10th season in franchise history
The 1969 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s tenth season, and was the final season of the American Football League before the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger. The Bills played an AFL-record seven games against opponents that went on to reach the postseason;[1] Buffalo lost all seven of these games.
This was the rookie season for running back O. J. Simpson, the Heisman Trophy winner from Southern California and first overall selection in the draft,[2][3] who went on to a Hall of Fame career. It was the final season for quarterback Jack Kemp, who decided to run for New York's 39th congressional district in 1970 that he ultimately won; elected at the age of 35, Kemp would serve in Congress until 1989.
Although Buffalo only won four games, their penultimate win—a Week Ten victory against the Miami Dolphins—would be their last victory against the Dolphins until the 1980 season. After the win, the Bills suffered against Miami an NFL-record twenty consecutive games lost by one team to another.
The last remaining active member of the 1969 Buffalo Bills was wide receiver Haven Moses, who retired after the 1981 NFL season.
Offseason
- August 9, 1969: O. J. Simpson signs a four-year contract worth $215,000.[2][3][4]
- August 20, 1969: The Bills acquired wide receiver Marlin Briscoe.[5]
- August 25, 1969: Guard George Flint and defensive tackle Tom Sestak both announced their retirements.[6]
- August 25, 1969: Running back/returner Ed Rutkowski was released by the Bills.[6]
Draft
[7]
Personnel
Coaches/Staff
1969 Buffalo Bills staff |
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| Front office Coaching staff Offensive coaches - Wide Receivers - Bill Miller
- Offensive Line – Marvin Bass
Defensive coaches |
- Source: https://pro-football-history.com/franchise/7/buffalo-bills-coaches
Final roster
1969 Buffalo Bills roster |
| Quarterbacks Running backs Wide receivers Tight ends - 85 Willie Grate
- 87 Billy Masters
| | Offensive linemen Defensive linemen | | Linebackers Defensive backs Special teams | | Reserve lists - 62 Dick Cunningham T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
- 33 Ben Gregory FB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
Practice squad
Rookies in italics |
Preseason
Regular season
Schedule
Week 1
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Jets | 6 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 33 | Bills | 3 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 19 | - Date: September 14
- Location: War Memorial Stadium
- Game attendance: 46,165
- Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C); wind 11 mph
|
[8]
Week 2
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Oilers | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 | Bills | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | - Date: September 21
- Location: War Memorial Stadium
- Game attendance: 40,146
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C); wind 6 mph
|
[9]
Week 3
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Broncos | 14 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 28 | • Bills | 3 | 17 | 21 | 0 | 41 | - Date: September 28
- Location: War Memorial Stadium
- Game attendance: 40,302
- Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C); wind 9 mph
|
[10]
Week 4
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bills | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | • Oilers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | - Date: October 5
- Location: Houston Astrodome
- Game attendance: 46,485
- Game weather: Indoors (dome)
|
[11]
Week 5
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Patriots | 6 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 16 | • Bills | 7 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 23 | - Date: October 11
- Location: War Memorial Stadium
- Game attendance: 46,201
- Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C); wind 14 mph
|
[12]
Week 6
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bills | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 | • Raiders | 14 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 50 | |
[13]
Week 7
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bills | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | • Dolphins | 0 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 24 | - Date: October 26
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Game attendance: 39,837
- Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C); wind 14 mph
|
[14]
Week 8
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 29 | Bills | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | - Date: November 2
- Location: War Memorial Stadium
- Game attendance: 45,844
- Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C); wind 13 mph
|
[15]
Week 9
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bills | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | • Jets | 0 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 16 | - Date: November 9
- Location: Shea Stadium
- Game attendance: 62,680
- Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C); wind 19 mph
|
[16]
Week 10
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Dolphins | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | • Bills | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | - Date: November 16
- Location: War Memorial Stadium
- Game attendance: 32,686
- Game weather: 28 °F (−2 °C); wind 16 mph
|
|
Scoring summary |
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| Q1 | | BUF | Simpson 8 yard pass from Kemp (Alford kick) | BUF 7–0 | | Q1 | | MIA | Kremser 21 yard field goal | BUF 7–3 | | Q2 | | BUF | Briscoe 12 yard pass from Kemp (Alford kick) | BUF 14–3 | | Q3 | | BUF | Enyart 1 yard run (Alford kick) | BUF 21–3 | | Q4 | | BUF | Simpson 55 yard pass from Kemp (Alford kick) | BUF 28–3 | |
[17]
Week 11
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bills | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | • Patriots | 14 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 35 | - Date: November 23
- Location: Alumni Stadium
- Game attendance: 25,584
- Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C); wind 14 mph
|
[18]
Week 12
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bengals | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 | • Bills | 3 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 16 | - Date: November 30
- Location: War Memorial Stadium
- Game attendance: 35,122
- Game weather: 28 °F (−2 °C); wind 17 mph
|
[19]
Week 13
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bills | 3 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 19 | • Chiefs | 7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 22 | |
[20]
Week 14
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Bills | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | • Chargers | 10 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 45 | - Date: December 14
- Location: San Diego Stadium
- Game attendance: 47,582
- Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C); wind 6 mph
|
[21]
Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings of the AFL. This was the final year of the AFL The Baltimore Colts would join the AFL eastern teams and become the AFC East in 1970.
Awards and records
References
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2011, in the AFL, in the regular season, in games against playoff teams only, sorted by most games in season matching criteria., tied with the
- ^ a b Rathet, Mike (August 10, 1969). "Holdout ends! O.J. to get plenty of bills with Buffalo". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 1B.
- ^ a b "Buffalo signs Simpson". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. August 10, 1969. p. 1, sec. 4.
- ^ Rockin’ the Rockpile: The Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, p. 435, Jeffrey J. Miller, ECW Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-55022-797-0
- ^ Rockin’ the Rockpile: The Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, p.437, Jeffrey J. Miller, ECW Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-55022-797-0
- ^ a b Rockin’ the Rockpile: The Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, p. 439, Jeffrey J. Miller, ECW Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-55022-797-0
- ^ The Football Database - 1969 Buffalo Bills Draft. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-Dec-11.
- Buffalo Bills on Pro Football Reference
- Buffalo Bills on jt-sw.com
Buffalo Bills |
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- Founded in 1960
- Based and headquartered in Orchard Park, New York
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