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Formed in 1960 as a charter member of the
American Football League, the Buffalo Bills
joined the NFL in 1970, when the merger went
through. The Buffalo Bills are now one of
four teams in the American Football
Conference Eastern Division. The Bills are a
Buffalo, New York-based National Football
League which plays its home games in the
suburb of Orchard Park. Following the 1946
season, in an effort to generate more fan
interest and distinguish the football team
from the city's minor league baseball and
hockey teams, which also had the name "Bisons."
The organization held a contest to find a
new name for the team. Over 4,500 entries
were submitted, and "the Bills" won over
"Bullets," "Nickels" and "Blue Devils."
Several contestants suggested the winning
name, but James F. Dyson was named the
winner of the $500 prize based on his essay
comparing the team to a band of "Buffalo
Bills." The name was given to the team also
to represent the American scout, guide, and
showman William Frederick Cody, who was
known as Buffalo Bill for his ability to
kill buffalo. |
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The Bills first president was Ralph C.
Wilson, Jr. The Bills were a founding
member of the American Football League
in 1960. In the AFL, a predominantly
offensive league, the Buffalo Bills were
a great defensive team. With a
line-backing corps of Harry Jacobs, Mike
Stratton, and John Tracey; and defensive
line stalwarts like Tom Day, Tom Sestak,
Jim Dunaway, and Ron McDole. After four
average seasons in the AFL, the team won
the Eastern Division in 1964 under head
coach Lou Saban, who was named AFL coach
of the year. Also that year, the Bills’
star kicker, Hungarian-born Pete Gogolak,
became professional football’s first
soccer-style kicker, using the side of
his foot rather than his toe to propel
the football. |
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The
Bills beat the San Diego Chargers in the
1964 AFL Championship Game. A year later
they repeated the feat. Saban again won top
coaching honors, and Jack Kemp was named the
league’s most valuable player (MVP). Buffalo
Bills squad that year was one of the great
teams in professional football history. The
1964 Bills allowed their opponents only 300
rushing attempts and held them to 913 yards
rushing during the regular season; a pro
football record, just over 65 yards per
game. They were the first American Football
League team to win 13 games in a season.
Before the 1969 season, the Bills drafted
running back O.J. Simpson, who would become
the face of the franchise through the 1970s.
After the AFL merged into the NFL in 1970,
the Bills spent the next few years in the
basement until Lou Saban, who coached the
Bills' AFL championship teams, returned in
time for the 1972 season. |
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The
Buffalo Bills players who have been
inducted into the Hall of Fame include
Joe Delamielleure, Jim Kelly, Marv Levy,
Billy Shaw and O. J. Simpson. Hall of
Famer O.J. Simpson nicknamed "The Juice"
was born on July 9, 1947, is a former
NFL Player and has also acted in motion
pictures. Simpson was selected by the
Buffalo Bills, who made the first
selection in the draft that year because
they had finished with a record of one
win, 12 losses and one tie in 1968 - the
worst record in professional football.
In 1973 Simpson ran for a then-record
2,003 yards, becoming the first player
ever to eclipse the 2,000 yard mark, and
was voted as the league's Most Valuable
Player. Although the 2,003 yard season
has been surpassed since then, no other
player ever accomplished the feat in
only fourteen games, as Simpson did.
Simpson went on to earn All-Pro honors
five times and amassed 11,236 rushing
yards during his career. After being
traded to the San Francisco 49ers in
1978, Simpson retired from the NFL the
following year, and on January 23, 1985
became the first Heisman Trophy winner
elected to the Pro Football Hall of
Fame. |
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He
is a member of the Bills' Wall of Fame.
Simpson is perhaps now most famous for being
accused of the 1994 killing of his wife and
his acquittal in criminal court in 1995
after a lengthy and highly publicized trial.
Previously the Buffalo Bills uniform
consisted of the colors light blue and white
(1960 - 1961), they now bare the colors Red,
white and blue (1962 - Present). The helmet
design from 1960 - 1961, was silver with
blue side numerals, it then changed in 1962
- 1964, to white with red center stripe and
red standing bison. In 1965 - 1973, the
helmet design was again changed to white
with red and blue center stripes and red
standing bison , this was until 1975 - 1983,
when the design changed to white with red
and blue center stripes and blue charging
bison with a red slanting stripe streaming
from its horn. In 1984, the design changed
again to red with blue center stripes and
blue charging bison as before. The Buffalo
Bills have played in the War Memorial
Stadium (1960 -1972) and are currently
playing in the Ralph Wilson Stadium
(formerly Rich Stadium) (1973 - Present). |
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