Buffalo Bills Name Drew Bledsoe Legend Of The Game vs. Miami Dolphins
The Buffalo Bills will honor former quarterback Drew Bledsoe as the team's Legend of the Game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, the club announced Thursday.
Bledsoe spent three seasons in Western New York from 2002 to 2004. In that time, he started all 48 games for the Bills while throwing for 10,151 yards and 55 touchdowns. His first season in Buffalo was his best, as he was a Pro Bowl selection and finished third in Comeback Player of the Year voting.
Ahead of his grand return to Buffalo, Bledsoe took some time to reflect on what Bills Mafia has meant to him.
"They were relentlessly positive when we were out in the community. There was never any of the bitterness that you sometimes experienced with other fanbases," Bledsoe said, per the Bills' site. "It just made it really comfortable as a player to be out in the community and you go have dinner and people might wish you good luck but then leave you alone and just really treat you like you're part of the community rather than putting you on a pedestal and trying to get all in your business."
Buffalo Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe (11) looks to throw the ball against the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
© Richard Mackson, USA TODAY
While an important part of Bills history, Bledsoe is better known for his time with the division-rival New England Patriots. The Patriots selected Bledsoe No. 1 overall out of Washington State in 1993 (his first start came in Buffalo, funny enough), and he spent nine seasons with the club. However, his most famous, or more accurately, infamous, moment in New England came in 2001, when his injury allowed for a then-24-year-old Tom Brady to take the reins and kickstart the Patriots dynasty.
"Coming back into that stadium and having the fans welcome me rather than boo the crap out of me was great," Bledsoe said. "Loved it. We just, very quickly, fell in love with everything about Western New York and especially being a part of the Bills."
The Bills will be hoping to provide a better experience for their Legend of the Game this time around. Former linebacker Takeo spikes, who the Bills welcomed in for their home opener against the Las Vegas Raiders, blasted the team for giving him an obstructed view during the game. According to former Buffalo defensive end Bruce Smith, the NFL's all-time sack leader, Spikes isn't the only Bills legend to experience such treatment.
“[Former Bills coach] Marv Levy and I — along with several other legends — have had those same seats that Takeo had, and it’s embarrassing,” Smith told The Athletic.
Hopefully Bledsoe, and future Bills Legends of the Game, will get to watch the game unobstructed, as it's looking to be arguablY the best matchup of the week. With Buffalo's stingy defense facing off against Miami's high-flying offense, sparks should fly on Sunday afternoon.
