By Alex “MereKat” LeMere
Webster’s Dictionary defines a drought as a period of dr…Just kidding, folks. You really thought I was about to use the good ol’ “Webster’s defines as” intro for a second, didn’t ya??
Welcome to the first installment of “Dredging Up the Drought”. A new series I have been playing around with the idea of for months now, where I highlight notable players from the Bills’ playoff drought that was one of the longest in professional sports history and the longest active at the time of any major sport (last made in 1999/00 before finally making it back in the 2017/18 season).
Although those years showered all of #BillsMafia in embarrassment, disappointment, and false hope, there were plenty of bright spots and players embraced by the fandom and made the losing sting a little less.
This series will focus on a different Bills player that made an impact, good or bad (mostly good), for this team during the drought era and bring them back into the spotlight, so we don’t forget what they and us fans had to endure.
In the first edition, I decided to cover a man who entered the league as an undrafted free agent wide receiver out of college and blossomed into a starting strong safety, team captain and recognized philanthropist for the Buffalo Bills:
George “The Senator” Wilson
I was a huge George Wilson guy growing up. Being born in just ’95, I didn’t really pick up a more serious fandom until the mid-2000s, which explains why Wilson holds a special place in my Bills’ love since that’s when he started his emergence for Buffalo.
So, why not kick off a series that may dredge up some up bad memories of the drought, with a player who made a positive impact for the Bills, both on and off the field.
The College Come Up
Wilson played his college ball at Arkansas as a receiver, where he left a lasting mark. In his final three seasons as a starter (had just five receptions as a freshman), the versatile receiver compiled 139 receptions for 2,094 yards and 16 touchdowns in 38 games.
Wilson departed from Arkansas after four full years, leaving behind a legacy that saw him exit the football program as the second all-time leader in catches (144) and third all-time in both receiving yards (2,151) and receiving touchdowns (16). He was even selected as apart of Arkansas’ All-Decade team for the 2000s (as a receiver, obviously).
Entering the NFL draft as a 6 foot tall, 213 pounds receiver that ran a 4.60 supplied him a decent physical profile. A faster 40-yard dash would’ve benefited Wilson greatly…and maybe a few more inches of height, but the drive was there. Paired with his collegiate statistics, it made Wilson an intriguing prospect with size and production…but he never heard his name called on the night of the 2004 NFL draft.
The Big Leagues
Although he wasn’t drafted, Wilson didn’t give up on his NFL dream and signed as an UDFA with the Detroit Lions five days after the draft on April 30, 2004. He couldn’t make it out of the Summer, though, and was cut before the 2004-05 season began.
George Wilson’s NFL journey was almost over as soon as it began. That was until the Buffalo Bills took a shot on the, then, 24-year-old receiver out of Arkansas. On Oct. 18, 2004, Wilson was signed to the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad.
Wilson only appeared in three games in 2005 for the Bills, though, between being signed and the 2006 season in which he recorded just two special teams’ tackles and 0 catches in that span.
That’s when in 2007, Bills’ head coach Dick Jauron made a ballsy move and decided to try and transition Wilson from a receiver to safety. At 26 years old and with little NFL game action in three seasons, it was a drastic move but one to get Wilson on the field. The rest is history from that point.
Jauron and the Bills’ coaching staffed eased Wilson into the transition, which saw him get action just once (1 solo tackle week three against New England).
Buffalo would decide to rip the band-aid off quicker than anticipated (mainly due to injuries in the Buffalo secondary) when they announced Wilson would make his first career NFL start week 5 in a primetime game.
26 1/2 years old, accustomed to the practice squad, a major position change…and a shot at Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys at home on Monday Night Football to make his presence known.
It seems like a feel-good movie script, but it wasn’t a fantasy. George Wilson worked hard for and earned this opportunity.
On the evening of Oct. 8, 2007, in front of 72,000 Bills’ fans and the eyes of a nation on him, Wilson stepped up and let the world know his name. On just his third pass of the game, Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo was intercepted by Wilson and returned 25 yards for the game’s opening touchdown.
Absolute chills, folks.
Seriously, I remember every part of this game (and the heartbreak it caused). Still, this play has always held a very special spot in my mind—a beginning for Wilson’s career that couldn’t have been scripted better by Boaz Yakin and one that those who endured the drought should never forget.
For me, I just moved from wide receiver to safety [and] we played the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football here in Orchard Park. I got a pick-six off of Tony Romo on the first series. It just kind of electrified the crowd, and it was a big moment of that ball game, and it essentially kicked off the second phase of my playing career because I switched positions that offseason.
– GEORGE WILSON TO BUFFALOBILLS.COM ON HIS FAVORITE MEMORY AS A BILL
George Wilson would end up starting all nine of the final games for the Bills in 2007 and finished with two interceptions, four passes defended, 30 tackles, and 2 defensive touchdowns. An interesting decision by Jauron and the Bills seemed to pay off big as the team found their starting safety for the next five years.
From 2007 to 2012 in Buffalo, Wilson would go on to appear in 89 games with 55 starts at mostly strong safety. His tenure as a Bill ended in February of 2013 when the team released him. It was a roster move that stung, but made sense as Wilson had just triggered a salary bump in his contract, was a few months from 32 years old, and had Da’Norris Searcy champing at the bit behind him.
In his time in Buffalo, Wilson racked up 412 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 12 interceptions, 25 passes defended, and two defensive scores.
George Wilson’s abilities as a leader and genuinely good human being won’t show up on the stat sheet…but he’s one of the best to ever put on a Bills’ uniform. Wilson would be selected and serve as a team captain starting in 2008 and would continue for the next four seasons.
In 2008 he was awarded the “President’s Volunteer Service Award”, a civil award bestowed by the President to honor volunteers that give hundreds of hours per year helping others.
He also won the Buffalo Bills’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award TWICE (’09 and ’11) that honors a player’s volunteer and charity work, as well as their excellence on the field.
Truly, and I mean TRULY, impressive as all hell for an UDFA receiver who didn’t start until he was 26 and had every reason to hang them up.
Wilson wrapped up his career with the Tennessee Titans after signing with them just 11 days after he was released from the Bills. He to appeared in 32 (started 13 of them) games for the Titans over the next two seasons and stayed a productive asset to them still at 33 before being waived and ending his career.
Excellence Off of the Field
George Wilson was the class of the NFL and an incredible person off the field, both during and after his career.
I had already mentioned the awards he had received as a professional athlete. A two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year selection for the Bills that exemplified his charity work and contributions to others while maintaining a high level of play is one of the highest honors in the NFL.
On top of that, he was awarded a medal from the President of the United States (the earlier mentioned “President’s Volunteer Service Award”) in 2011, which was THE HIGHEST service honor that the White House presents.
Why did he earn these honors though?
I mean other than his nickname of “The Senator” which was granted to him by John “the voice of the Bills” Murphy for his demeanor and the way he handled media with honesty and earnestly.
Wilson continuously stayed active in both his hometown community of Paducah, KY and his football home of Buffalo, NY with his philanthropy projects and efforts to make the lives of children the best he could, from education reform to various programs promoting leadership.
In 2009, after receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award, Wilson took the next step in his humanitarian efforts and launched his “George Wilson S.A.F.E.T.Y. Foundation” to the next level. S.A.F.E.T.Y. stands for “Save Adolescents From the Everyday Trials of Youth” and strives to demonstrate compassion and to be a pillar of courage and strength to the children they assist.
The foundation offers everything from retreats, after school and summer mentorship programs as well as football/athletics camps. Since it was founded in 2009, Wilson and his foundation have reached and helped over 5,000 children.
If I were to go over all of his charitable contributions, this would become an essay, so I’ll highlight some of his other efforts here quickly:
- “George’s Jungle” program, Wilson donated his presence, meal vouchers, and 20 season tickets to Buffalo Public Schools.
- “Boxes of Love” effort through S.A.F.E.T.Y. where over 100 at-need families received Thanksgiving meals.
- Served as a spokesperson for the Buffalo Bills Kids Escaping Drugs Campaign and helped raise thousands of dollars for the program.
- Helped run and presented at “Night out with the Bills” hosted by the Buffalo Pro Ministry Athletes in Action.
- Worked heavily with United Way and was the regional spokesperson for them representing Erie County in 2010.
- Has worked with “Toys for Tots” in Paducah and Buffalo to provide children with thousands of toys during the holiday season.
- Developed a relationship he still holds and mentored 15 at-risk youths from Buffalo in the “That’s Life” program.
- Has been very vocal about the unrest in the country involving BLM, police brutality, and how we can move forward and progress as a country.
That’s still not even all of it…but you guys get the picture. An absolutely amazing human being is trying to leave the world a better place than when he entered it.
George Wilson should serve as an inspiration to anyone who knows his story and a bright spot on the football field during our darkest times as Bills’ fans. Thank you, George Wilson.
P.S. I’d be remiss not to include the Mary J. Blige music video “We Got Hood Love” featuring George Wilson (Wilson had done some modeling and has been described as “hot” on many occasions) as one of the three guys getting cucked.
The Sports Desk can be reached at editorialtrainwrecksports@gmail.com
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