Doug Flutie, in full Douglas Richard Flutie, (born October 23, 1962, Manchester, Maryland, U.S.), American football quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy in 1984 as the best player in college football and who had a 21-year professional football career in the United States and Canada. In 1971, not only did the Bills finish in sole possession of the NFL's worst overall record at 113, but they also scored the fewest points (184) in the league that year while allowing the most (394); no NFL team has since done all three of those things in the same season in a non-strike year. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Instead, the Bills then acquired one of the CFL's top running backs, Cookie Gilchrist. Fluties speed and ability to scramble and evade tackles, along with a strong arm, made him a success on the football field. Collier was regarded as a superior strategist whose personal style contrasted with the oft-fiery Saban. Oct. 23/1962 - Former NFL Pro Bowl QB & CFL Hall Of Fame QB Doug Flutie is born. One of his first personnel moves was to cut ties with Owens (ironically, a man he had recruited during his time in college football). The inside story of Doug Flutie's NFL drop kick, 15 years ago Friday. Offense. Upon his retirement from the game, he became a superhero away from it. In 1969 the Bills also drafted Grambling's star James Harris, who earned the Bills' starting quarterback position for a time before going on to more success with the Los Angeles Rams. Prior to the season, numerous offensive players, such as receivers John Brown, Cole Beasley, and Andre Roberts, center Mitch Morse, running backs Frank Gore and T. J. Yeldon, and others were added in free agency, with general manager Brandon Beane dismissing the notion that "players don't want to play for Buffalo". Doug Flutie Jr. a source of inspiration for former CFL quarterback While the Bills struggled in these years, talent remained on the roster and there were some memorable moments, including Buffalo's lone win in 1968, a 37-35 victory over the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Jets,[11] and a gutty Thanksgiving Day, 1968 performance against the high-flying Oakland Raiders. Thurman Thomas gave way to new running back Antowain Smith. The "Electric Company" of Simpson, Jim Braxton, Paul Seymour, and Joe DeLamielleure as recounted in the locally recorded hit "Turn on the Juice", lead a dramatic turnaround on the field. In week 3, the Bills hosted the Patriots; they erased a 21-0 Patriots lead and led 3124 in the fourth; a late Tom Brady touchdown tied the game, but the Bills whipped into range of a last second field goal. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Buffalo cornerback Butch Byrd electrified Bills fans with a 74 yard punt return for a touchdown, and the defense registered five sacks on San Diego's dangerous quarterback, John Hadl. Doug Flutie Returns to the NFL. (Read Walter Camps 1903 Britannica essay on inventing American football.). In the famous 1983 draft, the Bills selected quarterback Jim Kelly as their replacement to an aging Joe Ferguson, but Kelly decided to play in the upstart United States Football League instead. Over three million boxes of Flutie Flakes were sold. The Bills started extremely well in the 2008 season, starting out with a 51 record before their bye week and showing promise in Trent Edwards as finally being a capable quarterback for the Bills. Doug Flutie Career Stats | NFL.com [40][41], On January 11, 2017, Sean McDermott was hired as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Hamilton was one of the best teams in the CFL (they would go on to win the Big Four title but lose in the 49th Grey Cup that year), and Buffalo, at the time, was the worst team in the AFL. All rights reserved. Yet, even at a time when he was discriminated against for his diminutive frame, Flutie was a hero on the football field. The club joined the National Football League (NFL) as part of the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Three years later, in 1998, Flutie and his wife, Laurie, established the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism to help raise money for families who cant afford the equipment, Both Flutie and Smith were dominant in their final game as Bills, in a 4223 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Williams caught a pass from Allen in his final game with the Bills, a 4217 victory over the Dolphins. The trade of backup quarterback Daryle Lamonica to the Oakland Raiders during the off-season leading up to 1967 was the first of many personnel decisions the team made over the next few years that left many Bills fans befuddled. Prior to the 2002 season, the Bills traded for quarterback Drew Bledsoe, deemed expendable by the Patriots after Tom Brady led them to a Super Bowl victory. By the end of his collegiate career, Flutie had set all-time NCAA Division I-A records (since broken) for passing yards and total yards of offense. [71] Hyped up as the "Super Bowl favorites" prior to the season,[72] the Bills matched a franchise record by winning 13 games during the season and won their third consecutive AFC East division title. Offensive lineman Bob Kalsu left the team after his 1968 rookie season to serve in the Vietnam War. the picket line for an opportunity to play a decision he described as agonizing. After three seasons, he was released. The following week, they hosted Oakland and erased a 213 deficit, winning 3835. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Doug-Flutie. Johnson's big-name Stampeder quarterback was one-time Boston College star Doug Flutie. November 14, 1988 STANDING EVER SO TALL Doug Flutie, the Patriots' homegrown hero, is beating the big guys and the doubters Paul Zimmerman TABLE OF CONTENTS ORIGINAL LAYOUT There has to be a. After being flagged 17 times in Week 4 against the New York Giants, the Bills were penalized only seven times in their 1413 victory over the Titans. The ball . Owner Ralph Wilson died March 25, 2014, at the age of 95. On December 27, 2016, Rex Ryan was fired after compiling 1516 record in 2 seasons along with his brother Rob which made the Bills the third team in the NFL to fire a coach in-season (along with the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars who both fired Jeff Fisher and Gus Bradley), Anthony Lynn was promoted to interim coach. Despite back-to-back losses in weeks 5-6 to the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Bills won nine of their next ten games, clinching their first AFC East division title since 1995 after a week 15 win over the Denver Broncos. 6y I think that Flutie's game was ideally suited to the Canadian rules, and he was always going to be more relatively disadvantaged in the NFL, even disregarding the difference in talent between the two leagues. Doug Flutie was voted the #1 CFL player of all time by TSN in 2006. Buffalo's first general manager, Dick Gallagher had, in concert with Lou Saban, built the roster that allowed the Bills to rise to prominence in the AFL. However, they lost to the San Diego Chargers 2014 in the divisional playoffs. Included in the terms are $130 million in renovations and a $400 million penalty if the team relocates out of Buffalo (in addition to the NFL re-locating fee). The teams had split their regular season meetings but the Chiefs dominated, 31-7 and went on to play the Green Bay Packers for the "World Championship;" since known as the very first Super Bowl. The Bills scored a field goal with 16 seconds left to give them a 1615 lead. On 24 July 2017, 20 years after his last season in Toronto, Flutie became the 24th player to be named an All-Time Argo.. However, the Bills stumbled through the rest of the season, finishing 610. became the only player to rush for 2,000 yards prior to the institution of the 16-game season in 1978. The d-lineman was hurt the next time B.C. returned to New England and settled in Natick, Massachusetts, where he played for the Natick High School team. The Bills looked to avenge their heartbreaking Super Bowl loss a year earlier by playing the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI, but it was not to be. As the 2010 season began, the Bills lost to Miami at home. But Flutie is more than just a late November "Hail Mary.". Quarterback Trent Edwards battled injury throughout the whole season with his play regressing throughout the weeks, splitting games with back-up Ryan Fitzpatrick, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals. The legend of Miracle in Miami Hail Flutie pass 35 years later | Miami In what became known as The Comeback, the Bills rallied behind Reich, taking the lead late in the 4th quarter and winning the game in overtime 4138. Their 1-12-1 final record gave the Bills the first overall draft pick in what was now the combined AFL-NFL draft. J. P. Losman played all 16 games in 2006 but was benched in early 2007 in favor of Edwards. That summer, he nearly returned to play for the Argonauts, who were coached by former teammate Michael Pinball Clemons, but ultimately Buffalo finished 313. Along with McDermott, Brandon Beane, the Panthers' assistant general manager, replaced Doug Whaley as the Bills' general manager. The 353 deficit remained the largest deficit (32 points) overcome to win a game in NFL history until it was broken in 2022. Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. The team dropped to the bottom of the AFC East at 212, where they stayed for the rest of the 1970s. Doug Flutie - Canadian Football Hall of Fame Flutie said that his father, Dick, had been ill and . In 2009 the Bills acquired veteran wide receiver Terrell Owens on a one-year deal. IT'S TIME FOR THE TRUTH ABOUT FLUTIE - Buffalo News And the New York Jets with their brash young signal-caller and steadily improving supporting cast, were emerging as legitimate challengers. [30] In the 2013 NFL Draft the Bills traded back from their 8th pick to the 16th pick and selected quarterback E. J. Manuel out of Florida State. In fact their season had ended the exact opposite of the beginning as they were trounced by New England 310. (Currently, the only Buffalo player from the 1960s championship teams in the Hall is offensive guard Shaw). Education Upon relocating to Melbourne, Florida, Doug Flutie began schooling at the Hoover Junior High School. The AAFC Bills franchise was named after the Buffalo Bills, a popular barbershop quartet,[4] whose name was a play on the name of the famed Wild West showman Buffalo Bill Cody. The Buffalo Bills were a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. After going 04, the Bills released Trent Edwards and named Ryan Fitzpatrick starting quarterback. organization devoted to teaching Canadians more about our shared country. Before the 1969 season, the Bills drafted running back O. J. Simpson, who would become the face of the franchise through the 1970s. Nomination Forms & Selection Committee Terms of Reference. Although Wycheck's pass was close to an illegal forward lateral, replays were ruled inconclusive and the call on the field was upheld as a touchdown. Doug Flutie left the Bills with a .677 winning percentage in 31 starts. Marv Levy was named as Donahue's replacement in January 2006, with hopes that he would improve a franchise that failed to make the playoffs during Donahoe's tenure. and is still held today by the San Francisco 49ers. Education Upon relocating to Melbourne, Florida, Doug Flutie began schooling at the Hoover Junior High School. The Bills had a chance to win the game as time was running out, but Ronnie Harmon dropped a Kelly pass in the corner of the end zone. Flutie told them straight out, "I'm going to . Jim Kelly retired after the season after the Bills management told him they were moving in a new direction and wanted him to help develop a younger QB to take over, signaling an end to the most successful era in Bills history. He began the 2005 season 13 as a starter, prompting Kelly Holcomb to replace him. This completely eliminated Buffalo from playoff contention and marked their tenth consecutive season without a playoff appearance. The losing streak was finally broken with a defeat of the Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve, in a game that had unusually poor attendance. and I've heard it a hundred times. The Bills were not the first professional football team to play in Buffalo, nor was it the first NFL team in the region. On the final play, The Canadian Encyclopedia is a project of Historica Canada, a non-profit, nonpartisan After beating eventual champions New England 310 in the first game, and crushing the Jaguars in their second game, play-by-play announcer Van Miller immediately announced his retirement as of the end of the season, expecting the team to have a shot at the title. On January 31, 2020, the Bills sent a formal letter to county executive Mark Poloncarz stating they would not exercise the buyout window.[78]. [33][34] Having committed to keeping the Bills in Buffalo, the Pegulas negotiated with Rogers Communications to cancel the Bills Toronto Series as one of their first actions as the new owners.[35][36]. Despite starting the 2011 season with a 52 record, leading the AFC East for several weeks, a wave of injuries to several key starters led to the Bills compiling a 7-game losing streak, pushing the team out of playoff contention for the twelfth straight year. Big left arrow icon Big right arrow . The 2015 season was the first full season for the Bills under the Pegula Family's ownership. over the Edmonton Eskimos. He left the CFL with career passing yards of 41355 and 270 touchdowns. Though, he is 5 10 in feet and inches and 178 cm in Centimetres tall, he weighs about 180 lbs in Pound and 82kg in Kilograms. [69] They faced Kansas City in the playoffs again during the divisional round. In BC's 42-22 romp over Rutgers Saturday night at Giants. Doug Flutie | The Canadian Encyclopedia The Bills stumbled to begin the season 03, and after Johnson suffered a rib injury against the Indianapolis Colts, Flutie came in and led the Bills to a playoff spot and a 106 record. That is the most unfair statement that I've ever seen or heard or read in my life". [57], The Bills clinched their second playoff appearance in three years with a 1710 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 15, in addition to their first season with 10 or more wins in the 21st century. [22] The Titans went on to advance to the Super Bowl. O.J. The day after that, January 13, 2015, it was announced that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz would not be returning for the 2015 season. The Bills re-matched against the Chiefs in their first AFC Championship game since the 199394 season, but were defeated 3824. Top 10 CFL feuds: Dave Chaytors vs Doug Flutie - 3DownNation Doug Flutie left the Bills with a .677 winning percentage in 31 starts. Doug Flutie did it at the end of the 2005 season just as a lark. about Canadas history and culture in both official languages, please consider Edmonton predominantly used the shotgun, and Flutie studied how Allen would sometimes keep the ball on called handoffs when the defensive end left one side of the field open while pursuing the . The following year the strike-shortened season of 1982 the Bills slipped to a 45 final record and missed the playoffs. Buffalo was at the center of one of the most significant events that precipitated the AFLNFL merger. Football League (USFL) as a member of the New Jersey Generals (a team owned by Donald Trump), where he became the highest-paid rookie in any sport. Remembering Doug Flutie's drop kick in an NFL game, 15 years later If you believe all [38] In the end, the Bills finished a middling 88, missing the playoffs for the 16th consecutive season, the longest active streak in major professional sport (after the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays broke their then-22-year streak). After the 1977 season, Simpson was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. Omissions? Wilson promptly removed the racetrack and had Civic Stadium transformed into War Memorial Stadium, which would house both baseball and football. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Doug Flutie's parents died within an hour of each other Wednesday after being married for 56 years, the former NFL quarterback said on Facebook. Doug Flutie was born on October 23, 1962. The play resulted in a touchback, not a touchdown, thus stopping Dallas from breaking the record for most points scored by a team in a Super Bowl (55), which was set three years earlier Doug Flutie is a former NFL football player. June 22, 1998 Passing Time At 35 and with nothing left to prove in Canada, little Doug Flutie is taking one last shot at making it big in the NFL Leigh Montville TABLE OF CONTENTS ORIGINAL. STANDING EVER SO TALL - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com His kick sailed wide right, less than a yard outside of the goalpost upright. Buffalo's 2005 campaign resulted in a 511 record and the firing of General Manager Tom Donahoe in January 2006. [13][14] Western New York leaders acquiesced to Wilson's demands and built a new open-air facility that featured a capacity of over 80,000 (at Wilson's request) and, unlike other stadiums, was built into the ground. They faltered in their first playoff game against the Miami Dolphins. Thomas would be quickly replaced by rookie Travis Henry. Ryan was officially named the new head coach the next day, January 12, 2015. Backup quarterback Frank Reich started their wild card playoff game against the Houston Oilers, and they were down 353 early in the third quarter. In one game, however, the Bills' fans gained a small measure of satisfaction when the defense sacked Rob Johnson multiple times in his relief effort for the Washington Redskins. Rob Johnson went down in mid-season with an injury and Alex Van Pelt took over. Harris' success helped to break a de facto racial barrier at the quarterback position. In what would become regarded as one of the greatest playoff games in recent NFL history, the Chiefs won 4236 in overtime. The "big three" of Chan Gailey's surprisingly efficient offense consisted of former late-round draft picks or undrafted players. The lease will include the team paying for part of the renovations for the first time. Veteran quarterback Doug Flutie, who rose to fame when he was the quarterback for Boston College and captured the Heisman Trophy in 1984, saw this tale unfold. Flutie remained the teams starting quarterback in 1999when he again guided the Bills to the postseasonbut was relegated to backup duty in 2000. The Bills set a franchise record for season ticket sales for the 2015 season with more than 60,000 season tickets sold. On January 11, 2015 it was reported that Rex Ryan, who had recently been fired from his head coaching job with the New York Jets, would become the next head coach. The Bills selected O. J. Simpson with their pick. Highlights of one of the greatest underdogs of all time. ", "Buffalo Bills pull off third biggest upset in NFL history vs. Minnesota Vikings", "Bills QB Allen returns to beat Jaguars, silence Ramsey", "Who got the better quarterback? Meanwhile, on January 20 the team named Chan Gailey as head coach. Flutie was a standout player at Natick (Massachusetts) High School, but Boston College was the only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A (now the Football Bowl Subdivision) school to offer him a scholarship. Doug Flutie ambivalent about old boss Donald Trump [60] They also signed several free agent defensive linemen such as Mario Addison and Vernon Butler. Instead, he pursued a career in television broadcasting as a college football analyst. In total, In a 1984 article in The Buffalo News announcing Greg Bell's signing with the Bills, owner Ralph Wilson stated that the team was not yet in jeopardy, but that attendance would have to remain high, and television revenues would have to continue coming in for the team to survive. As the 2013 season approached, a knee injury to Manuel and a season-ending concussion to Kolb almost forced the team to start undrafted rookie Jeff Tuel; Manuel nonetheless recovered in time to start week 1 only to injure his other knee a few weeks later, which resulted in the signing of Thad Lewis (who himself had started a game as an undrafted rookie the previous year with the Cleveland Browns). Buffalo had an excellent start to 2011, routing Kansas City 417. The Bills adjusted, riding their stellar defense and a short, controlled passing game to a 10-3-1 record and a second consecutive AFL Eastern Division title. Kelly's loss was felt in 1997, when his replacement Todd Collins faltered and the Bills stumbled to 610. This time, the Bills shut out San Diego's high-powered offense 23-0 on the Chargers' home field, Balboa Stadium. Midway through the 1986 season, the Bills fired coach Hank Bullough and replaced him with Levy, who in addition to the Blitz had also previously coached the Kansas City Chiefs and Montreal Alouettes. Doug Flutie weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. A Thurman Thomas fumble returned for a touchdown by James Washington tied the game, with Super Bowl MVP Emmitt Smith taking over the rest of the game for the Cowboys and the Bills were stunned again, 3013. What Happened to Doug Flutie - News and Updates - Gazette Review The deal closed October 10, 2014. So I figured Id give the CFL a whirl.. The Redskins opened up a 170 halftime lead and never looked back, handing the Bills a 3724 loss. (NCAA) Division I-A program at Boston College due to questions surrounding his height at five feet 10 inches (or 1.78 m) tall, Flutie is relatively small for a quarterback. Updates? The team faced two significant challenges in 1966: The beginning of coach Saban's 6-year hiatus from Buffalo; and the continuing emergence of a young rival AFL Eastern Division quarterback. Doug Flutie is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in Canadian Football League (CFL) history. The result was a down-to-the wire race between the Bills and Patriots for the division crown with the Jets nipping at their heels for an opportunity to play an AFL championship game whose winner would finally get a crack at the NFL's champion. Donahoe (just a year after the team had released three eventual Hall of Famers in a salary cap move) proceeded to gut the franchise of most of its remaining recognizable talent and replaced it with young, inexperienced, unknown lower-end players, much of which joined Butler in San Diego that year, and installed Rob Johnson as the starting quarterback. In 2001 Flutie left the Bills and signed with the San Diego Chargers. The team then went 28 in their last games, earning them another 79 record. Despite some close games, they ended up at an 08 record before beating Detroit at home in Week 10. In 1985, he joined the now-defunct United States Additionally, each loss was heartbreakingly close. right-handed: Position: quarterback: Jersey Number: 2 (New England Patriots, 2005) 7 (San Diego Chargers, 2001-2004) 7 (Buffalo Bills, 1998-2000) 2 (New England Patriots, 1987-1989) 2 (Chicago . However, the performance of free safety Jarius Byrd showed extreme promise as Byrd led the NFL with 9 interceptions and was selected to the Pro Bowl. After an 86 1975 season, the Bills had internal troubles in 1976; Ferguson was injured and Gary Marangi proved ineffective in replacement. non-Canadian named to Canadas Sports Hall of Fame. Rich Stadium (later Ralph Wilson Stadium, now Highmark Stadium) opened in 1973 and continues to house the Bills to this day (both Seattle and Tampa would get NFL teams of their own in 1976, when the Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively, were enfranchised). Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map. He played with the Stampeders until 1996, when he signed with the Toronto Argonauts, leading them to back-to-back Grey Cup victories in 1996 and 1997. The game featured many lead changes, and with the score 2019 in favor of New York with eight seconds left, Bills kicker Scott Norwood attempted a 47-yard field goal. Douglas Richard Flutie, football player, philanthropist (born 23 October 1962 in Manchester, Maryland). This angered Bledsoe, who demanded his release, which the Bills granted. Though they would lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game of the season, costing them a playoff berth and devastating the fans, the late season surge gave the team a positive direction to approach 2005. McGroder's hopes never came to fruition. Among the names that Buffalo picked up after the USFL's demise in 1986 were general manager Bill Polian, head coach Marv Levy (both from the Chicago Blitz), special teams coach Bruce DeHaven, starting quarterback Jim Kelly (of the Houston Gamblers), center Kent Hull (of the New Jersey Generals), and linebacker Ray Bentley (of the Oakland Invaders), all of whom joined the Bills for the 1986 season. His first choice of owner, however, turned him down; Pat McGroder (then a liquor store owner and sports liaison with the city of Buffalo) was still hopeful that the threat of the AFL would prompt the NFL to come back to Buffalo to try to stop the AFL from gaining a foothold there (as the NFL would do with teams in Minnesota, Dallas, St. Louis and later Atlanta).