Fred Smerlas

"The team was just coming up, we were part of a resurgence and a new personality that ended up defining the early-80's Bills," Smerlas was quoted years later. "We did what we wanted. we said what we wanted and we had fun."

Fun they had! Back in the early 80's the Bills would hang togather and party togather, they were like a family or even better, a college fraternity. In the middle of it all was Fred Smerlas. Leading the way, driving his jeep through the woods at 4:00am, driving into Canada and back at 80 miles an hour, neglecting to check in at customs either way. A well respected party animal.

As crazy as Fred was off the field, one would have to wonder what Knox thought about all of this baffoonery? Chuck would say, "I don't care what you do off the field. You show up on time, you play the games and you play them good, or start looking for a new job."

There was no need for Smerlas to look for a new job because playing football in the NFL is what he did best. It was through Knox that Smerlas became one of the best nosetackles in the NFL in his rookie season.

In Smerlas' second season, on opening day inside of Rich Stadium, the Bills finally beat Miami after 20 years. The fans tore down the goal posts, the bills had a spirit of winning that carried them to their first ever AFC Eastern Division Championship, with Smerlas making the Pro Bowl. They returned to the playoffs in 1981 and Freddie made the Pro Bowl again. In fact, he made the Pro Bowl 4 consecutive years from 1980-1983. In 1982 the players strike tore the team appart. The winning spirit was gone and so was Knox.

In 1984 and 85 the Bills sank to the bottom winning just 2 games each year. Smerlas was experiencing great frustration over the teams ineptitude, often jumping offside, he and the team lacked focus. Freddie was often a target for fan scorn. Football was no longer fun, it was just a job. He never lost his sense of humor though. When asked about the Bills new red helmets for the 1984 season, he responded, "I think it's a load of S*?! The Bills have always worn white helmets, it's tradition. What's next, Big Bird down the side of the pants?"

With the arrival of Jim Kelly in 1986, their was hope and football for Smerlas and the Bills became fun again. Smerlas was the "Big Daddy" once again. The team regained that winning attitude that it lost in the mid eighties. Fredddie would keep the players focused. Back in the early 80's when things were going good, Smerlas thought the winning would always go on, but he got to see what life was like on the other side of the coin and he didn't let the younger players forget that. During the 1987 season there was another players strike. Smerlas, having been involved in one strike, made sure that this one wouldn't tear the team appart, like in 1982.

"A lot of us had been around for the 82 strike," Smerlas said in describing the situation. "Joe (Devlin) and I organized practices and it was important to get Jim Kelly to come down becauseif he did,a lot of other guys would follow because he was the quarterback. And Kelly did come down. We had most of the team down there. We practiced religiously and it showed when we came back."

Outside of 1980, Smerlas said 1988 was the most productive and enjoyable year he ever had playing football. Making his 5th Pro Bowl. The Bills won 11 of their first 12 games. One of those game occured on a cold rainy November 20th when the Bills clinched their second AFC Eastern Division championship, in history, beating the New York Jets 9-6, in overtime at Rich Stadium. Smerlas blocked a Pat Leahy field goal with just seconds left on the clock, to force the game into overtime. Scott Norwood would kick the winning field goal. The fans flooded the field (myself and my friend The Grampa included)and tore down the goalposts.

"Coming out of the Hank Bullough era and living through it, then standing there in the tunnel and looking out onto the field with 80,000 people chanting Fred-die, Fred-die. I had tears coming down my cheeks." Smerlas said.

The Bills went on to the AFC championship game in Cincinatti, losing to the Bengals 21-10. "Things didn't go our way that day," Smerlas said. "To blow that opportunity to go to the Super Bowl was a shame. It was frustrating because we had it right in the grasp of our hands and we knew we might never ever get this close again."

Fred Smerlas never did get that close again. He played his last game for the Buffalo Bills in Cleveland Stadium, against the Browns in the playoffs, losing 34-30. He was left unprotected and was a plan B free agent. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He had no choice. With Jeff Wright moving in as the starting nosetackle, Smerlas wasn't needed and he knew it. The 49ers deal was too good to pass up.

"I really love playing football in Buffalo," he said. "Whether we were 2-14 or 14-2, I wanted to beat the guy in front of me. When I went to San Francisco, I lost that special pride of protecting my turf and my town. Then when I came home to New England (he finished his career with the Patriots), I wouldn't except bad talk about Buffalo. I became so entwined with the city, it was a pride thing with me. I have nothing but good memories of playing for the Bills. It's something I cherish. When I was playing for the Pats, I'd wear a Bills T-shirt under my uniform. Someone came up to me one day and said, 'Fred, no matter what you wear on the outside, you,ll always be a Buffalo Bill on the inside.'"