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1976 Buffalo Bills season
17th season in franchise history
17th season in franchise history
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| team | Buffalo Bills |
| year | 1976 |
| record | 2–12 |
| division_place | 5th AFC East |
| coach | Lou Saban (resigned) |
| Jim Ringo (interim) | |
| owner | Ralph Wilson |
| stadium | Rich Stadium |
| playoffs | *Did not qualify* |
| pro_bowlers | **G** Joe DeLamielleure |
| **RB** O. J. Simpson | |
| AP All-pros | **G** Joe DeLamielleure (1st team) |
| **RB** O. J. Simpson (1st team) | |
| shortnavlink | Bills seasons |
Jim Ringo (interim) RB O. J. Simpson | AP All-pros = G Joe DeLamielleure (1st team) RB O. J. Simpson (1st team)
The 1976 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 7th season in the National Football League, and the 17th overall.
Buffalo's season was troubled from the start, as the team was in a contract dispute with star running back O. J. Simpson. Simpson had been demanding a trade, before finally agreeing to a three-year, $2.5 million contract.
The Bills started the season 2–2, before losing their final ten games of the season. Quarterback Joe Ferguson only started the first seven games before being sidelined for the season with a back injury. Backup quarterback Gary Marangi started Buffalo's final seven games, all losses.
Fullback Jim Braxton injured his knee in the Bills' season opener and was lost for the season. Simpson still led the NFL in rushing in 1976, even without Braxton's blocking.
Bills head coach Lou Saban resigned after the fifth game of the season, with the Bills struggling at 2–3. Offensive line coach Jim Ringo took over, but would not win a game for the rest of the year.
The lowest point of the season was when O. J. Simpson was ejected from a game for getting into a fight with New England Patriots defensive end Mel Lunsford. Lunsford was also ejected from the game. Neither player was fined or suspended by the league.
Offseason
Before the 1976 season, Buffalo lost some key players, notably wide receivers Ahmad Rashad and J. D. Hill, and defensive linemen Earl Edwards, Walt Patulski and Pat Toomay.
1976 expansion draft
Main article: 1976 NFL expansion draft
| Buffalo Bills | border=2}}" | Round | Buffalo Bills | border=2}}" | Overall | Buffalo Bills | border=2}}" | Name | Buffalo Bills | border=2}}" | Position | Buffalo Bills | border=2}}" | Expansion team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | Gary Hayman | Running back | [Seattle Seahawks](1976-seattle-seahawks-season) | ||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | Frank Oliver | Defensive back | [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](1976-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season) | ||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | Pat Toomay | Defensive end | [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](1976-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season) |
NFL draft
Main article: 1976 NFL draft
Note: 1976 was the final year in which the NFL draft was seventeen rounds; it would be reduced to twelve rounds in 1977.
The Bills' 1976 draft produced four long-time starters with their first four picks. First round pick Mario Clark played for seven seasons with the Bills. Offensive guard Ken Jones played for the Bills for eleven years. Offensive tackle Joe Devlin played every game of his 14-year career with the Bills, playing in all 191 regular-season games until his retirement after the 1989 season. Defensive end Ben Williams played for the Bills for 10 years; he was a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro for the 1982 season.
Personnel
Staff/coaches
| **1976 Buffalo Bills staff** |
|---|
| **Front office** |
Roster
Regular season
Schedule
| Buffalo Bills | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Week | Buffalo Bills | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Date | Buffalo Bills | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Opponent | Buffalo Bills | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Result | Buffalo Bills | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Record | Buffalo Bills | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Venue | Buffalo Bills | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Attendance | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **[Miami Dolphins](1976-miami-dolphins-season)** | **L** 21–30 | 0–1 | Rich Stadium | 77,683 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 19 | [Houston Oilers](1976-houston-oilers-season) | **L** 3–13 | 0–2 | Rich Stadium | 61,384 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 26 | at [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](1976-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season) | **W** 14–9 | 1–2 | Tampa Stadium | 44,505 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 3 | [Kansas City Chiefs](1976-kansas-city-chiefs-season) | **W** 50–17 | 2–2 | Rich Stadium | 51,909 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 10 | at **[New York Jets](1976-new-york-jets-season)** | **L** 14–17 | 2–3 | Shea Stadium | 59,110 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 17 | **[Baltimore Colts](1976-baltimore-colts-season)** | **L** 13–31 | 2–4 | Rich Stadium | 71,009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 24 | **[New England Patriots](1976-new-england-patriots-season)** | **L** 22–26 | 2–5 | Rich Stadium | 45,144 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 31 | **[New York Jets](1976-new-york-jets-season)** | **L** 14–19 | 2–6 | Rich Stadium | 41,285 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 7 | at **[New England Patriots](1976-new-england-patriots-season)** | **L** 10–20 | 2–7 | Schaefer Stadium | 61,157 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| at [Dallas Cowboys](1976-dallas-cowboys-season) | **L** 10–17 | 2–8 | Texas Stadium | 51,799 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 21 | [San Diego Chargers](1976-san-diego-chargers-season) | **L** 13–34 | 2–9 | Rich Stadium | 36,539 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| at [Detroit Lions](1976-detroit-lions-season) | **L** 14–27 | 2–10 | Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium | 66,875 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 5 | at **[Miami Dolphins](1976-miami-dolphins-season)** | **L** 27–45 | 2–11 | Miami Orange Bowl | 43,475 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 12 | at **[Baltimore Colts](1976-baltimore-colts-season)** | **L** 20–58 | 2–12 | Memorial Stadium | 50,451 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| **Note:** Intra-division opponents are in **bold** text. |
Season summary
Week 3
Week 4
Week 12
O. J. Simpson rushed for 273 yards, setting a Thanksgiving Day record that still holds as of the end of the 2016 season.
Standings
Awards and honors
- O. J. Simpson, Thanksgiving Day Record, Most Rushing Yards in One Game, 273 yards vs. Detroit Lions, November 25
References
References
- Neft, David S.; Cohen, Richard M.; and Korch, Rich [http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/0312110731/soft-cover/ The Sports Encyclopedia: Pro Football, 12th Edition], p. 306, Martin's Press, August 1994, {{ISBN. 0-312-11073-1
- "Buffalo Bills' O.J. Simpson walks along sidelines after being ejected".
- "Simpson Ejected for Fighting".
- {{usurped
- [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197609260tam.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]. Retrieved 2014-Nov-06.
- [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197610030buf.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
- NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN. 0-7611-2480-2, p. 377
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