Positive news for Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — There are two things receiver Andre Reed is most certain of in preparing to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend.
The eight-year wait to hear his name called really didn’t feel that long. More important, the timing of the announcement in February was fitting given the sudden uncertainty hovering over his beloved Buffalo Bills.
East Brady graduate Jim Kelly, the Hall of Fame quarterback and face of the franchise, is in a weakened state while battling cancer. And Ralph Wilson, the team’s Hall of Fame owner, died in March. The Bills are on the market, with concerns of the franchise potentially relocating under a new owner.
As a result, Reed views his induction as something capable of providing anyone who’s ever had a connection to the Bills a joyous diversion by giving them a reason to celebrate Saturday night.
“This is bigger than me,” Reed said. “We all know what’s going on with the team and all that stuff. This is like a breath of fresh air. I’m glad I’m at the forefront of this, because there’s something to be happy about.”
Going from Kutztown State, a Division II school in Pennsylvania, to Canton, Ohio, Reed sparked more than a few celebrations during his 16-year NFL career, the first 15 spent in Buffalo.
When he retired after the 2000 season, Reed ranked third on the NFL list with 951 catches, fourth with 13,198 yards receiving and sixth with 87 touchdowns receiving. He was an integral part of a Kelly-quarterbacked and Marv Levy-coached team that won four consecutive AFC championships from 1990-93, but each time lost in the Super Bowl.
Reed was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection. He became Kelly’s most trusted target, with the two hooking up 663 times to set an NFL record which was eventually broken by the Indianapolis combination of Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison in 2004.
Former teammate-turned-broadcaster Steve Tasker recalled how Reed maintained his competitive desire after he retired.
