The Buffalo Bills are one of professional football’s most distinctive franchises. Born in the American Football League in 1959, the Bills became one of the AFL’s early powers, survived difficult decades, produced one of the greatest teams of the 1990s, and eventually became the first team in NFL history to reach four consecutive Super Bowls. The franchise has had only two ownership groups, but a long succession of coaches, several different home venues, Hall of Fame players, memorable draft successes and some painful draft misses. As of the 2026 season, the Bills have also entered a new era with the opening of a new Highmark Stadium and the hiring of Joe Brady as head coach. The Birth of the Buffalo Bills The modern Buffalo Bills franchise began on October 28, 1959, when Detroit businessman Ralph C. Wilson Jr. was awarded the seventh franchise in the new American Football League. Wilson was one of the original AFL owners—the group sometimes called the AFL’s “Foolish Club” because they were challenging the established NFL. He selected Buffalo as the home of his new team. The team was officially named the Buffalo Bills in November 1959 and began playing in 1960. The Bills became one of the AFL’s strongest clubs during the middle of the 1960s, winning consecutive AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965. Every Bills Owner One of the remarkable things about Buffalo’s history is the small number of ownership groups. 1. Ralph C. Wilson Jr. — 1959–2014 Wilson was the founder and original owner. He owned the Bills for 54 seasons, making him one of the longest-serving owners in NFL history. During his ownership, Buffalo won two AFL championships and appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls. Wilson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. Wilson also became an important figure in the AFL-NFL merger and was widely respected among NFL owners. 2. Terry and Kim Pegula — 2014–present Terry and Kim Pegula purchased the Bills in 2014 after Wilson’s death. NFL owners unanimously approved the sale on October 8, 2014. The Pegulas became only the second ownership group in Bills history. Terry Pegula is the team’s owner/CEO/president, while Kim Pegula is an owner and has also held prominent leadership positions with the Bills and Buffalo Sabres. Every Bills Home Stadium The Bills have had two primary physical homes; although their second hone went through numerous names. War Memorial Stadium — 1960–1972 The Bills began playing at War Memorial Stadium, commonly called the Rockpile, in Buffalo. The stadium originally opened in 1937 and was expanded during the Bills’ tenure. Buffalo played there for its entire AFL existence through the 1972 season. Rich Stadium — 1973–1997 The Bills moved to their new suburban stadium in Orchard Park in 1973. The stadium was originally named Rich Stadium. Ralph Wilson Stadium — 1998–2015 The stadium was renamed Ralph Wilson Stadium in honor of the franchise’s founder. New Era Field — 2016–2019 Naming rights changed again, producing the name New Era Field. Bills Stadium — 2020–2021 The stadium temporarily carried the straightforward name Bills Stadium. Highmark Stadium — 2021–2025 Highmark obtained naming rights in 2021, giving the Orchard Park stadium the name Highmark Stadium. New Highmark Stadium — 2026–present The Bills opened a new Highmark Stadium in 2026, replacing the previous stadium across the street. The new facility has a capacity of approximately 60,108, features a natural-grass field and was designed specifically around football. The first regular-season game in the new stadium was scheduled for September 17, 2026, against the Detroit Lions. Every Bills Head Coach Buffalo has had a long list of head coaches. Including interim coaches, the franchise has had 21 head-coaching tenures/named head coaches through the 2025 season, with Joe Brady beginning in 2026. Years Head Coach 1960–1961 Buster Ramsey 1962–1965 Lou Saban 1966–1968 Joe Collier 1968 Harvey Johnson 1969–1970 John Rauch 1971 Harvey Johnson 1972–1976 Lou Saban 1976–1977 Jim Ringo 1978–1982 Chuck Knox 1983–1985 Kay Stephenson 1985–1986 Hank Bullough 1986–1997 Marv Levy 1998–2000 Wade Phillips 2001–2003 Gregg Williams 2004–2005 Mike Mularkey 2006–2009 Dick Jauron 2009 Perry Fewell, interim 2010–2012 Chan Gailey 2013–2014 Doug Marrone 2015–2016 Rex Ryan 2016 Anthony Lynn, interim 2017–2025 Sean McDermott 2026–present Joe Brady The NFL’s official records document the historical coaching succession and records. Lou Saban and the First Bills Dynasty Lou Saban was the first great coach in Bills history. He coached Buffalo from 1962 through 1965 and returned from 1972 through 1976. His first Bills team won the AFL Championship in 1964. Buffalo repeated as champions in 1965. The 1964 team was led by stars including Jack Kemp, Cookie Gilchrist, Billy Shaw, Tom Sestak and Mike Stratton. The Bills came extremely close to reaching the first Super Bowl. They lost the 1966 AFL Championship Game to Kansas City, meaning the Chiefs—not Buffalo—advanced to Super Bowl I. The O.J. Simpson Era The 1970s produced one of the most famous players in franchise history: O.J. Simpson. Simpson became the centerpiece of the Buffalo offense and in 1973 became the first NFL running back to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, finishing with 2,003. That accomplishment remained one of the defining individual achievements in Bills history. Chuck Knox and the Return to the Playoffs Chuck Knox became head coach in 1978. Known for his emphasis on physical football, Knox led Buffalo to the AFC East championship in 1980. The Bills reached the playoffs again in 1981 before losing to Cincinnati. After Knox’s departure, Buffalo went through another difficult period before one of the greatest transformations in franchise history. Marv Levy and the Greatest Era in Bills History Everything changed in 1986. The Bills replaced Hank Bullough with Marv Levy, who would eventually become a Pro Football Hall of Fame coach. Levy remained Buffalo’s head coach through 1997. He became the winningest coach in franchise history and led Buffalo to four consecutive AFC championships. Levy’s teams were built around an extraordinary collection of talent: Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith, James… Continue reading Buffalo Bills: A Complete History of Buffalo’s NFL Franchise
Tag: Dick Jauron
Chicago Bears History: From the Decatur Staleys
Chicago Bears History: From the Decatur Staleys to the Monsters of the Midway Few franchises in professional sports have a history as deep as the Chicago Bears. The Bears are one of the two remaining charter members of the NFL, tracing their roots to 1920. Before they became the Chicago Bears, they were the Decatur Staleys, an industrial football team sponsored by the A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company. The franchise moved to Chicago in 1921, changed its name to the Bears in 1922 and has been one of professional football’s most important organizations ever since. The Bears have won nine NFL championships, including the 1985 Super Bowl, and their history includes George Halas, Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski, Sid Luckman, Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, Brian Urlacher, Devin Hester and many other Hall of Fame players. The franchise has also produced some of the most famous defenses in football history. The Birth of the Bears In 1920, the A.E. Staley Company of Decatur, Illinois, sponsored a football team. George Halas, who had experience as both a player and coach, became the team’s representative at the September 17, 1920 meeting in Canton, Ohio, where representatives of 11 other clubs helped form the American Professional Football Association, which became the National Football League in 1922. The franchise fee was only $100. The original team was the Decatur Staleys. In 1921, A.E. Staley gave Halas the team, $5,000 and permission to move the club to Chicago as long as it retained the Staleys name for one season. The move worked. The Chicago Staleys won the 1921 APFA championship. In January 1922, the franchise officially became the Chicago Bears. The Bears were born. George Halas: The Man Who Was the Bears It is almost impossible to tell the story of the Bears without telling the story of George “Papa Bear” Halas. Halas was: Player, Coach, Owner, General manager, Founder, Innovator, and NFL pioneer. He coached the Bears for 40 seasons, divided into four separate 10-year periods. His coaching record was an extraordinary 324-151-31, including playoffs. He led Chicago to six NFL championships as coach: 1921, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1946 and 1963. Halas retired from coaching after the 1967 season. He remained the guiding force of the organization until his death in 1983. Few people in NFL history have had a greater influence on a franchise. Bears Ownership History One of the unusual things about the Chicago Bears is that the franchise has remained in the same family since its earliest days. A.E. Staley Company — 1920 The original Decatur Staleys were owned by the A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company. The company sponsored the team and employed many of its players. The Staleys’ financial problems helped lead to the decision to give George Halas control of the franchise and allow him to move it to Chicago. George Halas — 1920-1983 George Halas became the dominant owner and leader of the franchise. For more than six decades, the Bears were essentially his football kingdom. He was involved in virtually every aspect of the organization. The Pro Football Hall of Fame notes that almost all of the Bears’ successes from their beginning through 1983 can be attributed to Halas. Virginia Halas McCaskey — 1983-2025 After George Halas died in 1983, ownership passed to his daughter, Virginia Halas McCaskey. She became one of the most important women in NFL history. McCaskey was born in 1923 and had literally grown up around the Bears. She had watched the franchise from the earliest days of professional football and eventually became its principal owner. She was the owner when the Bears won Super Bowl XX following the 1985 season. McCaskey remained the team’s principal owner until her death on February 6, 2025, at age 102. She had been the longest-tenured owner in the NFL. The McCaskey Family — 2025-present After Virginia McCaskey’s death, the Bears remained a McCaskey family-owned franchise. Her grandson, George H. McCaskey, serves as Bears chairman and is the current principal owner/representative of the family’s ownership. The important point is that the Bears have never been sold to an outside ownership group in their modern history. The same family that began with George Halas continues to control the franchise more than a century later. Every Major Bears Home Stadium The Bears have played their home games in several locations during their long history. Staley Field — Decatur, Illinois 1920 This was the original home of the Decatur Staleys. It was a small facility with a capacity of approximately 1,500. The limitations of playing in Decatur were one reason Halas moved the team to Chicago. Cubs Park — Chicago 1921-1925 After moving to Chicago, the Staleys played at Cubs Park. The ballpark was later renamed Wrigley Field. Wrigley Field 1926-1970 Wrigley Field became the Bears’ home for half a century. The Bears played their final game there on December 13, 1970, defeating the Green Bay Packers 35-17. Wrigley was home to some of the greatest players in early Bears history including: Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski, Sid Luckman, George McAfee, Bulldog Turner, Dick Butkus, and Gale Sayers. Soldier Field 1971-2001 The Bears moved to Soldier Field in 1971. The stadium became the permanent symbol of Bears football. It was the home of Walter Payton, the 1985 championship team and the legendary Bears defenses. Memorial Stadium — Champaign, Illinois 2002 … Continue reading Chicago Bears History: From the Decatur Staleys
