Beloved Buffalo Bills icon advances in Hall of Fame voting

The former special teams ace is one of nine Seniors to advance to semifinalist stage.

Sep 7, 1997; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; FILE PHOTO; Buffalo Bills receiver Steve Tasker (89) carries the ball past New York Jets players Fred Baxter (84) and Richie Anderson (20) at Giants Stadium. | Lou Capozzola-Imagn Images

A Buffalo Bills icon is one step closer to receiving the ultimate honor.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame recently announced that nine former NFL players advanced from within the Seniors category to the semifinalist stage of the HOF’s voting process, and former Bills special teams ace Steve Tasker was among the list.

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Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Former Buffalo Bills player Steve Tasker before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 2024 AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Tasker joined Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, Henry Ellard, L.C. Greenwood, Joe Jacoby, Eddie Meadow, Stanley Morgan and Otis Taylor as the nine Seniors to move to the next phase of the voting for the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.

Tasker and the other nine finalists will now face a nine-person Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee, which will meet on Nov. 25 to select three Senior players to advance as finalists for induction into the new class. The finalists will be revealed in early December.

Bills fans have been pushing for the team’s former special teams ace to be considered for induction since he was eligible following his retirement in 1997. During his 12-year Bills career, Tasker was one of the team’s unsung heroes as it advanced to four straight Super Bowls.

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Sep 8, 1991; Orchard Park, NY, USA; FILE PHOTO; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Rod Woodson (26) in action against Buffalo Bills defender Steve Tasker (89) at Rich Stadium. | Peter Brouillet-Imagn Images

His career with the Bills spanned from 1986 to 1997, during which he recorded 204 special teams tackles and seven blocked punts, earning seven Pro Bowl nods. He was named the 1993 Pro Bowl MVP and is a member of the Bills’ Wall of Fame.

Suppose Tasker is indeed inducted into the Class of 2026. In that case, he will join quarterback Jim Kelly, defensive end Bruce Smith, running back Thurman Thomas, wide receiver Andre Reed and wide receiver James Lofton as players from the Bills’ Super Bowl era to be selected for Hall of Fame enshrinement. Team Owner Ralph Wilson Jr., General Manager Bill Polian and Head Coach Marv Levy have also previously been inducted.

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