LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins are great players who will be in the hearts of Bills fans for years to come. Some say LeSean McCoy is one of the top running back Buffalo has ever seen but is that all just recency bias? Who is the greatest Bills’ running back of all time?
Here we attempt to piece together the best roster possible comprised of Buffalo Bills’ players.
Thousands of players have come and gone through Buffalo, New York. It is impossible to remember all of them, but we sure can remember the best. Some players have come through at the ends of their careers. This depth chart will include players who spent a majority of their best years in Buffalo.
At the end we will include an honorable mention list for players that almost made the cut.
Here we go!
Quarterback: Jim Kelly 1986-1996
This is the most obvious choice on offense.
He was drafted by the Houston Gamblers in 1983, a USFL team. Once the USFL folded in 1986, Kelly played for the Buffalo Bills.
Jim Kelly led the Buffalo Bills to four straight super bowls. All though they couldn’t finish the season out with a win, Kelly was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility (2002). Buffalo made the playoffs in eight of his eleven seasons.
- 5 time Pro-Bowler
- 1 time All-Pro
His favorite target and best offensive connection, Andre Reed, is in the top tier of all-time receivers, topping many statistical lists. The two were one of the best quarterback-receiver combos of all time.
Kelly is a top football player of his generation.
Running Back: Thurman Thomas 1988-1999
SBnation describes Thurman Thomas:
"“He never led the NFL in rushing, but did lead the league in yards from scrimmage four times, making him possibly the best all-around back of an era that included Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders. He joined Kelly in Canton in 2007, his second try at the Hall.”"
As the quote above states, Thurman Thomas entered the Hall of Fame in his second attempt at induction.
- 5 time Pro-Bowler
- 3 time All-Pro
- 1991 MVP
The running back was also voted to the all-decade team of the 1990’s.
Thomas also set NFL playoff records at the time in most career points (126), touchdowns (21), and most consecutive playoff games with a touchdown (9).
Thurman Thomas is a top ten running back of all time, and will most likely stay in that category for quite some time.
Wide Receiver: Andre Reed 1985-1999
The above photo shows Andre Reed receiving his Hall of Fame induction in 2014.
Reed had a tough draw in his career, playing at his peak during the same time as the GOAT, Jerry West.
- 7 time Pro-Bowler
- 3 time Second Team All-Pro
Reed also played 234 games in his career, the 59th most games played in NFL history.
Jim Kelly could make any receiver great; he just got lucky one of them was Andre Reed.
Eric Moulds 1996-2005
Blasting News described Eric Moulds as:
"“Moulds could be the most underrated Bills player of all-time. Mired on teams without excellent quarterback play, Moulds still managed to be one of the more productive receivers of all-time. His spectacular catches and unbelievable plays were on full display in 2002, when Moulds became the first and only Bills player to record 100 receptions in a single season.”"
Other achievements include:
- 3 time Pro-Bowler
- 3 time All-Pro
- AFC receiving yards leader (1998)
- Buffalo Bills 50th anniversary team
Elbert Dubenion 1960-1968
Dubenion had one of the best seasons all time as a Buffalo Bill.
"“In 1964, Duby had one of the most sensational seasons of any receiver in pro football history, scoring 10 touchdowns among his 42 receptions for 1,139 yards, while collecting 27.1 yards per catch. In nine seasons, he totalled 296 receptions for 5,424 yards and 36 TDs for a career average of 18.3 yd/catch, and rushed for 360 yards and three touchdowns on 48 carries, a career average of seven yds/carry.”"
Other achievements include:
- 2 time AFL All-star
- 2 time AFL Champion
Tight End: Pete Metzelaars 1982-1997
Pete Metzelaars was one of those players who you always knew was going to be a coach later on. During his 15 year career, he played for four different teams, nine of those with the Buffalo Bills. Metzelaars went on to coach tight ends and offensive lines for various NFL teams.
- 4 time AFC champion
- Buffalo Bills 50th anniversary team
- XLI Super Bowl champion (as a coach)
NFL.com describes Metzelaars as:
"“He was taken in the 3rd round with the 75th pick by Seattle in the 1982 NFL Draft. He played for three seasons in Seattle before being traded to the Bills in 1985. When Jim Kelly joined the Bills in 1986, Metzelaars became a productive part of the offense. He played with the Bills in their 4 Super Bowl losses from 1990–1994, and scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XXVI. Metzelaars’ best season was in 1993, when he caught 68 passes for 609 yards and 4 touchdowns.”"
The six-foot eight-inch tight end was a receiving threat along with a formidable pass blocker. Metzelaars helped form the mold that the great tight ends fit today.
Offensive Tackle: Will Wolford 1986-1998
Will Wolford is a generational football player with a great resume.
- 3 time Pro-Bowler
- 1 time Second Team All-Pro
- 3 time AFC Champion
Wolford played 191 NFL football games and started 191 NFL football games.
SBNation.com describes Wolford:
"“William Charles Wolford was born on May 18, 1964 in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, where he was honorable mention All-State in basketball, before heading to Vanderbilt University. He played for the Commodores from 1982 through 1985, where he played left guard and right tackle before earning All-SEC honors in his senior year. He was also named captain of the team in 1985 and played in the Senior Bowl that season. The Bills made Wolford the No. 20 overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft; he would spend the next seven seasons as the team’s starting left tackle. He played in the team’s first three Super Bowl appearances before leaving for Indianapolis in free agency. Wolford spent three seasons with the Colts and another three with the Steelers before retiring; he was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.”"
Howard Ballard 1987-1998
- 2 time Pro-Bowler
- 4 time 1st team All-Pro
- 1 time 2nd team All-Pro
Howard Ballard carried the nickname “House” for the majority of his career. At 6 feet 6 inches, 325 lbs. it is easy to tell why that is. House was also very reliable missing zero games his entire career.
BuffaloRamblings describes Ballard:
"“His play earned him a Pro Bowl berth in each of his final two seasons in Buffalo (92-93), and he was also named First Team All-Conference by the Sporting News from 1991-1993. His excellent play not only earned him recognition league-wide, it also earned him a shiny, new contract. Following the 1993 season, Ballard was an unrestricted free agent; he went on to sign with the Seattle Seahawks for 4 years and $10.5M. His knees ending up becoming a problem as his career with Seattle came to a close after the 1998 season.”"
The Buffalo Bills have had a vast number of talented offensive linemen play for the franchise. That is why it didn’t come as a shock that Ballard was left off the Bills’ 50th anniversary team.
Howard Ballard is one of the greatest tackles to ever play for Buffalo.
- 8 time AFL All-Star
- 7 time All-AFL
- 2 time AFL Champion
- Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team
Billy Shaw is one of the best “pulling guards” the NFL has ever seen, and one of earlier players utilizing the tactic. He was also known as the driving force behind the offensive unit. The offensive unit was spectacular aiding the team in winning multiple AFL championships.
American Football Database describes Shaw:
"“Shaw was a first-team All-American Football League selection four times (1963 through 1966) and second team All-AFL in 1968 and 1969. He played in eight American Football League All-Star Games and was named to the All-Time All-AFL Team. He made the All-Decade All-pro football team of the 1960s. Shaw played his entire career in the American Football League, and retired after the 1969 AFL season. The 1962-1964 Bills are still ranked among the best in rushing touchdowns in a season in the team’s record book.”"
Jim Ritcher 1980-1995
- 2 time Pro-Bowler
BuffaloBills.com describes Ritcher:
"“Ritcher played on the offensive line for the Bills, where he spent 14 seasons and is one of 22 in team history to have played in all four Super Bowls. He began his career at center but later moved to guard, making way for fellow Wall-of-Famer Kent Hull. Coincidentally, he also played college football in North Carolina, but for the Wolfpack of North Carolina State. In his senior year, he was an all-American and earned the Outland Trophy, and award for the nation’s top offensive lineman.”"
Ritcher had high expectations coming out of college. He surpassed expectations and then some. Ritcher had a passion for the game and for the city of Buffalo. He has been a fan favorite ever since his stellar career. It was an easy choice to slot him in the roster as one of the greatest Buffalo guards ever.
- 3 time Pro-Bowler
- Buffalo Bills Wall-of-Fame
- Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team
American Football Database describes Hull:
"“As a rookie for the Buffalo Bills in 1986, Hull immediately became their starting center, replacing Will Grant, hunched between 7-year veteran Jim Ritcher at left offensive guard and fellow rookie Will Wolford at right guard for all 16 games, with Hall-of-Famer Jim Kelly as rookie quarterback under first-year head coach Marv Levy.[2] In 1988, the Bills won the AFC east division with a strong offensive line, Hull playing between Ritcher and Tim Vogler at right guard. They beat the Houston Oilers in the divisional round of the 1988–89 NFL playoffs, as Kelly passed for 244 yards and Thurman Thomas rushed for 75 yards in only 7 carries, but lost the AFC championship game to the Cincinnati Bengals. In 1989, the Bills won the AFC east division title again but lost a divisional round match of the 1989–90 NFL playoffs to the Cleveland Browns.”"
Kent Hull played alongside Jim Ritcher for the majority of his career. One of the best offensive liens the Bills’ have ever seen contained a few of the all-time greats. Hull was also the team’s captain for seven years.
Honorable Mention: Fred Jackson 2004-2015
- NFL all-purpose yards leader (2009)
- First player in NFL history to compile 1,000 rushing and 1,000 kickoff return yards in a season (2009)
- Oldest RB in the Super Bowl era to make his playoff debut (2016, 34)
- 2010 Bills Walter Payton “Man of the Year” award
With the sheer number of great Buffalo Bills running backs to choose from, there were bound to a few left off the list. Fred Jackson being one of those guys.
Although, Fred Jackson suffered from various injuries over the course of his career, that did not take away from his stellar resume.
Jackson can be found in the middle of many “Top Running Backs of All Time” lists.
Jackson had arguably the best season of his career in 2013. Despite playing as the backup to C.J. Spiller most weeks, Jackson accumulated 1,283 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 total touchdowns. – American Football Database
O.J Simpson 1969-1979
Simpson was the most difficult player to leave off the list. But then again, a narrow finish behind Thurman Thomas is not bad at all.
- 5× Pro Bowl (1972–1976)
- 5× First-team All-Pro (1972–1976)
- NFL Most Valuable Player (1973)
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1973)
- Bert Bell Award (1973)
- AP Athlete of the Year (1973)
- 4× NFL rushing yards leader (1972, 1973, 1975, 1976)
- 2× NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1973, 1975)
- AFL All-Star (1969)
- NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
- NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
- National champion (1967)
- Heisman Trophy (1968)
- Maxwell Award (1968)
- Walter Camp Award (1967)
- 2× Unanimous All-American (1967, 1968)
I did not include many collegiate awards in this article, but Simpson had to be the exception. This is quite the resume, and to top it off he did it for your Buffalo Bills.
O.J. was truly dominant throughout his career, especially during his tenure with the Bills. Simpson led the league in rushing yards four separate times and took home the MVP in 1973.
American Football Database describes Simpson:
"“Simpson gained 11,236 rushing yards, placing him 2nd on the NFL’s all-time rushing list when he retired; he now stands at 21st. He was named NFL Player of the Year in 1973, and played in six Pro Bowls. He was the only player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a 14-game season and he’s the only player to rush for over 200 yards in six different games in his career. From 1972 to 1976, Simpson averaged 1,540 rushing yards per (14 game) season, 5.1 yards per carry, and he won the NFL rushing title four times.[23] Simpson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year of eligibility”"
Steve Tasker 1985-1997
- 7 time Pro-Bowl (1987, 1990–1995)
- 5 time First-team All-Pro (1991–1995)
- Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame
Tasker was another tough one to leave off the list as well. He is one of the all-time great Buffalo Bills player.
American Football Database describes Tasker:
"“Tasker stood just 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and weighed 183 lbs., however, despite his small size, he gained a reputation as one of the league’s most feared hitters, forcing numerous fumbles. Contributing to his success in breaking up kick and punt returns was his speed; he was almost always the first player to reach the return man. He was the first player to establish himself as a star almost exclusively through special teams play without being either a kicker or a returner.”"
Tasker played in seven pro-bowls and became the only player to win an MVP by being a special teamer.
Next: Buffalo Bills: 3 reasons why special teams are a problem
Do you think I left anyone off the list? Let me know in the comments below!