BRUCE
SMITH
Class of 2009 Defensive End 6-4, 280 Virginia Tech 1985-1999 Buffalo
Bills; 2000-2003 Washington Redskins Bills’ first-round draft pick (1st
player overall), 1985 NFL Draft… Considered one of the most dominant
defensive players in NFL history… His 200 career sacks is NFL all-time
record. . . Recorded 10 or more sacks in an NFL record 13 seasons… NFL
Defensive Player of the Year, 1990 and 1996…
Named to NFL’s All Decade Teams of the 1980s and 1990s… First- or
second-team All-Pro 11 times… Selected to 11 Pro Bowls…
Born June 18, 1963 in Norfolk,Virginia.
THURMAN THOMAS
Class of 2007 Running Back 5-10, 198 Oklahoma State 1988-1999 Buffalo
Bills,2000 Miami Dolphins Bills’ second round pick in 1988 NFL Draft. . .
Led NFL in total yards from scrimmage a record four consecutive
seasons. . . NFL’s Most Valuable Player, 1991. . . Rushed for 1,000
yards in eight consecutive seasons… Career numbers include 12,074 yards
rushing and 16,532 all-purpose yards… Selected to five consecutive Pro
Bowls… First- or second-team All-Pro five straight years. . All-AFC
1989-1993, All-AFC Second Team 1994. Born on May 16, 1966 in
Houston,Texas.
MARV LEVY
Class of 2001 Coach Coe College, Harvard 1978-1982 Kansas City Chiefs,
1986-1997 Buffalo Bills. Marvin Daniel Levy… Led Bills to unprecedented
four straight Super Bowls… Had 154-120-0 overall record… His coaching
victories ranked 10th in NFL history at time of retirement… Quickly
improved Chiefs from 4-12 to 9-7… Guided Buffalo to eight playoff
appearances in 11seasons… NFL Coach of the Year, 1988… AFC Coach of the
Year, 1988, 1993, 1995…
Born August 3, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois.
RALPH WILSON JR.
Class of 2009 Founder/Owner (Virginia,Michigan) 1960 - Present Buffalo
Bills. One of original founders of American Football League… During
tenure as Bills owner, team won two AFL Championships and unprecedented
four straight AFC championships… Bills 103 regular season wins, second
most in NFL during 1990s… Helped lead AFL through early years making
tough decisions that were necessary for league’s survival… Began talks
with Carroll Rosenbloom, then owner of NFL’s Colts in January 1965, that
eventually resulted in AFL-NFL merger…
Born October 17, 1918 in Columbus,Ohio. |
JOE
DeLAMIELLEURE
Class of 2003 Guard 6-3, 254 Michigan State 1973-1979, 1985 Buffalo
Bills; 1980-1984 Cleveland Browns. Selected by Bills in first round,
1973 draft… All-America at Michigan State…Won All-Rookie honors…
Durable,played in 185 consecutive games… Anchored Bills famed "Electric
Company" offensive line… Best known as lead blocker for O. J. Simpson,
NFL's first 2000-yard rusher,1973… Selected All-Pro and All-AFC 1975
through 1980… Named to six Pro Bowls… Named to NFL's 1970s All-Decade
Team…
Born March 16, 1951 at Detroit,Michigan.
JAMES LOFTON
Class of 2003 Wide Receiver 6-3, 192 Stanford. 1978-1986 Green Bay
Packers, 1987-1988 Los Angeles. Raiders, 1989-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993
Los Angeles Rams, 1993 Philadelphia Eagles. James David Lofton…
Selected by Green Bay in 1st round (6th player overall) of 1978 NFL
Draft… A deep-threat receiver, possessed both speed and great hands…
recorded more than 50 receptions in a season nine times… First NFL
player to score a touchdown in 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s… In 16
seasons,he caught 764 passes for 14,004 yards - an NFL record at the
time of his retirement… Named All-Pro four times,All-NFC three times,
selected to play in eight Pro Bowls…
Born July 5, 1956, at Fort Ord,California.
BILLY SHAW
Class of 1999 Guard 6-2, 258 Georgia Tech. 1961-1969 Buffalo Bills.
William Lewis Shaw… First player to spend entire career in AFL to be
elected to Hall of Fame… Two-way collegiate player… Drafted by Cowboys
(NFL) and Bills (AFL) - chose Bills to play on offensive line… Equally
adept at pass blocking and run blocking… Driving force behind offensive
unit that led Buffalo to back-to-back AFL titles in 1964,1965… All-AFL
five times… Named to eight All-Star games…
Born December 15, 1938 in Natchez,Mississippi.
JIM KELLY
Class of 2002 Quarterback 6-3, 225 Miami - FL. 1986-1996 Buffalo Bills.
James Edward Kelly… Selected by Bills in 1st round, 1983 draft… Passed
for more than 3,000 yards in season eight times…
Mastered Bills' "no huddle" offense… Guided Buffalo to eight
post-season appearances,unprecedented four straight Super Bowls… Named
to five Pro Bowls… Career stats: 35,467 yards, 237 touchdowns,
84.4 passer rating… Led NFL with 101.2 rating, 1990…
Born February 14, 1960 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The ninth Buffalo Bill in the
Professional Football Hall of Fame: O.J. Simpson. Please refer to
website for stats. |
