The 1994 Buffalo Bills season was the 35th season for the team franchise and the 25th in the National Football League. The Bills entered the season as the four-time defending AFC champions and looked to advance to the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season and to the Super Bowl for the fifth consecutive season- and to finally win a Super Bowl.
However, for the first time since 1987, the Bills failed to make the playoffs. Buffalo finished at 7–9 for the year, only good enough for fourth place in the AFC East.1994 was the only season between 1988 and 1996 when Buffalo did not qualify for the postseason. Going into Week 14 the Bills were still in postseason contention, before losing their final three games and finishing the season with a losing record for the first time since the aforementioned strike-shortened 1987 season.
Offseason Additions SubtractionsQB Rick Strom (Steelers) T Howard Ballard (Seahawks) CB James Williams (Cardinals) QB Gale Gilbert (Chargers) G Jim Ritcher (Falcons)
NFL draft 1994 Buffalo Bills draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 27Jeff BurrisCBNotre Dame 2 48 Bucky Brooks CB North Carolina 61 Lonnie Johnson TE Florida State 64Sam RogersLBColorado 3 81Marlo Perry LBJackson State 98 Corey Louchiey OT South Carolina 4 130 Sean Crocker DB North Carolina 5 158 A. J. Ofodile TE Missouri 6 188 Anthony Abrams DT Clark Atlanta 192 Kevin Knox WR Florida State 221 Filmel Johnson DB Illinois
Source:
Undrafted free agents + 1994 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeJohn BockCenterIndiana StateMike CollinsSafetyWest VirginiaTodd HergetLinebackerBYUSteve HoyemTackleStanford
Personnel Staff/coaches 1994 Buffalo Bills staff Front office President – Ralph Wilson Vice president of administration/general manager – John Butler Assistant general manager/director of pro personnel – Bob Ferguson Director of player personnel – John Butler Assistant director/collegiate scouting – A. J. Smith Summer intern – Tom Telesco
Coaching staff Vice president for football operations/head coach – Marv Levy Assistant head coach - Elijah Pitts Administrative assistant to the head coach – Chuck Lester
Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/offensive line – Tom Bresnahan Quarterbacks coach – Jim Shofner Running backs coach – Elijah Pitts Receivers coach – Charlie Joiner Offensive quality control/tight ends – Don Lawrence
Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Walt Corey Defensive line – Dan Sekanovich Defensive backs – Dick Roach Linebackers coach - Walt Corey Assistant linebackers coach – Chuck Lester
Special teams Special teams – Bruce DeHaven
Strength & conditioning Strength and conditioning coordinator – Rusty Jones
Roster 1994 Buffalo Bills roster Quarterbacks Frank Reich Rick Strom Alex Van Pelt
Running backs Kenneth Davis Carwell Gardner FB Yonel Jourdain KR Thurman Thomas Tim Tindale FB Nate Turner FB
Wide receivers Don Beebe KR Bill Brooks Russell Copeland KR Andre Reed Damon Thomas
Tight ends Lonnie Johnson Vince Marrow Pete Metzelaars Offensive linemen Jerry Crafts T/G John Davis G Mike Devlin C John Fina T Steve Hoyem T Kent Hull C Adam Lingner C/LS Corey Louchiey T Jerry Ostroski G Glenn Parker T
Defensive linemen Oliver Barnett DE Phil Hansen DE Mike Lodish NT James Patton DE Mark Pike DE Bruce Smith DE Jeff Wright NT Linebackers Cornelius Bennett OLB Keith Goganious ILB Mark Maddox ILB Marvcus Patton ILB Marlo Perry OLB Sam Rogers OLB Darryl Talley OLB
Defensive backs Jeff Burris CB/PR Matt Darby FS Mike Dumas FS Greg Evans SS Jerome Henderson CB Filmel Johnson CB Henry Jones SS Kurt Schulz FS Thomas Smith CB Mickey Washington CB
Special teams Steve Christie K Chris Mohr P Reserve lists Bucky Brooks WR/KR (IR) Monty Brown LB (IR) Jim Kelly QB (IR) Corbin Lacina G (IR) A. J. Ofodile TE (PUP) Ed Philion DT (IR) Steve Tasker WR (IR)
Practice squad* Note: Rookies in Italics 53 active, 7 inactive
Regular season
Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 4 New York Jets L 3–23 0–1 Rich Stadium Recap 2 September 11 at New England Patriots W 38–35 1–1 Foxboro Stadium Recap 3 September 18 at Houston Oilers W 15–7 2–1 Astrodome Recap 4 Denver Broncos W 27–20 3–1 Rich Stadium Recap 5 October 2 at Chicago Bears L 13–20 3–2 Soldier Field Recap 6 October 9 Miami Dolphins W 21–11 4–2 Rich Stadium Recap 7 October 16 Indianapolis Colts L 17–27 4–3 Rich Stadium Recap 8 Bye 9 October 30 Kansas City Chiefs W 44–10 5–3 Rich Stadium Recap 10 at New York Jets L 17–22 5–4 Giants Stadium Recap 11 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 10–23 5–5 Three Rivers Stadium Recap 12 November 20 Green Bay Packers W 29–20 6–5 Rich Stadium Recap 13 at Detroit Lions L 21–35 6–6 Pontiac Silverdome Recap 14 December 4 at Miami Dolphins W 42–31 7–6 Joe Robbie Stadium Recap 15 December 11 Minnesota Vikings L 17–21 7–7 Rich Stadium Recap 16 December 18 New England Patriots L 17–41 7–8 Rich Stadium Recap 17 at Indianapolis Colts L 9–10 7–9 RCA Dome Recap
Game summaries
Week 1
Pete Carroll's debut as a head coach with the New York Jets.
Week 2
Week 3
In a game that featured the old American Football League helmets, the Houston Oilers starting QB for this game was Bucky Richardson.
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
Standings
Notes
References
Bills on Pro Football Reference Bills on jt-sw.com Bills Stats on jt-sw.com