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Buffalo Bills Legend Signs One-Day Deal to Assist Coaching Staff Against Jets

This Day in Buffalo Sports History, Dec. 29, 1996: Bruce Smith named NFL's  Defensive Player of the Year

Orchard Park, NY – September 13, 2025

The Buffalo Bills have announced a one-day contract with Hall of Fame legend Bruce Smith, bringing him back in a supporting coaching role with the defensive staff for their Week 2 matchup against the New York Jets.

This move carries deep significance for a Bills team looking to rebound from an inconsistent defensive performance in their thrilling Week 1 comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The defensive line, in particular, faces challenges with key injuries: defensive tackle Ed Oliver is sidelined with an ankle injury, expected to miss multiple weeks, and the team is still adjusting to a revamped defensive front following a significant overhaul in the offseason.

Smith, the NFL’s all-time sack leader with 200 career quarterback takedowns, including 171 during his tenure with the Bills, brings unmatched expertise and a commanding presence. His role will focus on mentoring the defensive line, instilling technique, and inspiring a unit aiming to disrupt Seattle’s potent passing attack led by quarterback Sam Darnold, who is coming off a strong Week 1 performance.

Head coach Sean McDermott spoke highly of Smith’s return, emphasizing his enduring impact:
“Bruce was a cornerstone of this franchise, leading our defense to four straight Super Bowls. His presence brings clarity and fire to our players. When he’s here, everything feels easier than it should, no matter the challenges. He led the Bills with dominance back then, and that legacy will continue to inspire us now.”

For Bills Mafia, seeing Smith back on the sidelines is a powerful reminder of the team’s storied past. The 62-year-old legend, still a beloved figure in Buffalo, represents resilience and excellence. His journey with the Bills, from the No. 1 overall pick in 1985 to the franchise’s greatest defensive player, has never truly ended—and on Sunday, it will continue in a meaningful new chapter.

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Chiefs Head Coach Announces Chris Jones to Start on the Bench for Standout Rookie After Costly Mistake vs. Jaguars
  Kansas City, MO —The Kansas City Chiefs’ coaching staff confirmed that Chris Jones will start on the bench in the next game to make way for rookie DT Omarr Norman-Lott, following a mistake viewed as pivotal in the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The move is framed as a message about discipline and micro-detail up front, while forcing the entire front seven to re-sync with Steve Spagnuolo’s system. Early-week film study highlighted two core issues. First, a neutral-zone/offsides penalty on a late 3rd-and-short that extended a Jaguars drive and set up the decisive points. Second, a Tex stunt (tackle–end exchange) that broke timing: the call asked Jones to spike the B-gap to occupy the guard while the end looped into the A-gap, but the footwork and shoulder angle didn’t marry, opening a clear cutback lane. To Spagnuolo, this was more than an individual error—it was a warning about snap discipline, gap integrity, pad level, and landmarks at contact, the very details that define Kansas City’s “January standard.” Under the adjusted plan, Omarr Norman-Lott takes the base/early-downs start to tighten interior gap discipline, stabilize run fits, and give the call sheet a cleaner platform. Chris Jones is not being shelved; he’ll be “lit up” in high-leverage situations—3rd-and-long, two-minute stretches, and the red zone—where his interior surge can collapse the pocket and force quarterbacks to drift into edge pursuit. In parallel, the staff will streamline the call sheet with the line group, standardize stunt tags (Tex/Pir), shrink the late-stem window pre-snap, and ramp game-speed reps in 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 so everyone is “seeing it the same, triggering the same.” Meeting the decision head-on, Jones kept it brief but competitive: “I can’t accept letting a kid take my spot, but I respect the coach’s decision. Let’s see what we’re saying after the game. I’ll practice and wait for my chance. When the ball is snapped, the QB will know who I am.” At team level, the Chiefs are banking on a well-timed hard brake to restore core principles: no free yards, no lost fits, more 3rd-and-longs forced, and the return of negative plays (TFLs, QB hits) that flip field position. In an AFC where margins often come down to half a step at the line, getting back to micro-details—from the first heel strike at the snap to the shoulder angle on contact—remains the fastest route for Kansas City to rebound from the stumble against Jacksonville.