Past Venue: War Memorial Stadium

Buffalo, NY
aka Civic Stadium



Year opened: 1937
Capacity: 46,500, up from 35,000 upon opening

Names:
Roesch Memorial Stadium, 1937
Grover Cleveland Stadium, 1937
Civic Stadium, 1938-60
War Memorial Stadium, 1960-88

Pro football tenants:
Buffalo Indians/Tigers (AFL), 1940-41
Buffalo Bisons/Bills (AAFC), 1946-49
Buffalo Bills (AFL/NFL), 1960-72

Postseason games hosted:
AFL Eastern Division playoff, Patriots 26 Bills 8, Dec. 28, 1963
AFL Championship, Bills 20 Chargers 7, Dec. 26, 1964
AFL Championship, Chiefs 31 Bills 7, Jan. 1, 1967

Other tenants of note:
Buffalo Bisons (minor league baseball), 1961-70, 79-87

Notes: Built as a WPA project with construction commencing in 1935. The stadium was popularly referred to as “The Rockpile”. The NFL's Chicago Cardinals hosted five home games at the stadium (1938, 40, 42, 43, 58), the Philadelphia Eagles one in 1942. The stadium was also used for track events and stock car racing, and by the Canisius College baseball and football teams for an unspecified period. It was used for the filming of most of the baseball scenes in the movie “The Natural” (1984).

Fate: Demolished in 1988 and now the site of a high school athletic field. The northeast and southeast entrances were preserved

1994: Cowboys Win Back-to-Back Titles With Super Bowl XXVIII Win Over Bills

Super Bowl XXVIII on January 30, 1994 featured a rematch of the last contest’s participants. The Dallas Cowboys had mauled the Buffalo Bills by a 52-17 score, an especially bitter blow for the Bills since it was their third straight Super Bowl defeat.

The Cowboys, under Head Coach Jimmy Johnson, topped the NFC East with a 12-4 record during the ’93 regular season, defeated Green Bay in the Divisional playoff round and then, also for the second straight year, defeated their nemesis, the San Francisco 49ers, to win the conference title. The offense centered most heavily on the nucleus of QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith (the consensus league MVP, pictured above), and WR Michael Irvin, but also had outstanding players in FB Daryl “Moose” Johnston and TE Jay Novacek. The defense featured DE Charles Haley (even though hobbled by a disc injury), DT Russell Maryland, MLB Ken Norton, and FS Thomas Everett.


Head Coach Marv Levy’s Bills were also 12-4 in topping the AFC East and had beaten the Raiders and Chiefs to win their fourth consecutive AFC Championship. Like the Cowboys, they had a veteran core on offense that included QB Jim Kelly (pictured at left), RB Thurman Thomas, and WR Andre Reed. The tough defense included All-Pro DE Bruce Smith, NT Jeff Wright, linebackers Darryl Talley and Cornelius Bennett, CB Nate Odomes, SS Henry Jones, and FS Mark Kelso.

The game was played inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta with 72,817 on hand. The Cowboys scored on their first possession that followed a 50-yard return of the opening kickoff by WR Kevin Williams. Aikman immediately passed for 20 yards to Irvin to get to the Buffalo 28 yard line, and three plays later Eddie Murray kicked a 41-yard field goal.

The Bills responded in kind, driving 43 yards in seven plays. Kelly completed passes of 11 yards to Reed and 24 to Thurman Thomas, but a throw on third-and-seven was dropped by WR Bill Brooks and Buffalo settled for a Super Bowl-record 54-yard field goal by Steve Christie.

Dallas had to punt following its next possession, but Buffalo handed the ball back on its first play as Thomas fumbled after gaining seven yards on a shovel pass from Kelly. Safety Darren Woodson recovered at the 50 and the Cowboys drove to another field goal, this time of 24 yards, with Aikman completing a 24-yard pass to WR Alvin Harper along the way.

The Bills proceeded to put together a long, 17-play drive that extended into the second quarter and was helped along when CB Dave Thomas ran into punter Chris Mohr for a five-yard penalty in a fourth-and-three situation. Kelly completed seven passes and Thurman Thomas ran the ball seven times, including a four-yard touchdown run that put Buffalo back on top at 10-6.

Again Dallas had to punt, but John Jett’s kick was downed at the Buffalo one yard line. The Bills managed to advance to the Cowboys’ 46 in 11 plays and returned the favor when Mohr’s 45-yard punt was downed at the one by special teams star Steve Tasker. But just as Buffalo had, Dallas responded to being pinned back by mounting a long drive, primarily fueled by short throws by Aikman. However, after reaching the Bills’ 37, Aikman’s long pass was intercepted by Odomes, who returned it 41 yards to the Dallas 47.

With just over a minute remaining in the half, the Bills took over and, starting with throws by Kelly of 12 yards to Thomas and 22 to Reed, reached the Dallas nine before Christie kicked a 28-yard field goal to give Buffalo a 13-6 lead at halftime. It seemed as though Buffalo’s Super Bowl luck might be changing, but it was not to be.

On the third play of the second half, Thomas fumbled and FS James Washington (pictured below) recovered and ran 46 yards for a touchdown. With the successful extra point, the game was suddenly tied at 13-13. The Bills went three-and-out on their next possession, and the Cowboys drove 64 yards, virtually all accounted for by Emmitt Smith. The star running back ran the ball six straight times and a total of seven over the course of the drive, gaining 61 yards that included a 15-yard scoring carry. The Cowboys were now ahead 20-13 and just starting to roll.


The Bills got the ball back and drove into Dallas territory, but had to punt. The teams traded punts for the remainder of the third quarter. However, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Washington made another big play for the Cowboys as he intercepted a Kelly pass and returned it 12 yards to the Buffalo 46.

Once again, it was Emmitt Smith fueling the ensuing drive, carrying the ball six times and gaining nine yards on a screen pass. Along the way, Aikman threw to Harper for 16 yards and a first-and-goal at the six. The final run by Smith was for one yard and a TD, and Dallas led by a 27-13 margin with under 10 minutes remaining in the game.

Following another punt by the Bills, the Cowboys put together one last scoring drive, going 49 yards in nine plays, featuring a 35-yard pass play from Aikman to Harper and ending with Murray’s 20-yard field goal.

Buffalo held the ball for 17 plays, nearly using up the remainder of the clock, but could score no more points. Backup QB Bernie Kosar, who had been dealt to the Cowboys by Cleveland during the season, came in to take a knee and run out the last six seconds, participating in a Super Bowl for the only time in his career, and the Cowboys won a second straight title by the score of 30-13.

Dallas outgained the Bills (341 to 314 yards) although Buffalo had more first downs (22 to 20). But Buffalo’s running game was held to 87 yards on 27 carries and the Bills gave up three turnovers, to one suffered by Dallas.


Emmitt Smith, who dominated the second half and was the game’s MVP, ran for 132 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns. Troy Aikman (pictured at right) completed 19 of 27 passes for 207 yards with no TDs and one interception. Michael Irvin and Jay Novacek caught 5 passes apiece, for 66 and 26 yards respectively, and Alvin Harper gained 75 yards on his three receptions.

For Buffalo, Jim Kelly went to the air 50 times, with 31 completions for 260 yards, and had one picked off. Thurman Thomas gained just 37 yards on 16 carries, including a touchdown, but caught 7 passes for 52 yards, although he also had the two fumbles. Bill Brooks also had 7 catches, for 63 yards, while Andre Reed gained 75 yards on 6 receptions. RB Kenneth Davis was the team’s leading ground gainer with 38 yards on 9 attempts.

The fourth straight Super Bowl loss was the end of the run for Buffalo, as the Bills sank to 7-9 in 1994. It was the end for Jimmy Johnson as well, as he quit the club due to differences with owner Jerry Jones. The Cowboys again went 12-4 in ’94 under Barry Switzer, but finally lost to the 49ers in the NFC title game. They regained the championship throne following the 1995 season.

1962: Bills Hire Lou Saban as Head Coach

On January 18, 1962 the Buffalo Bills of the AFL hired Lou Saban to be the team’s second head coach. The Bills had gone a combined 11-16-1 in their first two seasons under Buster Ramsey, and owner Ralph Wilson decided that a change was in order.

The 40-year-old Saban had been the original head coach of the Boston Patriots and was dismissed in favor of assistant coach Mike Holovak during the ’61 season. Immediately hired by the Bills as director of player personnel, he was Wilson’s choice to replace Ramsey. General Manager Dick Gallagher, who had been an assistant coach with Cleveland under Paul Brown when Saban was a player, also strongly supported the decision. Harvey Johnson took over Saban’s player personnel position.

Saban had played professionally with the Browns in the AAFC for four seasons until a shoulder injury forced his retirement in 1949. Prior to entering the pro coaching ranks, he was head football coach at Case Institute, Northwestern, and Western Illinois.

“I don't feel I have to prove myself as a coach,” Saban said upon being introduced. “What happened in Boston is behind. It was the best I could do under the circumstances and I make no apology for our record (7-12) or anything else.”

“There are no big mysteries to coaching pro football,” he added. “It's basically a game of blocking and tackling and working towards the goal of securing the best available talent together to get the job done.”

With regard to securing the best available talent, the Bills had a major void at quarterback. Veteran Al Dorow was obtained from the New York Titans and started the first four games of the season before yielding to young holdover Warren Rabb. The issue was decisively resolved during the 1962 season when Jack Kemp, who had twice led the Chargers to the AFL title game, was put on waivers due to an injured hand in order to make room on the roster (injured players had to be carried on the active roster in the AFL at that time). While it was reported that there was a so-called gentlemen’s agreement in place with regard to injury-waiver situations, several teams claimed Kemp, including the Bills. Commissioner Joe Foss awarded the quarterback to Buffalo for the $100 waiver price, and once the injury healed late in the season, Kemp became the starting quarterback.

Another key pickup on offense was FB Cookie Gilchrist, an eight-year veteran of Canadian pro football. The 250-pound power runner had a reputation for wearing out his welcome with several Canadian clubs (something that Saban would find to be true in Buffalo as well), but in ’62 he led the AFL in rushing with 1096 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. He also handled the team’s placekicking.

Beyond adding Kemp and Gilchrist, Saban revamped much of the lineup. Stew Barber was moved from linebacker to offensive tackle and Tom Day from defensive end to guard to supplement the group of young starters that featured G Billy Shaw, C Al Bemiller, OT Harold Olson, flanker Elbert “Golden Wheels” Dubenion, and split end Glenn Bass. Ernie Warlick became the tight end and led the club in receptions.

On defense, which was already a decent unit, several rookies immediately moved into the starting lineup with good results, including DT Tom Sestak, LB Mike Stratton, CB Booker Edgerson, and safety Carl Charon.

The Bills got off to a sluggish start in ’62, losing their first five games, but went 7-1-1 the rest of the way to finish with the first winning record in franchise history (7-6-1). It set the stage for high expectations in 1963, but instead came another 7-6-1 season, although that was enough for the Bills to tie for first in the mediocre Eastern Division - they lost the resulting playoff to the Patriots. However, in 1964 and ’65 it came together when Buffalo won consecutive AFL Championships.

Saban displayed coaching acumen in building the club into a contender. He went from inheriting a weak situation at quarterback to having impressive depth when Daryle Lamonica joined the team in ’63 as a rookie out of Notre Dame – in backing up the capable Kemp, Saban frequently used him in relief with good results. The defense was superb, perhaps most significantly evidenced by the two title game wins over the quick-striking Chargers, and in particular the second, a shutout in San Diego. There was also the added innovation of Pete Gogolak, the first soccer style placekicker who joined the team in 1964 and became a reliable producer of points. Even when the running game sagged in ’65 following the trade of Gilchrist to Denver, the Bills had enough to keep winning.

Saban’s coaching career was marked by frequent departures, and after four years in Buffalo and having twice reached the pinnacle in the American Football League, he quit to become head coach at the University of Maryland. He didn’t stay away from pro coaching for long, however, as he returned to the AFL in 1967 amid much fanfare to run the Denver Broncos. Saban failed to lift the Broncos out of the doldrums, however, and he resigned in 1971, barely half way through his ten-year contract as head coach/general manager.

The veteran coach returned to Buffalo in 1972. The Bills had fallen on hard times, and under Saban’s guidance put together three straight winning seasons, albeit with just one playoff appearance. He departed in ’76, ending his last stint as an AFL/NFL head coach.

Saban’s career took off on an eclectic course thereafter. He was at the University of Miami for two years and moved on to West Point to coach Army for a season, and then switched gears and became a major league baseball executive. Years before, New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner had been an assistant coach under Saban at Northwestern, and he returned the favor by making Saban the president of the Yankees, a post he held in 1981 and ’82.

After that, it was a whirlwind of short football coaching stints at various levels, from college (University of Central Florida, Peru State in Nebraska, SUNY Canton), to high school (Georgetown High in South Carolina), semi-pro (the Middle Georgia Heat Wave), and arena football (Milwaukee Mustangs). His last stop was Chowan University, where he coached in 2001 and ’02 in his early eighties.

Being that he typically took on either rebuilding projects or new programs, his overall record was not impressive. Saban was 41-52-3 as a college coach and 94-99-7 in the AFL and NFL combined. By far his most successful stop was Buffalo, especially the first stint from 1962 to ’65 where he compiled a 36-17-3 tally, won two of three postseason games and two league championships.

1993: Bills Overcome 32-Point Deficit, Beat Oilers in Overtime

The Buffalo Bills, under Head Coach Marv Levy, had been AFC Champions in 1990 and ’91 and went 11-5 in 1992 to finish second in the AFC East (to Miami, due to the conference record tiebreaker). They had lost the Super Bowls following those previous conference titles, and their road to another shot required them to host the Houston Oilers on January 3, 1993 in the Wild Card playoff round.

The team’s veteran core was still intact. RB Thurman Thomas ran for 1487 yards and caught 56 passes for 626 more to lead the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2113) for the fourth straight year. WR Andre Reed caught 65 passes for 913 yards and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fifth consecutive season. OT Will Wolford and G Jim Ritcher anchored a solid offensive line. Defensively, DE Bruce Smith, LB Cornelius Bennett, CB Nate Odomes, and SS Henry Jones all had Pro Bowl years. However, QB Jim Kelly had slumped toward the end of the season, and a knee injury in the last game forced him to miss the playoff contest against Houston – backup QB Frank Reich (pictured above) would be starting.

The Houston Oilers, who finished second in the AFC Central with a 10-6 record, were also not recent strangers to the postseason – they had qualified for the playoffs for the sixth straight year. However, they had not made it beyond the divisional round in any of those seasons, leading the club to gain a reputation for choking in big games. Coached since 1990 by the low-key Jack Pardee, they utilized a run-and-shoot offense that was run effectively by 36-year-old QB Warren Moon (pictured below left) and included three wide receivers that were chosen for the Pro Bowl in Haywood Jeffires, Curtis Duncan, and Ernest Givins. RB Lorenzo White ran for 1226 yards and caught 57 passes. But while they could run up points, the defense was prone to blowing leads – a factor that would come into play in classic fashion in the playoff game at Buffalo.


There were 75,141 fans present at Rich Stadium, and for the first half of the contest they had little to cheer about. The Oilers took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards in 14 plays, culminating in a three-yard touchdown pass from Moon to Jeffires. Buffalo responded with a 10-play drive that led to a 36-yard field goal by Steve Christie and the score was 7-3 after one quarter.

Houston took control in the second quarter. They finished off another long, 12-play drive, again covering 80 yards, with Givins hauling in four passes along the way for 41 yards. It was WR Webster Slaughter finishing off the possession, however, as Moon threw to him for a seven-yard TD. Buffalo went three-and-out, and the Oilers again drove to a touchdown. This time it took only five plays to go 67 yards and Moon threw a 26-yard scoring pass to Duncan. It was 21-3 with just over four minutes remaining in the half.

Buffalo was able to put together a drive in its next possession, but after getting to the Houston 32, Reich threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-four and the Oilers took over on downs. Moon capped an eight-play drive with his fourth touchdown pass of the day, covering 27 yards to Jeffires, and Houston took a big 28-3 margin into halftime.

The Bills received the second half kickoff, and four plays later Reich, throwing out of the shotgun formation, was intercepted by safety Bubba McDowell, who returned it 58 yards for another Houston touchdown. The score was now 35-3, and it seemed as though the Oilers had the game well in hand.

Buffalo put together a scoring drive, converting a third-and-15 situation (Reich pass to Reed for 16 yards) and fourth-and-two (RB Kenneth Davis running for five yards) along the way. Davis ran for a one-yard touchdown and the score was now 35-10.

The Bills executed a successful onside kick, and four plays later Reich threw to WR Don Beebe for a 38-yard touchdown that made it 35-17. Houston went three-and-out on its next possession, and following a short punt the Bills moved swiftly down the field on yet another scoring drive. Reich completed passes of 18 yards to WR James Lofton, 39 yards to Beebe, and 19 to Davis before hitting Reed for a 26-yard touchdown. Houston’s margin was now down to 35-24, and Buffalo wasn’t done yet in the third quarter.

The Oilers got the ball back, and Moon was intercepted by Henry Jones, who returned it 15 yards to the Houston 23. Reich threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Reed on a fourth-and-five play, and with yet another successful Christie PAT, it was now a four-point game at 35-31.

The reeling Oilers were unable to get anything going on their next possession, as Moon completed one of three passes and was sacked once (he fumbled, but Houston recovered). The decision by the Bills to abandon the six-defensive back prevent defense of the first half and return to their standard alignment was proving effective.

Having scored 28 points in the third quarter, Buffalo’s offense finally stalled to begin the fourth period and the Bills went three-and-out. Houston’s offense began to move, with Moon hitting on six passes, including one to Givins for 27 yards. An apparent interception was wiped out by a roughing-the-passer penalty on Bruce Smith, but after getting to the Buffalo 14, a field goal attempt was botched when Montgomery, the holder for placekicks as well as punter, fumbled the snap.

The Bills drove down field, going 74 yards on a possession that featured a 35-yard run by Davis. Reich again threw to Reed for a 17-yard touchdown, and Buffalo was ahead by 38-35, having scored 35 unanswered points since the interception return by McDowell early in the third quarter.

With three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Moon once more led the Oilers on a methodical drive that covered 63 yards in 12 plays. Al Del Greco kicked a 26-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score at 38-38 and send the game into overtime.

Houston won the toss for the overtime period, but on the third play Moon was intercepted by Odomes, who returned it to the Houston 35 (a facemask penalty on Jeffires moved the ball another 15 yards closer). Following two short runs by Davis, Christie kicked a 32-yard field goal at just over three minutes into OT and Buffalo, having made the biggest comeback in NFL history, came away with a 41-38 win.

Houston outgained the Bills (429 yards to 366) and had more first downs (27 to 19), but the inability to stop Buffalo’s attack in the second half and the interception in overtime sealed the Oilers’ fate.

Frank Reich completed 21 of 34 passes for 289 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Andre Reed (pictured below) caught 8 passes for 136 yards and scored three of the TDs. Kenneth Davis led the Bills in rushing with 68 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown (Thurman Thomas, who left the game in the third quarter due to a hip injury, had 26 yards on 11 attempts).


Warren Moon went to the air 50 times with 36 completions for 371 yards and four touchdowns against two big interceptions. Ernest Givins caught 9 passes for 117 yards while Haywood Jeffires, Webster Slaughter, and Curtis Duncan all grabbed 8 apiece (for 98, 73, and 57 yards, respectively). Lorenzo White ran for 75 yards on 19 carries.

For Reich, the big comeback was not a first – playing at the college level in 1984, he had led Maryland to a 42-40 win over Miami after trailing 31-0 at halftime. Asked afterward if he thought back to that earlier comeback, he replied, “Many times. As a football player, you gear your mind to not thinking in terms of how far behind you are. We're so geared to the game not being over until the final whistle blows.”

“I've never seen momentum change like that in my life,” said a disappointed Warren Moon afterward. “We had control of this ball game like no other team has had control of the ball game.”

The Bills won their next two games, over Pittsburgh in the Divisional playoff and Miami for the AFC Championship; however, their futility in the Super Bowl continued as they lost by a 52-17 margin to the Dallas Cowboys.

1996: Jaguars Defeat Bills for Franchise’s First Postseason Win

In their second season of existence, the Jacksonville Jaguars had gotten off to a 4-7 start. They were performing in typical fashion for a recent expansion team, but then they reeled off five straight wins to finish the year. The Jaguars not only ended the 1996 regular season with a winning record of 9-7, but finished in second place in the AFC Central and qualified for the postseason as a wild card entry.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team featured third-year QB Mark Brunell, who led the NFL with 4367 passing yards and 7.8 yards per attempt. Wide receivers Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith emerged as outstanding receivers, but it was the running game that keyed the season-concluding winning streak. Veteran RB Natrone Means (pictured above), formerly of the Chargers, gained 364 of his 507 rushing yards in the last five games. The defense benefited from the addition of eleventh-year veteran DE Clyde Simmons (pictured below left) and rookie DE Tony Brackens, as well as rookie LB Kevin Hardy.


The Jaguars went on the road for their first playoff game, facing the Buffalo Bills at Rich Stadium on December 28. The Bills, coached for the eleventh season by Marv Levy, went 10-6 to end up second in the AFC East. Many of the key players who had helped Buffalo to dominate the AFC at the beginning of the decade were still vital to the club’s success, but were also showing the effects of aging and wear-and-tear, including 36-year-old QB Jim Kelly, 30-year-old RB Thurman Thomas, and 32-year-old WR Andre Reed. Defense had mostly carried the club during the season, in particular DE Bruce Smith, still an elite player at age 34.

There were 70,213 fans at Rich Stadium, a venue where the Bills had never lost a postseason game, on a cloudy day with temperatures in the fifties. Following a punt by Jacksonville, the Bills drove 43 yards in six plays to score the game’s first touchdown on a seven-yard pass from Kelly to Thomas. However, on Buffalo’s third possession the veteran defensive end Simmons intercepted a shovel pass from Kelly that was also intended for Thomas and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.

The Bills came right back with a ten-play drive that included four pass completions by Kelly and ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Thomas over right tackle. But the Jacksonville offense, which had not been able to move thus far in the game, was spurred by a 62-yard run by Means to the Buffalo five. The drive stalled there, but Mike Hollis kicked a 27-yard field goal and the score was 14-10 after one quarter.

The Bills had to punt following their next possession but regained the ball when a long Brunell pass was intercepted by CB Thomas Smith in the end zone. Buffalo proceeded to mount another long drive that included three pass completions to WR Quinn Early that totaled 31 yards. But on fourth-and-one at the Jacksonville 16 yard line, Kelly’s attempted quarterback sneak was stopped short.

The Jaguars regained momentum as Brunell threw to TE Pete Mitchell for a 47-yard gain into Buffalo territory and then Means ran for a 30-yard touchdown. Jacksonville was ahead for the first time at 17-14.

The Bills managed a 33-yard field goal by Steve Christie at the two-minute warning while Jacksonville came up empty on its last possession of the half when Hollis was short on a 58-yard field goal attempt on the last play before halftime. The score remained 17-17 at the intermission.

Buffalo’s opening drive of the third quarter resulted in a 47-yard field goal by Christie that put the Bills back in front. The teams traded punts before the Jaguars moved 62 yards in 11 plays, featuring a 27-yard pass completion from Brunell to McCardell, and culminated in a 24-yard Hollis field goal to again tie the game at 20-20.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, Buffalo CB Jeff Burris intercepted a partially deflected Brunell pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown and 27-20 lead for the Bills. The Jaguars responded by driving 65 yards in 10 plays that resulted in a two-yard TD pass from Brunell to Jimmy Smith, and with the successful PAT the game was again tied.

On Buffalo’s next series, Kelly fumbled when hit by safety Chris Hudson and CB Aaron Beasley recovered for the Jaguars at the Jacksonville 42. Brunell completed passes of 14 yards to Smith and 11 to McCardell in setting up a 45-yard field goal attempt by Hollis that hit the right upright but caromed on through for three points.

Todd Collins replaced the injured Kelly at quarterback for the Bills and was unable to move the team in two possessions while the Jaguars were able to run a minute-and-a-half off the clock. Brackens forced Collins to fumble in the last seconds to nail down the 30-27 win for Jacksonville.


The Jaguars outgained Buffalo (409 yards to 308) although the Bills had the edge in first downs (19 to 18). Buffalo suffered more turnovers (three to two) and only managed to sack Brunell twice as offensive left tackle Tony Boselli (pictured at right) had an outstanding day against Bruce Smith.

Natrone Means had a big day running the ball for Jacksonville, gaining 175 yards on 31 carries with a TD. Mark Brunell (pictured below) completed 18 of 33 passes for 239 yards with a touchdown against two interceptions. Jimmy Smith caught 5 passes for 58 yards and a score while Keenan McCardell gained 76 yards on his four receptions.


In his last game before retiring, Jim Kelly was successful on 21 of 32 passes for 239 yards with a TD and an interception. Quinn Early caught 9 passes for 122 yards, but the Buffalo running game was held to 92 yards on 29 attempts – Thurman Thomas led the way with 50 yards on 14 carries.

Jacksonville advanced to the AFC Championship game after beating Denver in the Divisional playoff round, but the prospect of a Super Bowl between the two 1995 expansion teams (the Carolina Panthers had similarly advanced through the NFC postseason) ended when New England handily defeated the Jaguars for the AFC title (the Panthers also lost the NFC Championship game to Green Bay).

For Buffalo, it was the end of the postseason road in the Levy era. The Bills dropped to 6-10 in 1997, and while they were back in the playoffs in ’98, it was under a new head coach (Wade Phillips), Kelly was retired, and Thurman Thomas only a shell of his former greatness (381 yards rushing for the year).

2005: Chambers Has Record-Setting Day as Dolphins Rally to Beat Bills

The December 4, 2005 game at Dolphin Stadium between host Miami and the Buffalo Bills featured two 4-7 teams. The Dolphins, under the direction of first-year Head Coach Nick Saban, had just won for the first time in four weeks the game before. The offense was led by QB Gus Frerotte, a 34-year-old journeyman, and had been without RB Ricky Williams for the first four weeks due to a suspension for substance abuse.

The Bills were reeling under Head Coach Mike Mularkey. The club had parted company with veteran QB Drew Bledsoe in the offseason and handed the offense over to their 2004 first draft pick and quarterback-in-waiting, J.P. Losman. The inexperienced quarterback was struggling, and it was showing in the won-lost column.

The first quarter was dominated by the Bills. On the fourth play from scrimmage, Losman connected with WR Lee Evans for a 46-yard touchdown and quick 7-0 lead. On Miami’s third play, WR Chris Chambers (pictured above) caught a pass from Frerotte that gained 20 yards, but he fumbled when hit by CB Nate Clements and the Bills recovered at their own 44 yard line. Losman immediately went to Evans again, this time for a 56-yard TD.

Later in the period, following a 36-yard punt return by WR Roscoe Parrish to the Miami 26, Buffalo took six plays to score again, on a much shorter Losman-to-Evans pass that covered four yards. The score stood at 21-0 after one quarter of action.

The Dolphins snuffed out another threat in the second quarter when the Bills drove to the Miami 15 but Losman fumbled when sacked by LB Donnie Spragan and LB Channing Crowder recovered for the Dolphins. Still, Miami’s offense couldn’t move until the last drive of the half. Frerotte completed five passes as the Dolphins advanced to the Buffalo five yard line, but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Olindo Mare. The Bills led by 21-3 at halftime.

Buffalo added to its lead in the third quarter when Frerotte was sacked in his end zone by LB London Fletcher for a safety. Suffering a concussion on the play, the veteran quarterback did not return. Meanwhile, the Bills drove to the Dolphins’ three and faced a first-and-goal situation when Losman was intercepted by CB Sam Madison. The Dolphins weren’t able to immediately capitalize, as backup QB Sage Rosenfels, running a no-huddle offense through much of the ensuing possession, drove the team down to the Buffalo nine but turned the ball over on downs with just seconds remaining in the period.

Following a Buffalo punt, the Dolphins were more successful on their next possession as Williams capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run. Still, the score was 23-10 in favor of the visitors. But the Bills had to punt again, and once more Miami, going without a huddle for much of the way, scored on 23-yard pass play from Rosenfels to RB Ronnie Brown. Buffalo’s lead was narrowed to 23-17.

It seemed as though the margin would hold up when Rosenfels was intercepted by DE Aaron Schobel near midfield on the next Miami possession. The Bills took over with 2:29 remaining to play. The Dolphins called two timeouts and took advantage of the two-minute warning to get the ball back at their 27 yard line following a punt.

Only about 25,000 of the original crowd of 72,051 were still on hand as the Dolphins drove down the field. Rosenfels hit Chambers for a 57-yard gain to the Buffalo 16. Eight plays later, on fourth-and-four and with six second left, Rosenfels lobbed a pass from four yards out that Chambers came down with for a touchdown. Mare kicked the extra point and the Dolphins came away with a 24-23 comeback win. All of their touchdowns had occurred in the final period.

The Dolphins had not overcome a margin as large as 20 points since 1974. They outgained Buffalo, 434 yards to 294, and had 26 first downs to 16 for the Bills. Miami accumulated 387 net passing yards, going to the air a team-record 65 times, with Chris Chambers setting new franchise single game records with 15 catches for 238 yards.

Sage Rosenfels (pictured below) accounted for 272 of the passing yards while completing 22 of 37 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. Before getting knocked out of the game, Gus Frerotte was successful on 12 of 28 throws for 115 yards and had no scores or interceptions. Ricky Williams was the leading rusher, gaining 46 yards on 11 carries with a TD.


J.P. Losman completed 13 of 26 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns – all in the first quarter – and had one picked off. Wasted (and overshadowed by Chambers) was a fine performance by Lee Evans with 5 pass receptions for 117 yards and all three TDs. RB Willis McGahee gained 81 yards rushing on 27 attempts. The failure to take advantage of opportunities to pad the lead ultimately proved disastrous for Buffalo.

“We really like for everyone to get their money's worth,” Nick Saban joked afterward. “You talk about playing 60 minutes, and it's a cliche, but this was an example of that today.”

“I took a quick, deep breath and said, ‘Relax,’” Rosenfels said regarding the pass to Chambers for the game-winning score. “The clock was running. We figured whatever coverage they were in, the best play was to throw it up for Chris.”

From the Buffalo perspective, a disappointed Losman said, “Nobody will know how this feels unless they've been in the locker room. I can't really describe it, because I'm no Shakespeare.”

The win proved to be a high point in a season-ending surge for Miami. The Dolphins won six straight to close out the schedule for a 9-7 tally. It was good enough for second place in the AFC East, although not a playoff spot. Buffalo kept going in the wrong direction, winning just once more and finishing at 5-11 and third in the division. Both Coach Mularkey and GM Tom Donahoe were dismissed.

In his fifth season, the huge performance against Buffalo by Chris Chambers was considered a turning point. He ended up setting career highs in receptions (82), yards (1118), matched his previous best with 11 touchdowns, and was selected to the Pro Bowl. But his performance dropped off in ’06 and during a disastrous 2007 season for the team, he was dealt away to the Chargers. As the record-setting game against Buffalo showed, Chambers had outstanding ability, but he lacked consistency and was dogged by injuries (he wasn’t helped by instability at quarterback).

In his second year, Lee Evans (pictured below) caught 48 passes for 743 yards (15.5 avg.) and seven touchdowns; his best seasons were yet to come. J.P. Losman passed for 1340 yards with eight touchdowns and as many interceptions – more critically, the team’s won-lost record with him as the starting quarterback was a woeful 1-7 and, between ineffectiveness and injury, twice lost the job to Kelly Holcomb. While 2006 proved to be a better year for him, ultimately his tenure in Buffalo was a disappointment.

1973: Simpson Reaches 1000 Yards as Bills Beat Chiefs

The Buffalo Bills were making their first appearance on Monday Night Football on October 29, 1973, and a frenzied crowd of 76,071 fans was present at the new Rich Stadium. The Bills, a resurgent club in the second year of Lou Saban’s second stint as head coach, were off to a 4-2 start. They had not posted a winning record since 1966, the year after Saban quit the club following back-to-back AFL Championships, and now they were in the hunt for a playoff spot.

A big part of the resurgence was RB O.J. Simpson, who had underachieved for three seasons before Saban made him the centerpiece of the offense. The result had been a league-leading 1251 rushing yards in ’72 for a 4-9-1 team that was constantly reshuffling the offensive line. Thus far in ’73, the line had solidified and Simpson was chasing Jim Brown’s single-season rushing record of 1863 yards set ten years before. After six games, he had 868 yards on 138 carries (6.3 avg.) and had been held under a hundred for the first time by Miami the previous week.

The Chiefs, under Head Coach Hank Stram, had won the last AFL title in ’69 (not to mention the Super Bowl against the NFL champion Vikings) and been in the playoffs in 1971. They were coming off of an 8-6 record in ’72 that contained too many losses to bottom-dwelling teams and were 3-2-1 start coming into the Week 7 Monday night contest with the Bills.

Things began badly for the Chiefs on their first possession. They received the opening kickoff but, following an incomplete pass, KC fumbled the ball away on the second play from scrimmage. Bills LB Jim Cheyunski (pictured below left) recovered at the Kansas City 15. Simpson set the tone for Buffalo, running four straight times and scoring from a yard out for a quick 7-0 lead.


On the third play of Kansas City’s next possession, Cheyunski made another big play on defense as he intercepted a pass by QB Len Dawson and returned it 31 yards to the KC four yard line. Simpson took it in from there, giving him two touchdowns less than four minutes into the game.

Things got worse for the Chiefs when Dawson suffered a sprained ankle and was forced to leave the game. Pete Beathard, who had started his pro career in Kansas City and was back after spending time with the Oilers, Cardinals, and Rams, took over at quarterback.

The Chiefs got a break in the second quarter when Buffalo’s rookie QB Joe Ferguson fumbled on his own 43 and KC recovered. They scored four plays later on a run by FB Wendell Hayes from a yard out, set up by a screen pass to Hayes from Beathard that gained 27 yards. The score stood at 14-7 at halftime.

The Bills extended their lead in the third quarter, all with field goals by John Leypoldt of 31, 17, and 8 yards. Kansas City was able to take advantage of another Buffalo mistake late in the period when punter Spike Jones dropped a snap in his own territory and the Chiefs recovered at the Bills’ two yard line. Beathard sneaked in for a TD on the first play of the fourth quarter. But against the inspired Bills defense, and with the offense maintaining ball control by handing off to Simpson and FB Larry Watkins, Kansas City was unable to seriously threaten. Buffalo won, 23-14.

The score did not reflect the level of Buffalo’s domination of the game. The Bills outgained the Chiefs with 309 yards to 105 and had 21 first downs to KC’s eight. While both teams had modest net passing totals (67 yards for Kansas City, 63 for Buffalo) the rushing disparity told the story. The Bills ground out 246 yards on 65 rushes to just 38 yards on 17 carries by the Chiefs.

O.J. Simpson led the way with 157 yards on a then-NFL record 39 attempts that included the two scores, while Larry Watkins had 81 yards on 19 carries. As was typical during the season, Joe Ferguson went to the air just 11 times and had six completions for 63 yards with one intercepted. Wide receivers Bob Chandler and J.D. Hill accounted for all of the receptions, each catching three while Chandler outgained Hill with 35 yards to 28.

Kansas City’s two quarterbacks completed just eight passes, but on 29 attempts, with Pete Beathard accounting for six completions in 23 throws for 73 yards and no interceptions. HB Ed Podolak caught three passes for 27 yards in addition to leading the Chiefs with 29 rushing yards on seven carries. Thanks to the long reception on the screen pass in the second quarter, Wendell Hayes gained the most receiving yards with 33 on two catches; tellingly, he was able to run for only five yards on seven carries, including the one short TD. Only one pass was completed to a wide receiver - Otis Taylor for 13 yards – and TE Morris Stroud also had one catch for 13 yards as well.

Kansas City’s Coach Stram said afterward “Any time you're playing a squad that is in an emotional frenzy like Buffalo was – and motivated by their fans – and you give two touchdowns away right at the bat, you're in trouble.”

Players on the offensive line stepped up their game to put Simpson over the thousand-yard mark by the halfway point of the season, and they were successful; his total following the contest was 1025 yards.


“We got 1,000 in the first seven games and we'll go for another 1,000 in the next seven,” Simpson said afterward. It proved to be the case – the former Heisman Trophy winner out of USC not only ended up breaking Brown’s rushing record, but became the first NFL runner to cross the 2000-yard threshold in a season. Simpson totaled 2003 yards on 332 carries (also an NFL record at the time) for a 6.0 average gain and 12 touchdowns. The Bills as a team ran up a then-record 3088 yards on the ground, still the second highest total to date.


Two members of Buffalo’s solidified offensive line were selected to the Pro Bowl – left guard Reggie McKenzie (who also received All-NFL honors; pictured above right) and left tackle Dave Foley. Rookie Joe DeLamielleure (pictured at left), one of the team’s two first-round draft picks, started immediately at right guard and was outstanding (he would remain so, ending up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame). Center Bruce Jarvis was injured during the season and capably replaced by Mike Montler. Right tackle Donnie Green and rookie tight end Paul Seymour (the other first round draft choice and more an extra tackle than a receiver) rounded out the very good unit. The group would come to be known as The Electric Company – because they turned on “the Juice” (Simpson).

The Bills improved to 9-5 in ’73, finishing second in the AFC East but just missing the postseason. Kansas City ended up tied with Denver for second in the AFC West at 7-5-2.

1990: Bills Score 20 Points in 1:33 to Beat Broncos

Both the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos had won two of their first three games of the 1990 season prior to meeting at Rich Stadium on September 30. The host Bills, under Head Coach Marv Levy, had won the AFC East title the previous two years, although with only a 9-7 record in ’89. The talented club had been mired in controversy in 1989, and had underachieved. Denver, coached by Dan Reeves for the preceding nine seasons, was the defending AFC champion, although the Broncos had been badly beaten in the Super Bowl by the 49ers.

The Broncos scored on the first possession of the game, going 80 yards in 12 plays with RB Bobby Humphrey running for a touchdown from a yard out. The teams traded fumbles, but there was no further scoring in the opening period.

The Bills blocked a 49-yard field goal attempt by David Treadwell early in the second quarter, but came up empty when Scott Norwood’s 47-yard attempt hit the right upright and bounced away. In their next possession, Bills QB Jim Kelly was intercepted by FS Steve Atwater, giving Denver good field position at the Buffalo 30 yard line. The Broncos capitalized as QB John Elway completed a 25-yard pass to WR Vance Johnson and two plays later RB Steve Sewell scored on another short touchdown run. Buffalo finally got on the board just before the end of the half on a 37-yard field goal by Norwood, but it was Denver leading comfortably by 14-3 at the intermission.

Buffalo got a break in the third quarter when DE Bruce Smith sacked Elway, forcing a fumble that LB Darryl Talley recovered for the Bills at the Denver 10. After Kelly was sacked for a two-yard loss, RB Don Smith ran for a 12-yard touchdown, but the extra point attempt failed. However, the Broncos extended their lead to 21-9 later in the period after a fumbled handoff to RB Thurman Thomas gave Denver the ball on the Buffalo 19. Following an Elway pass and a penalty on Bills LB Shane Conlan for a late hit, RB Sammy Winder ran for a three-yard touchdown.

With Denver seemingly in control in the fourth quarter, the game took a dramatic twist. The Broncos appeared set to score again, having driven to the Buffalo six yard line, but Treadwell’s field goal attempt was blocked by CB Nate Odomes – LB Cornelius Bennett (pictured at top) picked up the loose ball at the 20 and returned it for an 80-yard touchdown. Instead of being down 24-9, the Bills had cut the Denver margin to 21-16.

On the second play of Denver’s ensuing possession, an Elway pass was deflected at the line by DE Leon Seals and intercepted by safety Leonard Smith, who returned it 39 yards for another Buffalo TD. While Norwood missed the extra point attempt, the Bills had gone from being down by 12 points to up by one at 22-21. And it wasn’t over.

An illegal block on the kickoff return by the Broncos put the ball on the Denver five yard line. On the first play, Elway fumbled the snap and Cornelius Bennett recovered at the two. It took just one play for RB Kenneth Davis to run for a two-yard touchdown; this time the PAT attempt was successful and the Buffalo lead was now 29-21. The Bills had scored a total of 20 points in just 1:33 of playing time.

The shaken Broncos had to punt on their next possession after Bruce Smith again sacked Elway, this time for a ten-yard loss on a third-and-12 play. Buffalo moved into Denver territory, but Norwood’s 48-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right.


Now with under four minutes remaining, it looked as though the Broncos were finished when Elway threw three straight incompletions, but on fourth-and-ten he connected with WR Ricky Nattiel for a 20-yard gain to midfield. Suddenly, Elway was passing Denver downfield with four more completions that included a seven-yard TD to Nattiel - with the successful conversion, Buffalo’s lead was narrowed to one point. However, the onside kick was recovered by the Bills who were then able to run out the clock. The final score was 29-28 in favor of Buffalo.

It was a stunning win for the Bills, who were outgained by the Broncos, 410 yards to 197. Buffalo gained just 64 yards on the ground, to Denver’s 208. Bobby Humphrey (pictured above right) had an outstanding day running the ball, gaining 177 yards on 34 carries with one TD. John Elway completed 15 of 28 passes for 221 yards with a touchdown, but also with two interceptions (part of five overall turnovers by the Broncos). Ricky Nattiel was the club’s leading receiver with four catches for 62 yards and the TD.

Buffalo’s offensive performance was not strong. Reflecting the low rushing total, Thurman Thomas gained just 36 yards on 13 attempts – he caught four passes for 25 more yards. WR James Lofton also caught four passes, and led the Bills with 57 receiving yards. Jim Kelly completed 18 of 34 passes for 167 yards with no TDs and one interception.


The big defensive plays – including the one on special teams – made the difference in the outcome. Bruce Smith (pictured at left), with five tackles in addition to the two key sacks and the forced fumble, was recognized as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Week, although there were several other members of the unit who played significant roles in the dramatic win.

The Bills won their next six games and 10 of 12 to finish the regular season at 13-3, winning a third straight AFC East title and this time advancing to the Super Bowl where they lost to the New York Giants by one point - the previous year’s underachievers broke through to a higher level, even if they fell short of the pinnacle. Denver, meanwhile, went in the opposite direction, losing 9 of the remaining 12 contests to end up at 5-11 and at the bottom of the AFC West.

1991: Kelly & Thomas Lead Bills to Win Over Miami

The Buffalo Bills, defending AFC Champions, opened the 1991 season by hosting the division rival Miami Dolphins at Rich Stadium on September 1. Under Head Coach Marv Levy, the Bills had utilized a quick-striking offense and solid defense to win the AFC East for the third consecutive year in ’90 with a 13-3 record and came within a missed field goal of winning the Super Bowl. Two of the key players on offense had been QB Jim Kelly (pictured at right), in his prime at age 31, and RB Thurman Thomas.

Head Coach Don Shula’s Dolphins finished right behind Buffalo with a 12-4 tally in 1990, qualifying for a wild card playoff spot and losing to the Bills in the divisional round. Entering the new season, the passing of ninth year QB Dan Marino was still central to the offense, while fumble-prone RB Sammie Smith had suffered a knee injury during the preseason; unheralded Mark Higgs was the opening day starter.

The Dolphins took the early advantage. After Scott Norwood missed a 25-yard field goal on Buffalo’s opening drive, Miami struck quickly with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Marino to WR Mark Clayton on a flea-flicker play. On their next possession, the Dolphins drove 65 yards in 10 plays, capped by Higgs scoring on a three-yard TD run, and were staked to a 14-0 lead.


The Bills came back as Kelly connected with WR Andre Reed on a 54-yard touchdown pass play, and that was it for the first half scoring. The Dolphins had passed the ball just nine times while Higgs (pictured at left) had gained 80 yards on 15 carries.

Miami led off the scoring in the third quarter as Charlie Baumann kicked a 21-yard field goal. Kelly had to briefly leave the game due to injury on Buffalo’s ensuing possession, but backup QB Frank Reich completed both of his passes, including a three-yard touchdown throw to TE Butch Rolle that narrowed the Miami margin to 17-14.

The Dolphins were forced to punt on their next series, and Kelly returned to the contest and passed to Thomas for a touchdown play that covered 50 yards and put the Bills ahead for the first time at 21-17.

Miami went three-and-out but got a break when DE T.J. Turner recovered a fumble by Buffalo WR Don Beebe at the Bills 44 yard line. Seven plays later Marino hit Clayton with a pass into the end zone from five yards out, and the Dolphins were back in front at 24-21 early in the fourth quarter. The quick-striking Bills came back with a six-play series that ended in a one-yard TD run by FB Carwell Gardner.

The key turnover of the game came on Miami’s next possession as Buffalo FS Mark Kelso recovered a fumble by Higgs near midfield. The Bills scored seven plays later when Thomas ran in from seven yards. While Marino threw another touchdown pass, this time to WR Mark Duper for three yards, it was too little, too late as Buffalo held on to win by a score of 35-31.

It was an impressive display by the Bills offense, which rolled up a club record 593 yards. Jim Kelly completed 29 of 39 passes for 381 yards with two TDs and one intercepted. Thurman Thomas ran the ball 25 times for 165 yards and a TD and also gained another 103 yards on 8 pass receptions that included another score. However, it was Andre Reed, another significant member of the offense, leading the team in pass receiving with 11 catches for 154 yards and a TD.

In defeat, Dan Marino had been successful on 17 of 28 passes for 267 yards with three touchdowns and none intercepted. Mark Higgs gained an impressive 146 yards on 30 carries with a touchdown, but also suffered the key fumble. Mark Clayton caught 6 passes for 138 yards and two TDs.

Buffalo again went on to win the AFC East with a 10-6 record and appeared in the Super Bowl for the second straight year, losing convincingly to the Washington Redskins. Miami finished at 8-8 and in third place in the division, just missing out on a wild card spot due to having been swept by the Jets in the season series, who also finished with the same record.

Jim Kelly led the AFC in passing with a 97.6 rating, and topped the NFL in touchdown passes (33) and percentage of TD passes (7.0) while finishing third with 3844 yards through the air. Thurman Thomas (pictured below) was the AFC’s top rusher with 1407 yards on 288 attempts and the NFL’s all-purpose yardage leader with 2038.

1966: Pete Gogolak Jumps From AFL to NFL

Pete Gogolak had a place in American football history just by being the first to use the soccer-style approach to kicking the ball that is now standard practice. His success at Cornell led to him being drafted by the AFL’s Buffalo Bills in 1964 and in two seasons he made good on 47 of 75 field goal attempts (62.7 %) including an AFL-leading 28-of-46 record in ’65.

However, on May 17, 1966 Gogolak took a pivotal step in the battle between the AFL and NFL when, having played out his option in Buffalo, he signed a contract with the NFL’s New York Giants.

No player had jumped leagues since offensive end Willard Dewveall went from the Bears to the Oilers in 1961, and there had been an unofficial understanding in place that, while rookies were fair game, no veteran would be signed by a team from the other league until it was clear that no other club in his own circuit was interested. That was hardly the case with Gogolak, who had shown that soccer-style kicking was effective and thus helped Buffalo to back-to-back AFL titles.

It was no surprise that the Giants would be interested in Gogolak as they certainly had a need to upgrade the kicking game - their placekickers in 1965 were successful on a woeful 4 of 25 field goal attempts. But it was stunning that they would abrogate the understanding between the leagues and that Commissioner Pete Rozelle would approve the deal.

For Al Davis, the head coach/GM of the Oakland Raiders who had succeeded Joe Foss as AFL commissioner just five weeks before, the Gogolak signing was an unquestioned declaration of war by the NFL. As he told a sportswriter, “It was a declaration of war all right. And we had to do what the generals do in a way. Go after the supply lines. Hit the enemy where it hurts most.”

It didn’t take long for the repercussions to be felt. The day after Gogolak switched leagues, the Associated Press reported that two AFL teams had been in contact with at least four members of the Giants. Rumors spread very quickly thereafter that several NFL veterans had expressed interest in entertaining offers from the rival league, and that AFL teams were actively pursuing veteran NFL players.

Commissioner Davis promoted a strategy of signing select NFL quarterbacks to future contracts, and in the next few weeks it was reported that Roman Gabriel of the Rams had come to an agreement with Oakland and San Francisco’s John Brodie had accepted a significant offer from the Houston Oilers.

The war was escalating quickly, but in fact negotiations between the two leagues that had already been occurring behind the scenes reached fruition a short time later. While there was plenty of bad feeling and suspicion between officials of the NFL and AFL, they came to a merger agreement less than a month after Pete Gogolak became a member of the New York Giants. Of course, the player raiding came to an abrupt end.

The pairing of Gogolak and the Giants proved lasting. The Hungarian refugee, who had originally signed a one-year contract with Buffalo, received a four-year deal at significantly more money from the Giants. He ended up staying nine seasons (he missed a few games in 1967 due to military duty) and connected on 57.5 % of his field goal attempts (126 of 219).

Gogolak never matched his best season in Buffalo, and didn’t have great range. Reliable inside of 30 yards but spotty from beyond, he connected on just one kick longer than 50 yards – it was a then-team record 54-yard boot during the 1970 season in which he reached his high for field goals in a Giants uniform (25). Still, he stabilized the placekicking game and was generally consistent. And by his last season, 1974, nearly half of the teams in the league were using soccer-style kickers.

1965: Buffalo Trades Cookie Gilchrist to Denver

The Buffalo Bills had won the AFL championship in 1964 in no small part to the efforts of their 250-pound battering ram fullback Cookie Gilchrist, the league’s leading rusher with 981 yards on 230 carries. But on February 24, 1965 they traded Gilchrist to the Denver Broncos for a lesser fullback, Billy Joe.

Gilchrist had been a mainstay of the Buffalo backfield since joining the team in 1962 after six years in the Canadian Football League. He had been an outstanding all-around player north of the border, but wore out his welcome with three teams before heading back to the US and the American Football League. With the Bills, he was both a powerful and productive runner, twice leading the league in rushing and setting a single-game record of 243 yards (see Dec. 8) while gaining a well-earned reputation as an outstanding pass blocker. He was also outspoken and assertive in ways that sometimes annoyed teammates and most certainly led to disputes with Head Coach Lou Saban and the front office.

Prior to the ’64 season, Gilchrist had openly requested a trade to New York, where he saw greater potential for off-field business opportunities. He was often late for practice and openly disagreed with QB Jack Kemp, who wanted to throw the ball more. The situation came to a head during a game on November 15 against the Boston Patriots. The Bills were trailing late in the first half and had been passing far more often than running (Gilchrist had five carries for 23 yards, while Kemp had gone to the air 22 times). With the offense driving, Gilchrist suddenly pulled himself out of the game and sent in rookie Willie Ross to replace him.

The team lost for the first time all year, and an angry Coach Saban placed Gilchrist on waivers two days later. Not surprisingly, three teams claimed him, but a group of players interceded with Saban to have him recall the big fullback from waivers. Kemp had played a part – whatever their differences regarding offensive philosophy, the two were friends off the field – and convinced Gilchrist to apologize to the team and request a reinstatement. Whatever annoyances he had caused, his teammates were well aware that he always showed up motivated to play and they needed him if they were to win the division and league titles.

Saban agreed to allow Gilchrist back on the team, but once the season was over and a championship won, he was ready to take action. There were plenty of explanations offered by the club as to why they dealt him – most notably, although he had played in the AFL for just three years, he was 30 years old and, combined with his years in the CFL when he had also played linebacker on defense, his body had taken a beating. But in reality, he had simply become too difficult to handle.

Billy Joe was about the same size as Gilchrist, at 6’2” and 235 pounds and had been the league’s Rookie of the Year in 1963 after arriving as an 11th round draft choice out of Villanova. But his 646 yards in that first season ended up being his career high. He wasn’t the punishing and productive runner that Gilchrist had been, nor nearly as effective a blocker. In ’65, he contributed 377 yards with just a 3.1 average gain per carry (HB Wray Carlton led the team with 592 rushing yards), although he caught a career-high 27 passes. The Bills, with Kemp still at quarterback, an outstanding offensive line, and excellent defense, still had more than enough to win another championship.

Gilchrist gained 954 yards for the lowly Broncos (4-10) in 1965, which ranked second in the AFL, on 230 carries. It was a last hurrah for the big fullback with the big personality, and he refused to report to the club for the ’66 season. Placed on reserve to start the season, he ended up being dealt to the expansion Miami Dolphins midway through the campaign.

Ironically, Gilchrist and Joe were teammates in Miami in 1966 – the Dolphins had selected Joe from Buffalo in the expansion draft. Appearing in eight games, Gilchrist gained 262 yards on 72 carries (30 more yards than Billy Joe gained over the course of the entire season). He went back to Denver, where, in another irony, he was reunited with Lou Saban, but played in just one game before it was apparent that his knees could no longer provide the power needed to continue as an effective power back.

Cookie Gilchrist was certainly one of the most memorable characters in the AFL, and one of its best players. He was a force on the football field and a larger-than-life personality off of it – charming and intelligent, but also brazen and defiant. As a general manager of the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts put it, “Put up with him for a season or two, he’ll be great. But then get rid of him before you have a nervous breakdown.”

The Bills got three good years out of him, including a key role in a league championship season.