The Buffalo Bills have the luxury of having one of the best quarterbacks in the league on their roster. Josh Allen is the only quarterback since the merger to win NFL MVP for the Bills, the third such accolade earned by someone in the franchise's history (Thurman Thomas in 1991 and O.J. Simpson in 1973).
With everyone focused on the draft and the future of the team, we felt it might be fun to take a look backwards. We know that Allen makes the Bills contenders, but who are some of the more underrated signal callers to have played in Western New York?
Buffalo Bills' 3 most underrated quarterbacks in franchise history
Ryan Fitzpatrick (2009-2012)
In the eyes of Bills fans, Fitzpatrick is anything but underrated. The gunslinger was a fan favorite during his 55 games as the Bills’ starting quarterback from 2009-2012. He is so well-loved by the city that he is welcome back to scream with the fans from anywhere in the stadium.
“Fitz Magic” was electric or frustrating on any given play. He compiled more than 11,000 yards and 80 touchdowns during his time, defying expectations as a late-round draft pick and journeyman. He is known around the league for bouncing around a bit, but he will forever find a home with the Buffalo Bills.
Jack Kemp (1962-1969)
Some of Kemp’s status as “underrated” has to do with the passage of time. Kemp was an excellent quarterback during the team’s time in the AFL, throwing for over 15,000 yards and 77 touchdowns during the seven seasons he spent in Buffalo.
Kemp isn’t included in the aforementioned MVP talk simply because his MVP came in the AFL, prior to the Super Bowl era. Kemp carried the torch for the franchise in the earliest of days, setting a standard that would be elevated by guys like Jimy Kelly and Allen.
Tyrod Taylor (2015-2017)
It takes a longtime Bills fan to truly appreciate what Taylor brought to the franchise. The bridge between Fitzpatrick and Allen, it is actually Taylor who helped end the historic playoff drought in Sean McDermott’s first season as head coach.
Taylor was never a dynamic quarterback, throwing for just 8,857 yards and 51 touchdowns across three seasons in Buffalo with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2015. What does stand out is his 62.6 completion percentage as a Bill – second in franchise history among quarterbacks with at least 15 starts. A calm, reliable presence, Taylor was vital in helping change the momentum of the franchise before handing the keys to Allen.
A Strong History of Quarterback Play
The Bills have been blessed to see some special quarterbacks. Kelly was the standard-bearer, taking over from the legendary Joe Ferguson and leading the Bills to unmatched heights. Now, the Bills have Allen to carry the torch and hopefully get them to the Promised Land.
Being a backup in Buffalo is a sweet job these days, especially knowing that you can share the room with what may already be the greatest QB in team history. When his time is up, hopefully the Bills can find the next great man under center to continue the lineage.