Bills Returning to St. John Fisher College for Training Camp

They sign a one-year deal to return after staying home for 2 straight years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Buffalo Bills fans across Western New York have to be unanimous with their approval here: The team announced today that it had reached an agreement to return to St. John Fisher College outside Rochester, N.Y., to open training camp.

That had been a tradition for the Bills for two decades until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented all teams from going away to camp. The Bills made the decision to stay home again in the summer of 2021, with the pandemic still raging and teams being forced to operate under extreme protocols set by the NFL.

The league has lifted all protocols for the upcoming 2022 season.

Even though the Bills didn't seem to be affected by missing the annual trek — they made it to the conference championship game in the 2020 postseason and won their third playoff game under McDermott last January — they still believe in the value of going away to camp, at least for a limited time.

"We've always enjoyed the setup there," general manager Brandon Beane told the team's website, "and [coach] Sean [McDermott] and I both are strong believers in the camaraderie that you get and the bond you can build. Guys aren't feeling the pressure to get home or anything like that, and that's important. Obviously, we're getting ready on the field, but the trust that you build up with your teammates and coaches and staff is just as important, especially when you hit the rough patches, which every team hits at some point during the season."

Training camp at St. John Fisher provides a more interactive experience for fans, many of whom can't afford tickets for actual games.

"It doesn't really work at Orchard Park," Beane added, "and we missed that the last two years as well. So, it gives our fans a chance to be up close and watch us get started in camp. We're very excited that they'll be able to come watch us practice."

This will be the team's 21st camp at the Pittsford Campus. Dates and times have not been announced.

Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.