The Buffalo Bills have not had the best luck with QBs the last 31 years
I have decided to rank the Bills QBs that have started at least 1 game since 1980 for the Bills. It is not really a pretty list but the top guy gave the Bills hope every single season. Here is a look at how I ranked the Bills’ QBs of the last 31 years:
1. Jim Kelly – This was a very easy pick for me as Jim Kelly took the Bills to four straight Super Bowls which they lost. That doesn’t tarnish what Kelly achieved in his career with the Bills. The Bills were 101-59 (63.1%) when Kelly started for them at QB. He played in 160 games (160 starts) for the Bills and he completed 2,874 of 4,779 passes (60.1%) for 35,467 yards with 237 TD passes and 175 INTs (84.4 QB Rating). Kelly also carried the ball 304 times for 1,049 yards (3.5 ypc) with 7 TD runs and he also caught 2 passes for 40 yards for the Bills. Kelly made it to five Pro Bowls with the Bills and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
2. Drew Bledsoe – The Patriots dealt Drew Bledsoe to the Bills to open up a starting job for Tom Brady. But, Bledsoe had a lot left in the gas tank when he got to Buffalo. Bledsoe played in 48 games (all starts) for the Bills and they were 23-25 (47.9%) in those games. Bledsoe completed 905 of 1,531 passes (59.1%) for 10,151 yards with 55 TD passes and 43 INTs (79.2 QB Rating). He also carried the ball 73 times for 133 yards (1.8 ypc) with 4 TD runs for the Bills. Bledsoe made it to 1 Pro Bowl with the Bills.
3. Joe Ferguson – Joe Ferguson was the guy at QB right before Jim Kelly came to town. He was 34-34 (50%) as a starting QB for the Bills in the 80′s. He played in 69 games (68 starts) for the Bills in the 1980′s and he completed 1,119 of 2,053 passes (54.5%) for 13,040 yards with 89 TD passes and 96 INTs. He also carried the ball 106 times for 330 yards (3.1 ypc) with 2 TD runs.
4. Frank Reich – Reich was Jim Kelly’s backup but he was also the QB for the most famous win in Bills’ history. They came from way back to beat the Oilers in the playoffs. Reich was 4-4 (50%) as a starter for the Bills during the regular season. Reich played in 93 games (8 starts) for the Bills and he completed 222 of 377 passes (58.9%) for 2,540 yards with 18 TD passes and 12 INTs (81.9 QB Rating). Reich also carried the ball 62 times for 45 yards (0.7 ypc) for the Bills.
5. Doug Flutie – Flutie played the best football of his NFL career for the Bills. He was 21-9 (70%) as a starting QB for the Bills. Flutie played in 39 games (30 starts) for the Bills and he completed 598 of 1,063 passes (56.3%) for 7,582 yards with 47 TD passes and 30 INTs (81.7 QB Rating). He also carried the ball 172 times for 885 yards (5.1 ypc) with 3 TD grabs. Flutie also made a Pro Bowl with the Bills. Flutie might have been short but he had a big heart.
6. Ryan Fitzpatrick – Fitzpatrick has only been with the Bills for two years but he’s making his mark. He has a 8-13 (38.1%) record as a starting QB for the Bills. He has played in 23 games (21 starts) for the Bills so far in his career and he has completed 382 of 668 passes (57.2%) for 4,422 yards with 32 TD passes and 25 INTs (77.7 QB Rating). He has also carried the ball 71 times for 410 yards (5.8 ypc) with 1 TD run. Fitzpatrick will move up this list in the future if he plays like he did last year.
7. Rob Johnson – Rob Johnson was constantly getting beat up for holding the football too long. He was 9-17 (34.6%) as the starting QB for the Bills. Johnson played in 30 games (26 starts) for the Bills and he completed 401 of 663 passes (60.5%) for 4,798 yards with 27 TD passes and 17 INTs (85.5 QB Rating). He also carried the ball 110 times for 732 yards (6.7 ypc) with 3 TD runs for the Bills.
8. Kelly Holcomb – Kelly Holcomb wasn’t with the Bills too long but he played well for them. The Bills were 4-4 (50%) when Holcomb started at QB for them. He played in 10 games (8 starts) for the Bills and he completed 155 of 230 passes (67.4%) for 1,509 yards with 10 TD passes and 8 INTs (85.6 QB Rating). Holcomb also carried the ball 18 times for 11 yards (0.6 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Bills.
9. J.P. Losman – J.P. Losman was a scrambling type QB with a good arm. But, he threw it to the opposition just as much as his own team. Losman was 10-23 (30.3%) as a starting QB for the Bills. Losman played in 42 games (33 starts) for the Bills and he completed 558 of 941 passes (59.3%) for 6,211 yards with 33 TD passes and 34 INTs (75.6 QB Rating). Losman also carried the ball 103 times for 489 yards (4.7 ypc) with 3 TD runs for the Bills.
10. Trent Edwards – Trent Edwards always looked the part but he never really lived up to his “potential”. The Bills were 14-18 (43.8%) when Edwards started the game under center. Edwards played in 34 games (32 starts) for the Bills and he completed 535 of 878 passes (60.9%) for 5,739 yards with 25 TD passes and 27 INTs (76.8 QB Rating). Edwards also carried the ball 69 times for 296 yards (4.3 ypc) with 3 TD runs for the Bills.
11. Todd Collins – Todd Collins just wasn’t that good for the Bills. The Bills were 7-10 (41.2%) when Collins started for them. Collins played in 28 games (17 starts) for the Bills and he completed 284 of 519 passes (54.7%) for 3,218 yards with 16 TD passes and 19 INTs (68.5 QB Rating). Collins also carried the ball 60 times for 143 yards (2.4 ypc) with the Bills.
12. Alex Van Pelt – Alex Van Pelt was highly touted out of college but he never really panned out in the pros. The Bills were 3-8 (27.3%) in games started by Van Pelt. He played in 31 games (11 starts) for the Bills and he completed 262 of 477 passes (54.9%) for 2,985 yards with 16 TD passes and 24 INTs (64.1 QB Rating). Van Pelt also carried the ball 32 times for 53 yards (1.7 ypc) with 1 TD run in his time with the Bills.
13. Bruce Mathison - Bruce Mathison was a backup who didn’t get on the field much for the Bills. He was 1-6 (14.3%) as a starting QB for the Bills. Mathison played in 10 games (7 starts) for the Bills and he completed 113 of 228 passes (49.6%) for 1,635 yards with 4 TD passes and 14 INTs (53.5 QB Rating). Mathison also carried the ball 27 times for 231 yards (8.6 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Bills.
14. Vince Ferragamo – Vince Ferragamo was a disaster for the Bills. The Bills were 1-8 (11.1%) when Ferragamo started at QB. He completed 149 of 287 passes (51.9%) for 1,677 yards with 5 TD passes and 17 INTs (50.8 QB Rating). Ferragamo also carried the ball 8 times for 15 yards (1.9 ypc) with 1 TD run with the Bills.
15. Joe Dufek – Joe Dufek didn’t get much of a chance to show what he could do with the Bills. He was 1-4 (20%) as a starting QB for the Bills. Dufek played in 10 games (5 starts) for the Bills and he completed 74 of 150 passes (49.3%) for 829 yards with 4 TD passes and 8 INTs (52.9 QB Rating). Dufek also carried the ball 9 times for 22 yards (2.4 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Bills.
16. Wille Totten – Willie Totten was one of the strike players for the Bills. The Bills were 0-1 with Totten as the starting QB. Totten played in 2 games (1 start) for the Bills and he completed 13 of 33 passes (39.4%) for 155 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 INTs (49.4 QB Rating). Totten also carried the ball 12 times for 11 yards (0.9 ypc) for the Bills.
17. Brian Brohm – Brian Brohm is the current #2 QB for the Bills. He is 0-2 as a starting QB for the Bills. Brohm has played in 3 games (2 starts) for the Bills and he has completed 27 of 52 passes (51.9%) for 252 yards with 0 TD passes and 5 INTs (26.0 QB Rating). Brohm has also carried the ball 1 time for -3 yards for the Bills.
18. Dan Manucci – Dan Manucci was 0-1 as a starting QB for the Bills. Manucci played in 19 games (1 start) for the Bills and he completed 12 of 27 passes (44.4%) for 132 yards with 0 TD passes and 2 INTs (28.6 QB Rating). He also carried the ball 7 times for 35 yards (5.0 ypc) for the Bills.
19. Brian McClure – Brian McClure was 1-0 as the starting QB for the Bills. He played in 1 game (1 start) for the Bills and he completed 20 of 38 passes (55.6%) for 181 yards with 0 TD passes and 3 INTs (28.6 QB Rating). McClure also carried the ball 2 times for 4 yards (2.0 ypc) for the Bills.
So there you have it, that’s how I rank the QBs for the Buffalo Bills who have started at least 1 game since 1980.