came in that day to see that nobody in or out of that team wants it more than me and I know I got my message across. I emailed Rex Ryan, I emailed Greg Roman and I keep trying to put it in their mind what I am willing to do. I’m not trying to say these others guys aren’t [willing] but when they see a guy not giving it everything they have or they are at the end of their career or maybe they just don’t have the same passion for the Bills that I do, [I hope] that they will think of me.
I think that’s a huge thing I bring to the table. The passion, the desire, the fact that it’s been in my blood for years and I would do anything for it. It should carry me through any of those guys. I know for a fact it will and I know in my heart it will. I’m doing everything I can to stay on that. It’s stressful, hard and there are always doubts that creep in and the fear that I’ll never play again but I can’t let that consume me. I wake up every day and I go and train and I keep positive thoughts in my head and I keep trying to take different avenues. I have people who are behind me and people call me all the time to see how I’m doing and what I’m doing to make it happen. I’ve never been a quitter. I’ve never quit on anything in my life especially if I believe in my head and in my heart that I can do it then I’ll never give up on it and I’m not giving up on it. I just need somebody to think ok this guy’s relentless we got to at least give him a look and get him in pads to see what he can do.
You know what, if I were to go through and get in pads and I got my butt kicked, it’s not going to happen but let’s say it did, I would be able to walk away and say you know what it wasn’t for me, maybe I was wrong. But I know that’s not going to happen so until I get that opportunity I cannot stop. Those are the things that go through my mind every day. I train at STA (Sports Training Academy). I’ve been a strength coach since I graduated college. It allows me to stay in shape while being able to make a living. It also gives me the hours to train, do sprint work, to lift heavy weights.
I went into the OTA’s and I was the strongest guy on that team. You can go and ask Eric Ciano and all those strength coaches. They knew what I was doing and how I was doing it. That also blows my mind, that you take a guy who was physically clearly ahead of a lot of the guys there and not giving him a chance. It floored me that they didn’t give me a chance is what I guess I’m trying to say. I’ve worked really hard, I’ve squatted a lot of really heavy weights, I’ve done a million sprints, I’ve box jumped until my legs felt like they were going to fall off. I’ve done everything I could to be a better athlete in every way shape or form to prepare for that moment and to get it stripped from me was really difficult.
I’m not saying I was perfect at everything I did with the Bills but knowing that I was able to handle a player like Khalil Mack gave me the confidence I needed to know I could compete with NFL caliber players in practice once they put the pads on. I let that motivate me, I still do, I still train incredibly hard, I think about those things. I’ll be honest, I think about Jerome Felton, I think about Glenn Gronkowski, I think about how I missed my opportunity and how these guys are still getting chances.
So it’s fuel to the fire. I’m over here getting stronger so that when I do get an opportunity I can go out and unleash hell on people. That’s really all I can do. I can’t sit here and put my head down and sulk and be sad and point fingers. It is what it is. There are politics involved in the NFL, there is a system to how it works and a little of that happened to me but I can’t do anything but work hard and be ready for it when it does happen. That’s really all I can do right now at this point.
Next: If Corey could say one thing to an NFL GM it would be...
BuffaLowDown: If there is one thing you could say to an NFL GM or scout that is looking for a fullback, what message would you convey to them.
Corey: I’ve thought a million times about it if I ever get the chance to see Rex in public and what I would say to him. If I could get in front of NFL GM’s and say a couple of lines about what I think I can bring it would be that I don’t think anyone wants it more than me. I would die for it. I am not afraid to die for it. I’m not afraid to give it everything I have. I don’t care about money. If I cared about money I would have stopped chasing this dream a long time ago and just started working.
I would have made more money than I have right now [doing something else]. I would get into something other than this because I am 26 right now and still going after it. I would die for it. I would go above and beyond what anyone would ever do to get a chance and I think that part and that mindset is more valuable than any other skill a player can possess.
Most of the time guys that are skilled don’t have it. You get your rare breed that has incredible skill and that type of mentality and work ethic but I think at the end of the day I just about outwork any guy standing next to me and I’ll prove that and I’m not afraid to die for it.
Next: What is Corey's typical day like?
BuffaLowDown: One last question, for an athlete such as yourself, what is your typical day like?
Corey: For me right now, I do personal training clients in the morning. I get up pretty early, I train my people at about 11 or 12. I get some food in me and then I go and train. My training will consist of sprint work, agility work, strength work, heavy bench press, heavy squats, heavy deadlifts, box jumps, speed squats, speed bench. There is a whole system I use called “Westside Conjugate”. I’ve been using it since I was a freshman in college and it’s really helped me become a better athlete and the strongest athlete I can be.
After that, typically I’ll pound some food. I eat a ton. It’s ridiculous. That’s what I spend most of my money on. Just constantly fueling my body with good food. It’s expensive to do that but it’s totally worth it. So I’ll usually stuff my face after that. At about 3, I’ll start my group training sessions out at the gym I told you about called Sports Training Academy, in Sahlen’s Sports Complex. I train groups of athletes there from 3pm until about 8pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and I do some Saturday sessions there are well.
My days are pretty full, sometimes at the end of the days I’ll get in a recovery workout when I am done just to get in some extra stuff that I know I need to get my body stronger. I am big on building on my weaknesses, my programming is based on getting myself stronger and faster. I work on all my weaknesses and just try to continue to get better. My weekdays are pretty full but on the weekends, I try to balance it out and go socialize and hang out with friends. I’m not the kind of guy who is locked in my basement and doing curls or anything like that.
I train really hard throughout the week and I train really hard on the weekends but I also know that having some sort of social life is a healthy balance. So I like to hang out with my friends and hang out with my family so that’s pretty much what I’m doing right now.
Next: Bills fans are the greatest...
BuffaLowDown: Thank you very much for squeezing us into your busy schedule. We greatly appreciate it. This was a great interview. We’d love to keep you all night if we could, but we’ll let you go for now.
Corey: I appreciate you guys and I love what you guys do. I truly think that the Bills fans are the best fans in the NFL. There is no question about that. No one is going to tell me there is another fanbase more passionate about their team in any sport. I think the Bills are right up there with anyone if not the top as far as the fans and the people and what we want for our city. We are so connected to this city and that’s something you don’t get anywhere else.
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I appreciate you guys recognizing what I am willing to do and I am very grateful to the people who have shown me support over the years and especially now. I had a lot of people telling me I couldn’t do it but there were more people who wanted me to succeed so I can’t thank you guys enough for even considering me to talk to and for allowing me to share my story.