It amazes me how easy it was to overlook Ruben Brown during his days with the Bills. Despite being one of the greatest guards of his generation, rarely is he lumped in with the great blockers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. And yet, that’s where he belongs.
All you have to do is look at his track record under the “Pro Bowl appearances” column for evidence of this. Seriously, during his nine campaigns in Buffalo, Brown earned a ridiculous eight-straight trips to Hawaii. Only his rookie season didn’t culminate in voters sending him to the Pro Bowl. That’s pretty impressive, especially for an offensive lineman.
The strange part is that, despite that immense success, Brown only earned four All-Pro selections; they were of the Second-Team variety. While that may be the case, it’s clear that the 1995 first-round pick and Pittsburgh product more than earned his keep during his time in New York.
Brown would go on to earn one more Pro Bowl trip during his four years with the Chicago Bears. However, nothing he did in the Windy City compared to what he accomplished when he was wearing a Bills jersey.