2006 Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills had a disappointing season in 2005, completing the year with 5 wins and 11 losses. Just the same, the Bills have plenty of loyal fans, thousands of whom bought tickets and showed up at Ralph Wilson Stadium to cheer them on. In fact, their paid attendance averaged nearly 72,000 tickets sold per game.

Change is happening from the top down with the return of the steadying hand of Marv Levy, who coached the Bills into four consecutive Super Bowls, as an 81-year old 'rookie' general manager. Another change is Dick Jauron in the head coaching spot. Returning players who should make strong contributions include running back Willis McGahee, fullback Daimon Shelton, and offensive guard Chris Villarrial. Buffalo has specialty team members who are fun to watch also, especially punter Brian Moorman and return specialist Terrence McGee. Get your Buffalo Bills tickets and cheer them on!

Some Buffalo Bills history: The Bills built powerful teams in both the now-defunct American Football League (AFL) and the NFL. The team won consecutive AFL titles in 1964 and 1965 with teams that starred running back Cookie Gilchrist and quarterback Jack Kemp. During the 1970s Bills running back O. J. Simpson became one of the most prolific rushers in professional football history, breaking nearly every NFL rushing record. Buffalo appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991 through 1994 with teams starring linebacker Cornelius Bennett, quarterback Jim Kelly, defensive end Bruce Smith, and running back Thurman Thomas.

Buffalo became a charter member of the AFL in 1960. After four mediocre seasons, 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. 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 MVP.

Led by veteran quarterback Joe Ferguson and rookie running back Joe Cribbs, Buffalo made the playoffs in 1980, and Chuck Knox was named AFC coach of the year. The Bills continued to improve during the 1980s, reaching the playoffs again in 1981 and acquiring key players such as quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas, and wide receiver Andre Reed.

In 1988 the Bills reached the AFC Championship Game for the first time since joining the NFL. In 1991 the Bills went to the first of four consecutive albeit unsuccessful Super Bowls:

• 1991 Super Bowl XXV Lost to New York Giants, 20-19
• 1992 Super Bowl XXVI Lost to Washington Redskins, 37-24
• 1993 Super Bowl XXVII Lost to Dallas Cowboys, 52-17
• 1994 Super Bowl XXVIII Lost to Dallas Cowboys, 30-13

Buffalo continued to be a dominant force in the AFC Eastern Division in the mid- and late 1990s.