A Basic History of the Buffalo Bills Football Team

The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team that plays in the National Football League. The Bills play in the East Division of the American Football Conference.

The franchise began playing in the American Football League in 1960 as the Buffalo Bills. The Bills played in the Eastern Division of the American Football League from 1960-1969.

Following the AFL-NFL merger, the Buffalo Bills began playing in the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the NFL, the AFC East.

The Buffalo Bills played their home games in War Memorial Stadium from 1960-1972. Prior to the 1973 season, the Bills moved to their current location, Ralph Wilson Stadium, which was known as Rich Stadium from 1973-1998.

In the history of the Buffalo Bills, they have won a total of ten Division Championships. The team won the AFL East title in 1964, 1965, and 1966. The Bills won the AFC East seven times in 1980, 1988-1991, 1993, and 1995.

Prior to the merger, the Bills won two AFL Championships, doing it back-to-back in 1964 and 1965. Since joining the NFL, Buffalo has won the AFC Championship and made the Super Bowl four times, which came consecutively from 1990-1993. The Bills lost all four Super Bowls that they played in.

The Buffalo Bills only have one retired jersey number. The number 12 is retired in honor of former quarterback Jim Kelly, who helped lead the team to their four Super Bowl appearances.

Six former players for the Buffalo Bills are enshrined in the National Football Hall of Fame. Those players are Joe DeLamielleure, Jim Kelly, James Lofton, Billy Shaw, O.J. Simpson, and Thurman Thomas. Former coach Marv Levy is also enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Levy was the coach of the Bills during all four of their trips to the Super Bowl.

Three other numbers have not been retired by the team, but the team has not reissued the numbers, signifying an unofficial retirement. Those numbers are 32 for O.J. Simpson, 34 for Thurman Thomas, and 78 for Bruce Smith. Thomas and Smith were both a part of the Bills teams that went to four Super Bowls.

The Buffalo Bills are currently owned by Ralph Wilson. Dick Jauron is the head coach, and Marv Levy is the general manager.

The official colors of the Buffalo Bills are navy blue, red, white, light blue, light red, royal, and nickel. Billy Buffalo is the team's mascot.

The Buffalo Bills are based in Orchard Park, New York.