162-891: Tajuan Edward " Ty " Law (born February 10, 1974) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots . He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines , where he was a first-team All-American , and was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft . During his 10 seasons in New England, he received four Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro honors. A three-time Super Bowl winner with
324-577: A cornerback , safety , wide receiver , and running back . He was named MVP of the school's basketball team. In 1991, he led Aliquippa to victory in the PIAA A football championship. Tony Dorsett , a Hall of Fame running back, is Law's uncle. Law spent summers in Dallas with Dorsett while he was growing up. Law had a three-year stint at the University of Michigan , where he lettered three years in
486-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless
648-675: A signing bonus of $ 14 million. On October 17, 1999, Law collected a season-high nine combined tackles and two pass deflections, and returned an interception by Dolphins’ quarterback Dan Marino for a 27-yard touchdown during the first quarter of the Patriots’ 31–30 loss against the Miami Dolphins in week 6. Law missed two games (weeks 15–16) due to a broken hand. On December 29, 1999, the New England Patriots placed Law on injured reserve due to his broken hand. He finished
810-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,
972-527: A 12–6 loss at the Dallas Cowboys . He finished the 1996 NFL season with 62 combined tackles (56 solo), nine pass deflections, three interceptions, and one touchdown in 13 games and 12 starts. The New England Patriots finished first in the AFC East with an 11–5 record and earned a first-round bye. On January 5, 1997, Law started in his first career playoff game and made three combined tackles during
1134-975: A 28–3 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional Round. The following week, he recorded four tackles as the Patriots defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 20–6 during the AFC Championship game. On January 26, 1997, Law started in Super Bowl XXXI and made three combined tackles during a 35–21 loss against the Green Bay Packers . On January 31, 1997, New England Patriots’ head coach Bill Parcells resigned five days after their loss in Super Bowl XXXI. On February 3, 1997,
1296-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along
1458-460: A brawl between the teams. The second time was in week 9 of the 2021 season. By now, the "point" of the rivalry, Marrone's feud with the Bills organization, and the personal drama between Bills and Jaguars players no longer applied as Marrone had been fired and replaced by Urban Meyer and all the players from the 2017 Jaguars team have since moved on to other teams or retired. Regardless, this game
1620-591: A charter member of the American Football League led by head coach Buster Ramsey and joined the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. In the first two seasons, the Bills went 5–8–1 and 6–8 under Ramsey. The Bills won two consecutive American Football League titles in 1964 and 1965 with quarterback Jack Kemp and coach Lou Saban , but the club has yet to win a league championship since. Once
1782-408: A competitive rivalry in the 1980s and 1990s, the Bills became dominant in the 1990s. Things have since cooled down after the retirements of Kelly and Marino and the rise of the New England Patriots , but Miami remains a fierce rival of the Bills, coming in second place in a recent poll of Buffalo's primary rival, and the two teams have typically been close to each other in win–loss records. Miami leads
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#17327733378571944-600: A core of talent including Allen, Stefon Diggs , Matt Milano , and Tre'Davious White . In the 2020 season, the Bills reached the AFC Championship for the first time since the 1993 season. However, their run ended with a 38–24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills won the AFC East with a 11–6 record in the 2021 season. The Bills defeated the Patriots 47–17 in the Wild Card Round before falling to
2106-414: A dark blue shoulder yoke and royal blue numbers. The helmet remained primarily red with one navy blue, two nickel, two royal blue, two white stripes, and a white face mask. A new logo, a stylized "B" consisting of two bullets and a more detailed buffalo head on top, was proposed and had been released (it can be seen on a few baseball caps that were released for sale), but fan backlash led to the team retaining
2268-408: A distinctive stripe pattern on the sleeves consisting of four stripes, two thicker inner stripes and two thinner outer stripes all bordered by red piping. By 1965 , red and blue center stripes were put on the helmets. The Bills introduced blue pants worn with the white jerseys in 1973 , the last year of the standing buffalo helmet. The blue pants remained through 1985 . The face mask on the helmet
2430-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are
2592-457: A group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in a game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change
2754-469: A handful of competitive moments. The series heated up recently when former Jets head coach Rex Ryan became the Bills' head coach for two seasons and had become notable again as Bills quarterback Josh Allen and former Jets quarterback Sam Darnold , both drafted in the same year, maintained a friendly rivalry with one another. Buffalo leads the series 69–58 as of 2023, including a playoff win in 1981. The Kansas City Chiefs , another original franchise in
2916-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear
3078-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and
3240-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before
3402-510: A modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as the "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton
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#17327733378573564-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If
3726-540: A pass, and made his first career interception against the Buffalo Bills off of Jim Kelly . In week 15, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles, broke up a pass deflection, and intercepted a pass attempt by Jets’ quarterback Boomer Esiason during a 31–28 win against the New York Jets . He made an interception in three consecutive games since taking over the starting role. In week 17, he collected
3888-447: A pass, and returned an interception for his first career touchdown as the Patriots defeated the New York Jets 34–10 in week 15. Law intercepted a pass by Jets’ quarterback Glenn Foley that was intended for wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson , and returned it for a 38-yard touchdown during the third quarter. In week 16, Law made seven solo tackles, a season-high three pass deflections, and intercepted two pass attempts by Troy Aikman during
4050-583: A player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits, the game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as
4212-642: A professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area . The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team plays its home games at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York and are building a new stadium which will be completed in 2026. The Bills are the only NFL team to play their home games within
4374-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating
4536-456: A rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop the offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over
4698-511: A round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with
4860-614: A row (1992–94), earned first-team All-American honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation as a junior, and was a two-time unanimous All-Big Ten Conference selection. He was on the cover of the October 3, 1994, issue of Sports Illustrated , though it was an ignominious honor; he is the defender over whom Colorado Buffaloes receiver Michael Westbrook is leaping on the famous Miracle at Michigan play. Following his junior year, he left Michigan to enter
5022-492: A season-high eight solo tackles and made his first career sack during a 10–7 loss at the Indianapolis Colts . Law sacked Colts’ quarterback Jim Harbaugh for a six-yard loss during the first quarter. He finished his rookie season in 1995 with 47 combined tackles (40 solo), nine pass deflections, three interceptions, and one sack in 14 games and seven starts. Former Cleveland Browns head coach Bill Belichick became
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5184-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with
5346-403: A separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble a gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following
5508-584: A series of highly drafted players such as Jim Kelly (who initially played for the USFL instead of the Bills), Thurman Thomas , Bruce Smith and Darryl Talley allowed the Bills to rebuild into a perennial contender in the late 1980s through the mid-1990s under head coach Marv Levy, a period in which the team won four consecutive AFC Championships ; the team nevertheless lost all four subsequent Super Bowls , records in both categories that still stand. The rise of
5670-591: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . Buffalo Bills National Football League ( 1970 –present) The Buffalo Bills are
5832-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by
5994-416: A touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish
6156-460: Is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with
6318-544: Is also noted for several players being a members of both teams during their careers, including Drew Bledsoe , Doug Flutie , Lawyer Milloy , Brandon Spikes , Scott Chandler , Chris Hogan , Mike Gillislee , and Stephon Gilmore . The Bills and Jets were both original AFL teams, and both represent the state of New York , though the Jets have played their home games in East Rutherford, New Jersey since 1984. While
6480-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or
6642-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as
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6804-579: Is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in the United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However,
6966-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over
7128-508: Is notable as it was the first Bills playoff appearance in 17 seasons. Prior to this, Jacksonville had handed Buffalo its first playoff loss in Bills Stadium in 1996. Following the 2017 wild card game the Bills and Jaguars have met three additional times. The first was a "rematch" game in week 12 of the 2018 season, which saw the Bills win 24–21. During this game, trash talk from former Jaguars players such as Jalen Ramsey resulted in
7290-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job
7452-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside
7614-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are
7776-410: The 2003 season . In 2003, he was part of a record-breaking Patriots defense that led the NFL in four key categories - opponents’ points per game (14.9), opponents’ passer rating (56.2), interceptions (29), and passing touchdowns surrendered (11). His physical play against some of the game's best receivers prompted the NFL to more strictly enforce the five-yard illegal contact rule on defensive backs after
7938-518: The AFC South , and in 2019 the New York Jets have since switched back to green-colored helmets, after playing 20 years with white ones.) In 2002 , under the direction of general manager Tom Donahoe , the Bills' uniforms went through radical changes. A darker shade of blue was introduced as the primary jersey color, and nickel gray was introduced as an accent color. Both the blue and white jerseys featured red side panels. The white jerseys included
8100-588: The AFL–NFL merger took effect, the Bills became the second NFL team to represent the city; they followed the Buffalo All-Americans , a charter member of the league. Buffalo had been left out of the league since the All-Americans (by that point renamed the Bisons) folded in 1929; the Bills were no less than the third professional non-NFL team to compete in the city before the merger, following
8262-512: The Atlanta Falcons in week 10. Law started in all 16 games in 1998 and recorded 70 combined tackles (60 solo), 32 pass deflections, nine interceptions, and one touchdown. Law became the first member of the New England Patriots to lead the league in interceptions and was also voted to the 1999 Pro Bowl to mark the first of his career. On August 21, 1999, the Patriots signed Law to a six-year, $ 50 million contract extension that includes
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#17327733378578424-529: The Baltimore Colts , the Miami Dolphins , and the New England Patriots , who all also wore white helmets at that point. Ferguson said, "Everyone we played had white helmets at that time. Our new head coach Kay Stephenson just wanted to get more of a contrast on the field that may help spot a receiver down the field." (The Patriots have worn silver helmets since 1993, the Colts have since been realigned to
8586-776: The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on the field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league;
8748-467: The Cleveland Browns , ironically against Bill Belichick . On October 1, 1995, Law earned his first career start and made four combined tackles during a 30–17 loss at the Atlanta Falcons in week 4. He missed two games (weeks 8–9) due to an injury. Law became a starting cornerback in week 12 after the Patriots released Maurice Hurst. On November 26, 1995, Law made six combined tackles, deflected
8910-569: The Detroit Lions at the time. Ralph Wilson had been a minority owner of the Lions before founding the Bills, and the Bills' predecessors in the AAFC had also worn blue and silver uniforms. The team's original colors were Honolulu blue, silver, and white, and the helmets were silver with no striping. There was no logo on the helmet, which displayed the players' numbers on each side. In 1962 ,
9072-607: The Detroit Lions . The Cleveland Browns once shared a rivalry with the Bills' predecessors in the All-America Football Conference . The current teams have a more friendly relationship and have played sporadically since the AFL–NFL merger . This is often considered Buffalo's most famous rivalry. Though the Bills and Dolphins both originated in the American Football League , the Dolphins did not start playing until 1966 as an expansion team, while
9234-739: The Frank Reich -led Bills overcame a 35–3 deficit to stun the Oilers 41–38 in 1992, and the Music City Miracle , in which the now-Titans scored on a near-last-minute kickoff return with a controversial lateral pass ruling to beat the Bills 22–16 in 1999. The Music City Miracle was notable for being Buffalo's last playoff appearance until 2017. The Titans currently lead the series 30–20. The Buffalo Bills have retired three numbers in franchise history: No. 12 for Jim Kelly , No. 34 for Thurman Thomas , and No. 78 for Bruce Smith . Although
9396-666: The Indians/Tigers of the early 1940s and an earlier team named the Bills , originally the Bisons, in the late 1940s in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). Following the AFL–NFL merger, the Bills were generally mediocre in the 1970s but featured All-Pro running back O. J. Simpson . After being pushed to the brink of failure in the mid-1980s, the collapse of the United States Football League and
9558-598: The NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in the world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but
9720-412: The center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until the snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform
9882-409: The commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to a league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of
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#173277333785710044-555: The forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered
10206-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on
10368-407: The neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912, the field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance
10530-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to
10692-413: The 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained a tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement
10854-450: The 1970s before becoming perennial postseason contenders from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. Their greatest success occurred between 1990 and 1993 when they appeared in a record four consecutive Super Bowls , an accomplishment often overshadowed by the fact they lost all four. From the early 2000s to the mid-2010s, the Bills endured the longest playoff drought of 17 years in the four major North American professional sports , making them
11016-501: The 1980s, including all eight home games in 1984 , but stopped doing so beginning in 1987. On November 6, 2011, against the New York Jets, the Bills wore white at home for the first time since 1986 . Since 2011, the Bills have worn white for home games, either with their primary uniform or a throwback set. The Bills' uniform received minor alterations as part of the league's new uniform contract with Nike . The new Nike uniform
11178-421: The 1995 NFL Draft due to financial hardship after his grandfather declared bankruptcy. He finished his college career with 154 tackles [120 solo, 34 assist], six interceptions, and 17 passes defended. The New England Patriots selected Law in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1995 NFL draft . Law was the second cornerback drafted in 1995 after Fort Valley State's Tyrone Poole . Poole later joined Law on
11340-416: The 2000s. However, Brady's arrival in the early 2000s led to the Patriots dominating the AFC East, including the Bills, for two decades. As a result, New England replaced the Dolphins as Buffalo's most hated rival. The Bills have taken a 7–2 edge since Brady's departure in 2020, which included consecutive AFC East titles from 2020 to 2022 and a season sweep of the Patriots in two of the three years. In 2021,
11502-549: The 2003 season. In the AFC Championship Game against the Colts, Law intercepted three passes from Colts quarterback Peyton Manning , assisting his team to a 24–14 win and their second Super Bowl appearance in three years, where they defeated the Carolina Panthers 32–29. Law earned his third Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2004 , but missed the final nine games of the season and all three of
11664-515: The 2004 and 2005 seasons. He went 9–7 but missed the postseason in 2004 and 5–11 in 2005. He resigned from the team following the 2005 season. From 2006 to 2009, the Bills were coached by Dick Jauron. Following three consecutive 7–9 seasons, Jauron was dismissed after a 3–6 start to his fourth season. Perry Fewell finished out the season as interim with a 3–4 mark. From 2010 to 2012, the Bills were coached by Chan Gailey. The team had Ryan Fitzpatrick as their quarterback in those seasons. Gailey
11826-531: The 2020 AFC Championship Game that saw the team advance to its second straight Super Bowl appearance, while Buffalo defeated Kansas City in the 1993 AFC Championship Game to advance to its fourth straight Super Bowl appearance. However, after each victory in the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs or the Bills went on to lose the ensuing Super Bowl. Despite a lull in the series in the 2000s and 2010s,
11988-567: The 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap
12150-452: The 31 since he joined the Bills in 2023. Number 32 had been withdrawn from circulation but not retired after O. J. Simpson . Former owner Ralph Wilson insisted on not reissuing the number, even after Simpson's highly publicized murder case and later robbery conviction . The number was placed back into circulation in 2019 with Senorise Perry wearing the number that year; it is currently worn by linebacker Nicholas Morrow . Number 15
12312-465: The AFL, have a long history against the Bills, despite the two teams never being in the same division. Buffalo currently leads the series 29–24–1, which has included five playoff meetings, three of which were AFL/AFC Championship Games; Kansas City won the 1966 AFL Championship Game that determined the AFL's representative in the first Super Bowl against the NFL champion Green Bay Packers , in addition to
12474-466: The AFL-NFL merger. Match-ups were intense in the 1990s, with quarterback Warren Moon leading the Oilers against Jim Kelly's Bills. After both teams failed to meet the same success in the late 2000s to early 2010s, they have returned to consistent playoff contention since 2017, resulting in several high-profile games as of late. Memorable playoff moments between the teams include The Comeback , in which
12636-425: The Bills are the only NFL team that plays home games in the state of New York. The franchise is owned by Terry and Kim Pegula , who purchased the Bills after the death of the original owner Ralph Wilson in 2014. The Bills won consecutive AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965 , the only major professional sports championships from a team representing Buffalo. After joining the NFL, they struggled heavily during
12798-427: The Bills broke the playoff drought, appearing in the playoffs for six of the next seven seasons. The team drafted Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The team earned its first division championship and playoff wins since 1995 during the 2020 season, aided by Brady's departure to Tampa Bay and out of the AFC East, as well as the Bills' own development of
12960-414: The Bills dominated in a 47–17 victory against the Patriots in the two teams' first playoff match-up in 59 years, which saw the Bills score a touchdown on every offensive drive throughout the entire game and, as such, is the only "perfect offensive game" in NFL history. Overall, the Patriots lead the series 78–50–1 as of 2023, but trail the Bills by a 47–46–1 margin without Brady on the field. The rivalry
13122-443: The Bills during the NFL owners' meetings, becoming the second ownership group of the team after team founder Ralph Wilson . Prior to the 2015 season, the team hired former Jets' head coach Rex Ryan to become the next head coach of the Bills. The team went 8–8 in 2015 and 7–9 in 2016. Ryan was dismissed with one game remaining in the 2016 season, with Anthony Lynn finishing the season as interim. Under head coach Sean McDermott,
13284-412: The Bills have retired only three jersey numbers, other numbers are no longer issued or are in reduced circulation. Since the team's earliest days, the number 31 was not supposed to be issued to any other player. The Bills had stationery and various other team merchandise showing a running player wearing that number, and it was not supposed to represent any specific person but the 'spirit of the team.' In
13446-455: The Bills were one of the original eight AFL teams. The rivalry first gained prominence when the Dolphins won every match-up against the Bills in the 1970s for an NFL-record 20 straight wins against a single opponent (the Bills defeated the Dolphins in their first match-up of the 1980s). Fortunes changed in the following decades with the rise of Jim Kelly as Buffalo's franchise quarterback. Though Kelly and Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino shared
13608-469: The Bills' uniforms outside of football was in the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships when the United States men's national junior ice hockey team wore Bills-inspired uniforms in their outdoor game against Team Canada on December 29, 2017. This game was also played at the Bills' home stadium, Highmark Stadium. On April 1, 2021, the team announced they would wear white face masks during
13770-895: The Broncos on February 24, 2010. His time in Denver was short and uneventful, only lasting a season. It was his second choice, as he would have preferred to play in New England, but signed with Denver. Even though his last season was in Denver, Law stated, "I am a Patriot for life." After retiring from the NFL, Law founded Launch Trampoline Park, a chain of entertainment facilities based around large areas of connected trampolines . Launch currently has franchised locations across New England , with one park open in Delaware . The website of its Rhode Island location reports that Law makes frequent appearances there, where he participates in games of trampoline dodgeball with customers. On May 19, 2014, Law
13932-570: The Divisional Round. In the 2023 season, the Bills won the AFC East for the fourth consecutive season. In the Wild Card Round, they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27–17 before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round 27–24. The Buffalo Bills have also announced the plans to build a new stadium to replace Highmark Stadium in 2026. For their first two seasons, the Bills wore uniforms based on those of
14094-412: The Jets were a projected $ 26 million over the salary cap for 2006. He was due to make $ 7.6 million in 2006. On July 25, 2006, Law signed a five-year contract worth $ 30 million. He reunited with coach Herman Edwards , under whom Law had played in the 2005 season hoping to strengthen the Chiefs' defense. On November 10, 2008, Law agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the New York Jets . Following
14256-609: The Kansas City Chiefs 42–36 in overtime . In the 2022 season, the Bills won the AFC East with a 13–3 record. The season saw a cancelled game against the Bengals due to a near-fatal medical episode with Damar Hamlin, who eventually recovered and returned to football activities the following season. The team defeated the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card Round 34–31 before falling to the Cincinnati Bengals 27–10 in
14418-516: The NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at the time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from
14580-570: The NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in the FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by
14742-473: The New England Patriots announced their decision to hire San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator Pete Carroll as their new head coach. Law returned as the number-one cornerback in 1997 and started alongside Jimmy Hitchcock . In week 15, he collected a season-high nine solo tackles during a 26–20 victory at the Jacksonville Jaguars . He started in all 16 games in 1997 and made 77 combined tackles (69 solo), 11 pass deflections, and three interceptions, and
14904-506: The Patriots in 2003. On July 20, 1995, the New England Patriots signed Law to a five-year, $ 5.50 million contract . Throughout training camp, Law competed to be a starting cornerback against Maurice Hurst . Head coach Bill Parcells named Law the third cornerback on the Patriots’ depth chart, behind Ricky Reynolds and Hurst. He made his professional regular-season debut in the New England Patriots’ season-opener against
15066-529: The Patriots' playoff games due to a foot injury. On February 25, 2005 , Law was released by the Patriots due to his $ 12.551 million cap salary. Since then, he has represented the Patriots in a few games as an honorary team captain. In 2014, he was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame. On August 8, 2005, the New York Jets signed Law to a three-year contract as an unrestricted free agent. The contract had incentives that could pay Law $ 28 million over
15228-764: The Patriots, Law also holds the franchise record for interceptions. Law spent his final five seasons as a member of the New York Jets , Kansas City Chiefs , and Denver Broncos , earning a fifth Pro Bowl selection with the first. Ranking 24th in NFL career interceptions, he twice led the league in interceptions during the 1998 and 2005 seasons. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. Law attended Aliquippa High School in Aliquippa , in Beaver County, Pennsylvania , where he played football and basketball, and ran track. He played in football as
15390-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),
15552-418: The assistant head coach for the New England Patriots in 1996. Law and Rickey Reynolds retained their roles as starting cornerbacks. On October 20, 1996, Law collected a season-high 12 combined tackles (10 solo) and deflected two passes during a 27–9 victory at the Indianapolis Colts in week 8. Law was inactive for three games (weeks 11–13) due to an injury. On December 8, 1996, Law recorded one tackle, deflected
15714-572: The ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of
15876-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as
16038-430: The ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on the offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except
16200-475: The college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following the 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with
16362-552: The conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for the second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of
16524-502: The conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in the United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of
16686-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After
16848-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on
17010-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called
17172-411: The division rival New England Patriots under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady , along with numerous failed attempts at rebuilding in the 2000s and 2010s, helped prevent the Bills from reaching the playoffs in seventeen consecutive seasons between 2000 and 2016, a 17-year drought that was the longest active playoff drought in all major professional sports at the time. Mike Mularkey coached the Bills in
17334-472: The end of season, the Jets once again released him on February 24, 2009. Law signed with the Denver Broncos on November 7, 2009. This added to a defensive backfield that had five members over 30 years of age, with 20 Pro Bowl selections combined. His final game with the Broncos came on January 3, 2010. He finished the season with 10 tackles and one interception run back for 37 yards. He was released by
17496-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run
17658-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of
17820-499: The feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create a standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from
17982-504: The first three decades of the team's existence, the number 31 was only seen once. In 1969, when reserve running back Preston Ridlehuber damaged his number 36 jersey during a game, equipment manager Tony Marchitte gave him the number 31 jersey to wear while repairing the number 36. The number 31 was not reissued until 1990 when first-round draft choice James Williams wore it for his first two seasons; it has since been returned to general circulation. Cornerback Rasul Douglas currently wears
18144-483: The first three years and also has options that total $ 50 million over seven years. He then went on to have one of his best years there, gaining a career-high 10 interceptions. He was also the only Jet voted into the Pro Bowl ( Jonathan Vilma was named to the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement to Miami's Zach Thomas , not by means of popular vote by the fans). Law was released by the New York Jets on February 22, 2006 as
18306-416: The football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from
18468-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul
18630-655: The game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in the formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect
18792-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of
18954-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of
19116-555: The illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922,
19278-451: The innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become the most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced
19440-528: The last franchise in the four leagues to qualify for the postseason in the 21st century. They returned to consistent postseason contention by the late 2010s, although the Bills have not returned to the Super Bowl. Alongside the Minnesota Vikings , their four Super Bowl appearances are the most among NFL franchises that have not won the Super Bowl. The Bills began competitive play in 1960 as
19602-429: The number-one starting cornerback and started alongside Otis Smith . Law earned his first Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2001 . In Super Bowl XXXVI , he intercepted a Kurt Warner pass and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown, the first points of the game for the Patriots, who eventually won the game 20–17. Law was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year and for the fourth time in his career after
19764-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score
19926-497: The overall series 62–58–1 as of 2023, but Buffalo has the advantage in the playoffs at 4–1, including a win in the 1992 AFC Championship Game . The rivalry with the New England Patriots began when both teams were original franchises in the American Football League (AFL) prior to the NFL–AFL merger , but did not gain notability until the emergence of New England quarterback Tom Brady in 2001. The teams were very competitive prior to
20088-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and
20250-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this
20412-556: The primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football,
20574-429: The primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play the sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in
20736-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as
20898-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it
21060-631: The rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands the ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function
21222-400: The rivalry gained attention as the Bills and Chiefs met in nine of ten years from 2008 to 2017. After a two-year hiatus in the series, four high-profile match-ups occurred between the Bills and Chiefs in 2020 and 2021, including the aforementioned 2020 Championship Game and the 2021 Divisional round game , the latter of which is now considered one of the greatest playoff games of all time, but
21384-490: The rivalry represents the differences between New York City and Western New York , it has historically not been as intense as Buffalo's rivalries with the Dolphins and Patriots. When not playing one another, the teams' fan bases either have grudging respect or low-key annoyance for each other (stemming more from the broader upstate-downstate tensions than the teams or sport). The Bills-Jets rivalry has often become characterized by ugly games and shared mediocrity, but it has had
21546-507: The role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when the AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain
21708-452: The running bison logo. The helmet logo adopted in 1974—a charging royal blue bison with a red streak, white horn, and eyeball—remained unchanged. In 2005 , the Bills revived the standing bison helmet and uniform of the mid-1960s as a throwback uniform. The Bills usually wore the all-blue combination at home and the all-white combination on the road when not wearing the throwback uniforms. They stopped wearing blue-on-white after 2006 , while
21870-408: The season with 57 combined tackles (48 solo), nine pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and one touchdown. On January 3, 2000, New England fired head coach Pete Carroll after they finished the season with an 8–8 record. On January 27, 2000, they announced former New York Jets’ defensive coordinator Bill Belichick as their new head coach. Belichick named Law and Antonio Langham as
22032-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit
22194-438: The small amount. U.S. Customs seized the drug and fined Law $ 700. On December 20, 2000, New England Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick announced his decision to suspend Law for the final game of the season. He finished the season with 74 combined tackles (58 solo), 11 pass deflections, and two interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts. The New England Patriots hired Romeo Crennel as their new defensive coordinator. Law returned as
22356-539: The sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of
22518-439: The sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized
22680-490: The standing red bison was designated as the logo and took its place on a white helmet. In 1962, the team's colors also changed to red, white, and blue. The team switched to blue jerseys with red and white shoulder stripes, similar to the Buffalo Bisons AHL hockey team of the same era. The helmets were white with a red center stripe. The jerseys again saw a change in 1964 when the shoulder stripes were replaced by
22842-807: The starting cornerback tandem to begin 2000. In week 3, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 21–13 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs . On December 18, 2000, Law was stopped by U.S. Customs officials in Niagara Falls, New York , while crossing the Rainbow Bridge. During the routine inspection, officials found three whole ecstasy pills and four that were partially crushed. Law and teammates Terry Glenn and Troy Brown were returning from visiting an adult nightclub in Canada. Federal prosecutors declined to prosecute Law due to
23004-411: The state of New York. Founded in 1959 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL), they joined the NFL in 1970 following the AFL–NFL merger . The Bills' name is derived from an All-America Football Conference (AAFC) franchise from Buffalo that was in turn named after western frontiersman Buffalo Bill . Drawing much of its fanbase from Western New York and Southern Ontario ,
23166-528: The team after the 2014 season, was hired as a coaching assistant for Jacksonville and eventually rose to become the Jaguars' head coach. The first game between the Marrone-led Jaguars was a London game in week 7 of the 2015 season, which saw the Jaguars' win 34–31. The most important game of this series was an ugly, low-scoring Wild Card game in 2017 that saw the Jaguars win 10–3. This game
23328-545: The team's regular season roster. Number 1 has also rarely been used for reasons yet to be explained. While there is no proper explanation, Tommy Hughitt was a player-coach for the early Buffalo teams in the New York Pro Football League and NFL from 1918 to 1924 and was both a major on-field success and a fixture in Buffalo culture after his retirement as a politician and auto salesman. Hughitt
23490-497: The upcoming season and beyond. The Bills have rivalries with their three AFC East opponents (the Miami Dolphins , New England Patriots , and New York Jets ) and also have rivalries with the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts (a former divisional opponent), Kansas City Chiefs , Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans , Jacksonville Jaguars , and Dallas Cowboys . They also play an annual preseason game against
23652-509: The white-on-blue was not worn after 2007 . For the 2011 season , the Bills unveiled a new uniform design, an updated rendition of the 1975–83 design. This change includes a return to the white helmets with "charging buffalo" logo, and a return to royal blue instead of navy . The set initially featured striped socks, but by 2021, the Bills gradually reduced its usage and began wearing either all-white or all-blue hosiery without stripes in most games. Buffalo sporadically wore white at home in
23814-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of
23976-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when
24138-408: The young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for a common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of
24300-425: Was also controversial due to the league's overtime rules. A rivalry between Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has also developed, drawing comparisons to Jim Kelly's rivalry with Dan Marino as well as the rivalry between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning . A new rivalry emerged between the Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars after former Bills head coach Doug Marrone , who had quit
24462-561: Was announced as the 2014 Patriots Hall of Fame Inductee. He was inducted on August 1. On February 2, 2019, he was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2019; he was inducted on August 3, 2019, in Canton, Ohio. American football American football , referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on
24624-499: Was blue from 1974 through 1986 before changing to white. The standing bison logo was replaced by a blue charging one with a red slanting stripe streaming from its horn. The newer emblem, still the primary one used by the franchise, was designed by aerospace designer Stevens Wright in 1974. In 1984 , the helmet's shell color was changed from white to red, primarily to help Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson distinguish them more readily from three of their division rivals at that time,
24786-412: Was credited with half a sack. Patriots’ head coach Pete Carroll named Law and Chris Canty the starting cornerbacks to begin the regular season. On September 13, 1998, Law recorded two solo tackles, three pass deflections, intercepted two passes, and returned one for a touchdown during a 29–6 win against the Indianapolis Colts in week 2. Law intercepted a pass by Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning that
24948-402: Was fired after three consecutive last place finishes in the AFC East. Doug Marrone was hired to be the Bills' head coach prior to the 2013 season. The Bills went 6–10 in the 2013 season and improved to 9–7 in the 2014 season. Marrone decided to step down as head coach following the season. On October 8, 2014, Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula received unanimous approval to acquire
25110-486: Was historically only issued sparingly after the retirement of Jack Kemp . It was last worn by wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling in 2024, before he was released on October 15, 2024. Other numbers that have been historically issued only on rare circumstances included the 44 of Elbert Dubenion (worn as of 2024 by Joe Andreessen ) and the 66 of Billy Shaw (worn since 2023 by Connor J. McGovern ), each of which were typically only issued to players not expected to make
25272-418: Was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included the reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams,
25434-430: Was intended for tight end Marcus Pollard , and returned it for a 59-yard touchdown during the first quarter. In week 8, Law collected a season-high seven solo tackles, deflected two passes, and made one interception during a 12–9 overtime loss at the Miami Dolphins . On November 8, 1998, Law made four combined tackles and two pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by Chris Chandler as the Patriots lost 41–10 against
25596-440: Was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed a rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football
25758-556: Was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine a national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to
25920-405: Was reported to wear number 1 during this time. Wide receiver Curtis Samuel currently wears the number; prior to Emmanuel Sanders 's one-year stint with the Bills in 2021, it had been 19 years since it had been worn in the regular season when kicker Mike Hollis wore it in 2002. Number 95 has not been reissued since the retirement of Kyle Williams in 2019. On April 27, 1984, Bills announced
26082-519: Was the seventh largest upset at the time in NFL history, which saw the 15.5-point favorite Bills lose 9–6. The next time the teams would play would be a monday-night game in 2024 where the bills "annihilated" the Jaguars 47-10. The series is currently tied at 10–10. The Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers ) share an extended history with the Bills, both teams being original AFL clubs and rivals in that league's East Division before
26244-424: Was unveiled on April 3, 2012. On November 12, 2015, the Bills and the New York Jets became the first two teams to participate in the NFL's Color Rush uniform initiative, with Buffalo wearing an all-red combination for the first time in team history. Like the primary uniforms, the set initially had red socks with white and blue stripes, but in 2020, it was replaced with red socks without stripes. A notable use of
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