Building the Buffalo Bills’ all-time Mount Rushmore for every position on defense

Building the Buffalo Bills’ all-time Mount Rushmore for every position on defense

we are discussing the very best defensive football players in the history of the Buffalo Bills today on locked on bills you are locked on bills your daily Buffalo Bills podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team everyday what’s up bills Mafia it’s Joe Marino author of go bills and Buffalo’s run also the co-host of the locked on NFL scouting podcast and I am your host of locked on bills want to thank you for making lock on bills your first listen every day and a big welcome and shout out to our every dayers you know who you are those of you who never miss a single episode I appreciate y’all being here very very much I’d also like to invite you to subscribe or follow for free on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcast we’re part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time download the game time app create an account and use code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply well folks welcome in welcome to part two of the miniseries where I consider who should be on the Buffalo Bills Mount Rushmore for every position yesterday we did all of the offensive positions today is the defensive side of the football and we’re going to also do Specialists so I’m going to give you defensive end defensive tackle linebacker Corner safety and Specialists today on this episode and as a reminder my methodology here is very much focused in on what these players did with the Buffalo Bills relative to franchise history so if the bills had someone come in for just a season or something like that like a Terrell Owens they’re not going to be on this list but I’m excited to do this I’ll tell you what defense was tough especially especially the secondary bills the bills are loaded with outstanding corners and safeties throughout their history so that was very very challenging we’ll get to that later on but we will start with the defensive line we will start with defensive end and we will start with a player that I think is the best Buffalo Bill ever and that’s Bruce Smith Bruce Smith 1985 through 1999 Pro Football Hall of Famer bills wall of Famer the all-time leader in Sachs not only for the Buffalo pills but for the history of the NFL an 11 time Pro Bowl selection twice named NFL Defensive Player of the Year and his number 78 Jersey has been retired by the team I know some people might say OJ Simpson to me Bruce Smith is the greatest Buffalo Bill ever as rare of a football player as you are going to find unbelievably dominant and my favorite thing about Bruce Smith’s sack production is that he played three four defensive end that’s a tough spot to get sacks in general let alone the most ever in the history of the NFL oh by the way he played right defensive end which means he went up against left tackles in an era of football where every team put their best pass blocker at left tackle and Bruce Smith still had the most sex in the history of the game I mean I I’m not going to act like I’ve watched extensive tape on every single player in the history of the Buffalo Bills but I have went back and watched a lot of Bruce Smith the guy was an absolute freak and I don’t know I was a kid during Smith’s run with the bills but it kind of was right when I was playing like Middle School football and high school football and I wanted to be defensive end and I wanted to sack quarterbacks because I watched Bruce Smith and so I know I spent a little more time on Bruce Smith than any player that I have done and will do on this but I think Bruce Smith’s deserves his due as obviously I mean obviously a choice for the defensive end mount Rushmore but I think in the in the all time like if you put together the alltime bills Mount Rushmore with only four players Bruce Smith’s on it next up we have Phil Hansen Phil Hansen 1991 to 2001 member of the bills Wall of Fame number three all time in franchise history with 61 and a half sacks it’s kind of the running mate to Bruce Smith for a long time on the opposite side again playing three four defensive end and just a very consistent player run Defender pass rusher very very consistent next up is Aaron schel Aaron Shel bills defensive end 2001 to 2009 two time Pro Bowl selection has 78 sacks that’s second most in team history and I remember the bills drafted Aon schoel out of TCU second round pick I was very excited about him he was a very good player and just about as Wyatt of a I mean really a star player as you’re going to have I mean Big Time impact pass rusher made Splash plays left and right very consistent but just kind of very quietly went about his work you don’t really hear anything about Aaron schoel anymore wasn’t like a a big-time personality or anything like that but the dude just racked up the second most sacks in the history of the team really enjoyed rooting for for Aaron shoel growing up and the last one is Jerry Hughes 2013 through 2021 super consistent player number four all time in franchise history in sacks with 53 had double digit sacks the first two seasons that he came to Buffalo and I think the bills did a pretty poor job of surrounding him with Rush talent to maximize his pressures right that was always the story with Jerry Hughes all the pressure not as many of those pressures converted to sacks well when you’re the only guy getting pressure it’s pretty hard to sack the quarterback um but long tenure Ive and one of my favorite things about Jerry Hughes is like never missed the game I mean ever I think he sat out a week 17 game when the bills had everything locked up I think in it was it the 2022 season or something like that uh but other than that like never hurt still never hurt uh just came back to Houston on a on a one-year deal um good football player probably an underappreciated player that I think as we get further removed from Jerry Hughes I think people reflect on him very favorably I have a couple of honorable mentions with the defensive end position Ron mcdull and Ben Williams Ben Williams very quietly had a great career with the Buffalo Bills as well let’s move on to defensive tackle the bills have some really good all-time defensive tackles I want to start with Tom cestac and I’m very sorry if I pronounced that name incorrectly but Tom cesac a defensive tackle 1962 1962 to 19 68 so part of the 64 and 65 AFL championship teams dominant presence in the middle of that bills defensive line pro bowler four times led the AFL in Sachs in 1964 uh member of the AFL alltime team Bills wall of Famer and part of the bills 50th Anniversary team want to move on next to Fred smees Fred smearer 1979 to 1989 another one of those guys that long tenure with the bill during a very you know very underwhelming stretch of Buffalo Bills football but still a five-time all proo and Pro Bowl selection member of the bills Wall of Fame 162 games played 152 starts for the Buffalo Bills then I want to get to Jeff Wright Jeff Wright 1988 to 1994 you think about the Bills running that 34 defense with Bruce Smith and Phil Hansen the guy that was the nose tackle was Jeff Wright and he not a big dude right but still kind of held held his own in the middle of those very Stout bills defenses 98 games 67 starts across seven seasons racked up 31 and a half sacks uh kind of a kind of an unheralded player on that bills defensive line there in the early 90s that was part of all those Super Bowl runs the last one I have on the Mount Rushmore for defensive tackle is none other than Kyle Williams 2006 to 2018 six-time Pro Bowl selection he was absolutely the heart and soul of the organization during his time in Buffalo probably one of the most revered players to ever play for the Buffalo Bills a player that we will always be proud of a guy that just embodied Buffalo right during a very difficult time of Bills football 17 years in a row with no playoffs of course he was part of uh that 17 team that saw the playoff drought end uh and you you definitely feel like he deserved it given how long he was part of the mix and how good of a player he was um but yeah we will always remember Kyle Williams very very fondly and um certainly one of my favorite Buffalo Bills of all time honorable mentions at defensive tackle Jim Dunaway Mike kades Pat Williams Ted Washington hopefully Ed Oliver will be part of this conversation real real soon all right on the other side of we’re talking linebackers we’re talking corners and like I said those defensive back spots were pretty tough to sort out we’ll try to do it here in just a moment so be sure to stick with me there’s nothing quite like being at the Ballpark taking in a Major League baseball game during the summer well game time is an authorized ticket Marketplace of Major League Baseball which makes getting tickets faster and easier and prices on the game time app actually go down the close CL it gets to the first pitch so they specialize in last minute deals game time also gives you Allin prices views from your seat and their lowest price guaranteed game time takes the guesswork out of buying major league baseball tickets so snag the tickets without the stress download the game time app create an account and use code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code locked on NFL that’s l c k d o n NFL for $20 off download the game time app today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed all right folks let’s keep it moving here linebacker is up next and we got to go back to those AFL years to get the first guy Mike Stratton and Mike Stratton was part of a very good Trio of linebackers there in the you know early to through the let’s call it that it was Mike Stratton John Tracy and Harry Jacobs those guys were the starters really throughout the 60s and of course the AFL championship teams but the standout was Mike Stratton uh pro bowler six consecutive seasons on the bills Wall of Fame and again kind of the key to that 6465 defense next up is Cornelius Bennett 1987 to 19 1995 one of the craziest trades in franchise history I was just thinking I should probably do a podcast on some of these really big trades throughout the history of the bills and of course I think Cornelius Bennett’s right at the top of that where they send Greg Bell first round pick a couple of second round picks for Cornelius Bennett I mean Bill poon definitely felt like he needed to get an impact player for the defense and he certainly did that uh there’s a contract dispute with Bennett who was drafted by the Colts like a top three pick or something like that and um the bills wind up uh getting their hands on him and that he was part of Eric Dickerson was traded in that move as well I think he went from the Rams to the Colts so Cornelius Bennett five-time pro bowler for the bills Big Time defensive playmaker during his time in Buffalo certainly an identity piece for those 90s bills teams that went to the Super Bowl four times in a row speaking of identity pieces for the Super Bowl teams Daryl T next up 1983 to 1994 bills wall of Famer two-time Pro Bowl and All Pro selection played in 188 games which is sixth most in franchise history 160 starts 12 seasons for the Buffalo Bills and of course wor that really cool Spider-Man uh arm sleeve situation definitely a big- Time impact player for the Buffalo Bills last linebacker Shane Conlin 1987 to 1992 was the NFL defensive Rookie of the Year in 1987 was named at the Pro Bowl three times collected 545 tackles in six seasons with the Buffalo Bills when it comes to honorable mentions at linebacker I have Jim Haslett I almost put Jim Haslett in there over Shane conin but I thought Shane conin had a more decorated career Matt Milano also part of the honorable mention I thought about him as well as a guy that I could put in the top four and maybe with a couple more Good Seasons he’ll you bump out a Shane conin or something like that then I put London Fletcher and teyo spikes you know teyo spikes kind of a a only a a brief stint with Buffalo and I think his best seasons well maybe his best season came with the bills but I think whether with Cincinnati or even with the 49ers probably had some better years um but um man what a what a moment that was when the Bill signed tequio spikes I I I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it where a guy’s a free agent the need is obvious that you need a linebacker what did since he play the bills like the last game of the season that Year everybody knew that since he wasn’t bringing back tequ spikes because they’ve always been crappy when it comes to player retention and contracts and all that stuff and so like there was a big recruiting effort during that last game and he winds up coming to Buffalo and that was that was super cool as like a teenager when all that was going down uh to see that come to fruition so very very very cool and then of course London Fletcher I mean one of the all-time models of consistency in the history of the NFL just a great story is like a way undersized player from John Carroll and just has had an unbelievable career in terms of longevity consistency availability playmaking just an absolute stud all right so that’s linebacker let’s get to cornerback here and I’ve got a a crazy amount of honorable mentions I’m I’m sure that I think you can ask 10 different people who have studied the history of the Buffalo Bills and I think you can get a lot of different answers here at corner same thing with safety so I’ll do my best at corner I do want to start with the pair of Butch bird and Booker ederson uh both part of the 6465 AFL championship teams was a really good Corner tandem Butch bird 1964 to 1970 Booker Edson Booker ederson excuse me 1962 to 1969 I Butch Bird five-time Pro Bowl selection the Bill’s career leader in interceptions with 40 the career leader in interception return yards with 666 and interceptions return for a touchdown with five then Booker ederson was a undrafted free agent was an immediate starter for the bills uh intercepted two passes actually in his first game wound up becoming a Bill’s wall of Famer and uh part of that very good ball Hawking Duo of Butch bird and Booker ederson next up is Charles romes 1977 to 1986 started every game for the bills from 1978 through 1986 28 interceptions fourth most in the history of the NFL excuse me in the history of the Buffalo Bills not the history of the NFL the bills 28 interceptions fourth most for the bills and the last one that I picked a lot of great options I went with Nate odms think we had to have a player that was part of that those Super Bowl teams 1987 to 1993 two-time Pro Bowl selection led the NFL with nine interceptions in 1993 had four seasons of five or more picks for the bills and is fifth all time in franchise history for interceptions my honorable mentions very very long I think you can probably make a case for just about any of these guys to be part of the Mount Rushmore Robert James Mario Clark Nate Clemens Antoine Winfield Terence McGee travius white I mean it’s a long list of great Corners you could probably mean Thomas Smith at a heck of a run with the bills as a starting corner on some very good defenses so Corner very very difficult I’d argue safety was even more difficult and so I’m going to attack safety we’re also going to do Specialists on the other side of it so be sure to stick with me all right folks let’s try to do these safeties and in doing this project I think I’ve learned that when it comes to Interior offensive lineman corners and safeties I think that’s where the bills have had their most legendary players if you will like just like the deepest list of players that you think should be in this conversation I mean that doesn’t take away for Bruce Smith Andre Reed Thurman Thomas OJ Smith OJ Simpson like all those players exist but when you try to do a Mount Rushmore safety Corner interior offensive line the most difficult all right so let’s do it we’ll start with another one of those mid6 or yeah mid-60s players George samies sorry if I’m mispronouncing his name I’m sure you’ll let me know if I did George samies 1963 to 1969 bills wall of Famer part of the AFL alltime team five-time Pro Bowl selection 22 interceptions in Seven Seasons with the bills again starter for the 6465 AFL championship teams next up I want to get to a really good pair from the 70s and that’s Tony green and Steve Freeman and so look I’m not gonna lie I took some Liberties here I I um I have really I guess six players that I’m putting in but two of them I’m putting in as Pairs and this is one of the pairs Tony green and Steve Freeman uh Steve Freeman 1975 to 1986 Tony Green 1971 to 1979 with the bills 12 Seasons uh for Freeman 12 Seasons 132 games started 23 interceptions eight fumble recoveries uh Freeman’s just one of eight players in team history to play in more than 175 games with the bills and then Tony Green uh pro bowler in 1977 holds the Bills record for the longest interception return for a touchdown also has 37 career interceptions number two all time uh is Steve Freeman in terms of interceptions for the Buffalo Bills so I had to put those guys in as a pair I also had to put Jordan puer and Micah Hyde in as a pair Mah Hyde and Jordan puyer 2017 to 2023 I mean one of the best safety tandems probably I mean really the best safety tandem in the NFL for probably a fiveyear stretch and you think of Micah Hyde one of the best coverage safeties in the NFL pro bowler in 2017 All Pro in 2021 this is my favorite stat about Micah Hyde during his time in Buffalo 16 interceptions 42 pass deflections but he was rarely targeted in coverage only targeted 182 times in coverage for his entire time in Buffalo came away with 16 interceptions and 42 pass deflections and then it for Mah Hyde his ability to serve as that one high save and be a true center fielder I mean teams didn’t even try to throw the ball deep on the bills Mah Hyde’s an alltime dude so is Jordan puer I think the splash play production for Jordan player just pops um 22 interceptions 11 sacks eight Force fumbles six fumble recoveries across 107 starts those guys are dudes and then the last guy I’m putting in is Mark Kelo Mark Kelo 1986 to 1993 he wore that uh that big helmet right it was called the pro cap oversized helmet one of the most unique things you’ll ever see uh but absolute Ball Hawk 30 interceptions in 99 games like that’s a crazy ratio once once every three four games Mark Kelo is picking off a pass number three all time in franchise history for interceptions started all four Super Bowls for the Buffalo Bills so my safety group I have Mark Kelo George samis and then Jordan p and Micah Hyde Tony green and Steve Freeman and I still have honorable mentions Tom janick Kurt Schultz and Henry Jones and Henry Jones certainly had a heck of a case I mean all those guys had a heck of a case good luck if you want to sort that out and you want to truly get it down to four all I can say is good luck on that all right and the last one I have for you is Specialists I had some folks reach out like hey you’re gonna do specialist yeah I’ll do specialist and so I I open myself up here to whatever kick ERS punters special teams players that I wanted to and I kind of left out returners um because it’s tough right like returners are tough if I was going to put a returner it’s obviously to me Terence McGee um but specialist on the Mount Rushmore for the bills Steve Christie 92 to 2000 all-time leading score for the Buffalo Bills has the record for the longest field goal in the Super Bowl actually I think that was just broken right I think it was 54 yards didn’t didn’t or break that like this year or tied it this year I have to check on that also shares the NFL record for the most game-winning field goals made in overtime how about that stat uh so Steve Christie on there obviously the Bills alltime leading scorer Brian uh 2001 through 2012 and then came back in uh like later in 2013 two-time Pro Bowl selection he’s member he’s a member of the NFL 2000s all decade team alltime leader for the bills and punts and punt yardage uh his average of 43.7 yards per punt for his career is really strong considering his time with the bills and um I mean I think there’s a point there’s probably a stretch in in time where some people would tell you that the best player on the bills was Brian Mormon so he definitely stands out and deserves uh these honors you got to put Steve Tasker right I mean the greatest special teams player in the NFL history right like non kicker punter returner just like special teams player seven Time pro bowler five-time First Team all pro bills wall of Famer seven blocked punts 204 special teams tackles like do you realize how many special teams tackles that is the the most productive special teams tacklers today get around like 10 a year4 big time impact I mean certainly has been knocking on the door of the Hall of and I know there’s a lot of debate there there’s a lot of people that are very passionate that Steve Tasker should be in there I think as the N I think the Hall of Fame in my lifetime of you know studying it and being mindful of it I feel like they’ve become more and more willing to break rules I guess and make some exceptions with some of the contributors they put in and we we’ve seen now a punter get in and if you I think even some like short tenear players like uh Terrell Terrell Davis or Tony belli or players like that like I don’t know if you’re going to do all that to me that opens the door for a Steve Tasker if you want to be hard and firm and like have these like big stiff arms for certain Dynamics that’s so then fine but you started to open those doors and I think you’ve opened them wide enough that Steve Tasker needs to be part of this Pro Football Hall of Fame the last player I I want to mention and and this is an important player to me because I think he’s one of the most underappreciated players in team team history and that’s Ryan Lindell uh 2003 to 2012 he was the bills kicker most accurate kicker in team history second in scoring holds the record for most consecutive field goals made and extra points made I mean again dark time for the Buffalo Bills but my goodness Ryan Lindell was very very very consistent for a very long time and um deserves his flowers so I put him here on this bills Mount Rushmore of Specialists which includes again Steve Christie Brian Mormon Steve Tasker and Ryan Liddell I do have two honorable mentions for The Specialist and we’ll go with Chris Moore and Paul Maguire Paul Maguire you probably know him for his broadcasting career but was a important specialist for the bills in the early in the 60s there so there you have it we’ve we’ve done the Mount Rushmore for every position for the Buffalo Bills like I said yesterday would love your feedback got a lot of feedback from people a lot of people upset that I didn’t include cookie Gilchrist uh as one of the running backs and I I couldn’t I mean obviously OJ Thurman Fred Jackson and that I put in Joe cribs and cookie guilis I know he was like unbelievably talented and had three great Seasons with the bills but at the end of the day he’s 12th all time 12th all time in rushing yards I mean that’s that’s less than Devin single ter and CJ Spiller I hean had barely more yards than Antoine Smith so I I know he was awesome in ter terms of physical Talent you got to be better than 12th all time in rushing to be one of the four but anyways I want to hear your feedback a lot of people going in for Bob Chandler with the wide receivers would love to hear what exceptions you take or what you liked about this conversation today leave a comment here on YouTube all right all right guys that’s it thanks for being here as always I kindly ask that you share subscribe rate and review have a great rest of your day go bills look forward to catching up with you again real real soon

It’s time for a trip down memory lane as host Joe Marino builds the Mount Rushmore for the Buffalo Bills at every defensive position. Who makes the cut? Who are the honorable mentions? On today’s episode, we break it all down an offer our picks. The show is focused on the Buffalo Bills, Sean McDermott, Brandon Beane, Josh Allen, Bruce Smith, Kyle Williams, Phil Hansen, Jerry Hughes, Aaron Schobel, Tom Sestak, Jeff Wright, Fred Smerlas, Mike Stratton, Pat Williams, Ted Washington, Cornelius Bennett, Daryl Talley, Shane Conlan, Charles Romes, Nate Odomes, Nate Clements, Mark Kelso, Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, Steve Christie, Brian Moorman, Steve Tasker and more!

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