Jim
Ritcher was the Bills first round draft choice in 1980. He was a star center
at N. Carolina State, winning the outland trophy, given to college football's
best lineman, in his senior year. He would struggle in his first few seasons
with the Bills playing at center but not starting, as then coach Chuck
Knox considered Ritcher a bust. In 1983, Bills legendary left guard Reggie
McKenzie was traded to the Seattle Seahawks and Ritcher was moved from
center to left guard and inserted into Reggie's spot. It was a spot on
the roster that Ritcher would hold onto for 11 seasons. He was the only
constant on the Bills offensive line during that time.
Ritcher would become the only player who played during the Chuck Knox era, to play for the Bills in the Super Bowl. He acomplished this by keeping himself in top shape. He was consistantly the strongest player on the team, outlifting all teammates in the weight room. He was recognized as one of the best offensive guards in the league, making the Pro Bowl in 1991 and again in 1992. Chuck Knox even gave Ritcher a pat on the back, when he said in 1991, that he made a huge mistake when he was coach of the Bills in not seeing Ritcher's vast potential and keeping him on the bench during his first three years.
After the Bills last Super Bowl appearance in 1994, the Bills told Jim Ritcher that he no longer fit into their plans as their starting left guard. Ritcher opted to go on to the Atlanta Falcons, where he would finish his career. No doubt, Jim Ritcher's name will some day appear on the Bills Wall of Fame in Rich Stadium.