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The Month of May In Bills History
Important dates in Buffalo Bills history
buffalobills.com
May 1, 1995 - FERGUSON ADDED TO THE WALL
The Bills announced that QB Joe Ferguson would become the ninth member of the Wall of Fame.
May 2, 1978 -- RB TERRY MILLER IS BILLS' NO. 1 PICK IN 1978 NFL DRAFT
RB Terry Miller from Oklahoma State was the Bills' No. 1 pick (5th Overall) in the 1978 NFL Draft.
May 3, 1977 -- DT PHIL DOKES IS BILLS' NO. 1 PICK IN 1977 NFL DRAFT
DT Phil Dokes from Oklahoma State was Buffalo's No. 1 pick (12th Overall) the 1977 NFL Draft.
May 3, 1979 -- LB TOM COUSINEAU IS 1ST OVERALL PICK IN 1979 NFL DRAFT
The Bills had the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NFL Draft and selected LB Tom Cousineau from Ohio State. He did not sign a contract with Buffalo, opting to play in the Canadian Football League.
May 3, 1983 -- LB ISIAH ROBERTSON RETIRES
Bills LB Isiah Robertson officially retired from pro football.
May 4, 1960 -- FIRST DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL HIRED
Harvey Johnson was hired as the Bills' first director of player personnel. He was also hired as an assistant coach by head coach Buster Ramsey.
May 4, 1996 -- ED ABRAMOSKI RETIRES
Eddie Abramoski, an original employee of the Bills since 1959, said he would be stepping down as head trainer, with Bud Carpenter taking over his duties. Abramoski remained with the club in an emeritus role until the end of the 1997 season.
May 5, 1981 -- RB TERRY MILLER TRADED TO BROWNS
The Bills traded RB Terry Miller to the Cleveland Browns for a pair of draft choices.
May 5, 1994 -- BILLS GET AFC CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS AT MINI-CAMP
Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. presented the Bills their 1993 AFC Championship rings in a ceremony at mini-camp.
May 5, 2000 -- RAY BENTLEY NAMED DESTROYERS HEAD COACH & GM
Former Bills LB Ray Bentley was named head coach and general manager of the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League.
May 7, 1982 - RAIDERS MOVE APPROVED
A Los Angeles judge ruled in favor of Al Davis in his lawsuit against the NFL, which tried to block his proposed move to Los Angeles. Davis announced the Raiders would play at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
May 9, 1996 - LEVY INDUCTED TO WALL OF FAME
The Bills announced that Head Coach Marv Levy would become the tenth person to be inducted to the team's Wall of Fame.
May 10, 1970 -- THREE NFL TEAMS JOIN AFC
Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced that the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers would join the 10 original AFL teams to form the AFC. Starting in 1970, there would be 13 teams in the American Football Conference and 13 teams in the National Football Conference in the new National Football League.
May 10, 1973 -- DELAMIELLEURE CLEARED TO PLAY
G Joe DeLamielleure was given medical clearance to resume his football career when doctors at the Cleveland Clinic found his heart to be completely functional.
May 11, 1971 -- BILLS TRADE RON McDOLE TO REDSKINS
DE Ron McDole, a starter since 1963, was traded to the Washington Redskins for an undisclosed draft choice.
May 11, 1978 -- NFL KICKING RECORD-HOLDER SIGNS WITH BILLS
Free agent kicker Tom Dempsey, whose 63-yarder set the record for the longest field goal in NFL history, was signed by the Bills.
May 11, 1982 -- USFL LAUNCHED
The United States Football League was officially launched and announced plans to begin play in the spring of 1983.
May 11, 1986 -- BILLS OPEN MINI-CAMP TO FANS
A new feature of the Bills' 1986 mini-camp was an open practice at the Stadium, and more than eight thousand fans turned out on the warm, sunny Mother's Day.
May 11, 1987 -- JOHN BUTLER HIRED AS BILLS' PLAYER PERSONNEL DIRECTOR
Former San Diego Chargers scout John Butler was hired as the Bills' new director of player personnel and college scouting, replacing Norm Pollom, who left the team after the draft.
May 12, 1986 -- NFL, USFL GO TO COURT
The USFL's $1.7 billion antitrust suit against the NFL went to trial in Manhattan.
May 14, 1963 -- TEXANS BECOME CHIEFS
The Dallas Texans formally move to Kansas City and become the Chiefs.
May 16, 1979 -- BILLS ACQUIRE ANOTHER SIMPSON
The Bills acquired S Bill Simpson from the Los Angeles Rams for an undisclosed draft choice.
May 17, 1966 -- PETE GOGOLAK SIGNS WITH NY GIANTS
The New York Giants of the NFL announced they had signed Bills kicker Pete Gogolak. The placekicker had played out his option and did not sign a new contract with Buffalo.
May 17, 1985 -- BURROUGHS CHOOSES BILLS
CB Derrick Burroughs, one of two first-round picks in the 1985 Draft, signed a four-year contract with the Bills worth about $1.75 million. Burroughs chose the Bills over the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL.
May 17, 1995 -- FIELDHOUSE TO SERVE AS GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE
The team announced that when it was completed, the new practice fieldhouse would serve as a place for fans to gather before kickoff on gamedays, similar to the "NFL Experience" popular at the Super Bowl.
May 18, 1983 -- CRIBBS LIKELY LEAVING BUFFALO
RB Joe Cribbs announced that 1983 would probably be his last season with the Bills and that he was going to sign a future services contract with the USFL.
May 21, 1961 -- WBEN & BILLS ANNOUNCE FOOTBALL NETWORK
WBEN announced a 20-station network to carry the Buffalo games in 1961. Van Miller was rehired as play-by-play man and Ralph Hubbell was added as a color commentator.
May 21, 1962 -- AFL LOSES ANTI-TRUST SUIT TO NFL
The AFL lost its anti-trust suit against the NFL when a federal judge in Baltimore ruled that the NFL did not have a monopoly to restrict competition.
May 22, 1963 -- BILLS SIGN RUTKOWSKI
The Bills signed free agent all-purpose back Ed Rutkowski out of Notre Dame.
May 22, 1967 -- BILLS' FUTURE IN BUFFALO IN DOUBT
The Bills' future in Buffalo was thrown into doubt because the team and the city couldn't come to terms on a new lease for War Memorial Stadium.
May 24, 1967 -- 10TH AFL FRANCHISE AWARDED TO CINCINNATI
The American Football League awarded its 10th franchise to the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, with plans for it to begin play in 1968.
May 24, 1972 -- NEW 3-MAN RADIO BOOTH FOR BILLS
WKBW Radio announced that Al Meltzer would be the Bills' new play-by-play announcer in 1972, with Rick Azar and former-Bill Ed Rutkowski analysis and color commentary. The trio replaced Van Miller and Stan Barron.
May 25, 1967 -- CITIZENS URGE BILLS TO STAY
The citizens committee to keep big league football in Buffalo ran an ad in the Buffalo Evening News urging Mayor Frank Sedita to come to an agreement with Ralph Wilson about a new stadium lease.
May 26, 1969 -- NFL GOES PRIME TIME
ABC signed a landmark three-year deal to telecast Monday night games in prime time starting in 1970, the first regularly scheduled series of sports telecasts in history.
May 26, 1979 -- DUBENION GOES TO MIAMI
Former Bills WR Elbert Dubenion left the Bills' scouting department to become a college scout for the Miami Dolphins.
May 27, 1964 -- BILLS TRADE ATKINS & MATUSZAK
The Bills traded S Billy Atkins and LB Marv Matuszak to Denver for C Walt Cudzik.
May 28, 1975 - SHAW RETURNS TO THE SIDELINES
Bob Shaw returned to his position as receivers coach because Lou Saban couldn't find a suitable replacement, leaving the pro personnel director position open.
May 28, 1987 - DUBENION LEAVES BILLS
Scout Elbert Dubenion, frustrated because he wasn't promoted to player personnel director, left the Bills and accepted a scouting position with the Atlanta Falcons.
May 29, 1971 -- FORMER BILL TOM DAY HIRED AS AN ASSISTANT COACH
Tom Day, the longtime Bills star, was hired by Head Coach John Rauch to be the defensive line coach, becoming the first black assistant coach in team history.
May 30, 1964 -- BILLS TRADE RICE & YOHO
The Bills traded OT Ken Rice to Oakland for RB Leroy Jackson. In another trade, the Bills traded K/LB Mack Yoho to Boston for a draft choice.
May 30, 1980 -- BILLS CLAIM FB OFF WAIVER WIRE
FB Roosevelt Leaks was claimed on waivers from the Baltimore Colts. To make room on the Bills roster, P Rusty Jackson was released.
May 30, 1984 -- WR FRANK LEWIS RETIRES
Bills WR Frank Lewis officially retired from pro football.
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