Back at the Mayan "end of the world," the Bills, NY State and Erie County came together on a 10-year lease that was pretty much air-tight for the first seven. Which was great. But the kicker? They're already talking about a possible new stadium.
Great news indeed, only to be throttled by yet another 10-loss season and the team's 13 season out of the playoffs.
Everyone in the NFL knew what the result would be--Head Coach Chan Gailey would be fired. And he was. Yesterday, along with the entire coaching staff.
Next we were left to wonder the fate of GM Buddy Nix.
Well, we found out today.
Nix will be replaced by AGM Doug Whaley, probably after the draft in April.
The purge of the old guard is in full swing with Nix and Gailey gone, but the next kicker is that CEO Russ Brandon has "essentially taken over acting ownership duties for aging owner Ralph Wilson," according to a league source.
WGR's Howard Simon elaborates, "For the first time since he bought the franchise in 1960, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson junior is giving up organization control. WGR 550 has learned CEO Russ Brandon will officially be named Team President.
Only once before has Wilson given the title of Team President to another individual and that was back in 2000 when it was handed to Tom Donahoe. But Wilson never gave up organizational control and would always have the final say on all football matters. Those days are now over with a symbolic passing of the torch to Brandon who has been told “its your show."
Said Owner Ralph Wilson (via Chris Brown, buffalobills.com,) 'Russ Brandon has done a tremendous job in his 16 years with our organization and is very highly respected throughout the National Football League,” said Wilson in a team statement. “He has proven to be extremely successful with each new level of responsibility he has been given and has earned this opportunity. Russ is a proven leader and he will now have full authority over the entire Buffalo Bills operation. I have granted him full autonomy to run the organization as he feels is best.'
What a New Years Day.
It's a new day for the Buffalo Bills and it'll be interesting to see who they tab as coach for the beginning of this new era.
Edit: According to Russ Brandon, Buddy Nix is still the GM of the Buffalo Bills--via WGR, Brandon press conference.
Info on AGM, Doug Whaley. Paul Hamilton asks, "Who is Doug Whaley and is he next in line?" while the boys in the GR studio interview new Team President Russ Brandon who says "we identified [Whaley] three years ago, we brought him into the organization and we'll have that transtion (into the GM positon) when it's appropriate." (10:25 mark)
Whaley himself gets a chance to chime in on things.
Edit: According to Russ Brandon, Buddy Nix is still the GM of the Buffalo Bills--via WGR, Brandon press conference.
Info on AGM, Doug Whaley. Paul Hamilton asks, "Who is Doug Whaley and is he next in line?" while the boys in the GR studio interview new Team President Russ Brandon who says "we identified [Whaley] three years ago, we brought him into the organization and we'll have that transtion (into the GM positon) when it's appropriate." (10:25 mark)
Whaley himself gets a chance to chime in on things.
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