By Alex “MereKat” LeMere
We’re back with “Dredging Up the Drought,” folks! I’m excited to continue this series after the warm reception I received from the series opener on George Wilson (READ HERE: https://www.trainwrecksports.com/dredging-up-the-drought-1-george-wilson/ ) from all of you. I really appreciate every set of eyes. Being able to produce something I really enjoy writing about and then seeing others enjoy it is a driving force behind my writing.
I prefaced last week’s series opener by talking a bit about how I basically grew up and became a fan of the Bills without seeing much on-field success. “The Drought” is something I grew up with and was accustomed to, so I’d try and find the good in players during that time, and *poof* came to the idea to start writing about Bills that were standouts in an era where the team was at a low point.
This week I decided to dredge up another heavy weight from the drought era…
CB/KR Terrence McGee
Not many players can say they spent an entire 10-year career with just a single team, yet that’s what McGee did with the Buffalo Bills.
McGee’s not a guy whose name is brought up a lot when people talk about legendary Bills and might not ever see his name on the Wall of Fame, but he’s 100 percent a Buffalo Bills legend.
Days as a Demon
McGee left behind his roots in Smith Co., TX after playing at Athens HS to play Division I-AA Football for the Northwestern State Demons in Louisiana (Fun Fact: This is where Ed Orgeron played after LSU) where he’d end up playing football all 4 years in attendance (1999-2002).
His days in early college saw him a shutdown corner in-the-works with a nose for the ball while also being utilized on special teams to his full extent. McGee was a good cornerback in college but made his mark with his return skills.
As a sophomore was when the Swiss army knife, McGee, had his real breakout being honored as an All-American return specialist. During that 2000 season, McGee brought back punts for a staggering 23.7 yards per return while tossing in three scores, taking back kicks. That 23.7 yards per clip set an NCAA-FCS record for punt return average in a season. That record may have gotten broken in 2001…but McGee’s feat was impressive nonetheless.
McGee would continue to excel as a feared return man while blossoming as a defender his final two seasons. He would rise to become one of the most feared weapons in all of the FCS, transcending into a dominant CB, remaining one of the best returners in the nation, and eventually started filling roles anywhere on the field (even played wide receiver and safety his final season).
All said and done, the wily jack of all trades would leave behind a mark at Northwestern State that saw him lead the Demons to two playoff appearances, obtain All-American honors, and set an FCS record.
Over his 4-years of service, McGee tallied 44 pass breakups (tied a school record), intercepted 11 balls, and complied a heap of yards and scores as a returner.
Eventually, McGee would be named to the Southland Conference’s All-Time Football Team and recognized at Northwestern State for his illustrious career.
From Bayou to Buffalo
Okay, I don’t actually know if there are any bayous near Northwestern State, but it’s in Louisiana, and it sounded good *shrugs*
McGee found himself heading to Buffalo to continue his football career after the Bills took him in the fourth round with the 111th pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. A kid from the heat of the South gets his shot in the snowscapes (I KNOW THE SNOW THING IS OVERPLAYED) of Western New York.
During his rookie campaign, McGee was forced to be patient and stood in the shadows of former first-round selections, Antoine Winfield Sr. (1999) and Nate Clements (2003). That wasn’t going to keep McGee from taking advantage of any opportunities presented, though.
McGee’s first season as a Bill saw him appear in 14 games but start only 2. He got his first career interception in Week 14 at home against Jet’s QB Chad Pennington to help seal a Buffalo win. He’d finish his rookie season as a “part-timer” but stilled compiled 2 interceptions, 6 passes defended, a forced fumble, and 34 tackles.
McGee’s impressive play as a rookie gave Bills’ General Manager, Tom Donahoe, the confidence to let star CB Antoine Winfield Sr. walk in free agency. The Bills did sign star CB Troy Vincent, but with the intent to convert him to safety. This catapult McGee into the starting cornerback opposite Clements for the majority of the 2004 season. The move was questioned a bit, not because of McGee’s abilities, but the decision to let Winfield walk upset some.
McGee would quickly dispell any doubts.
A starter on a team that was falling from grace, under a new head coach and filling the shoes of his predecessor is a lot to put on the plate of a young guy. Good thing McGee was hungry.
2004 would mark the year that McGee burst into the scene and proved himself, both, as a good starting cornerback and an elite kick returner for a team desperate for talent.
Having returned just 8 kickoffs for a 20 yard average as a rookie, he was finally unleashed as the primary returner his second pro season, which is what earned him esteem in college.
That season McGee took back a total of 52 kickoffs for a whopping 1,370 yards (26.35 yards per return) with 3 touchdowns…just 1 off tying the NFL record.
His return prowess earned him Pro Bowl honors as well as an All-Pro distinction that year. McGee was selected as a first-team All-Pro by Pro Football Writers Association & The Sporting News and second-team by the AP. Pretty damn good.
On the defensive side of the ball, McGee contributed 3 interceptions, 15 passes defended, and 75 tackles on defense as his first season as a primary starter at corner…Antoine Winfield, who??? McGee displayed both a nose for playing balls in the air and a willingness to contribute against the run, something Winfield was praised for.
The Bills found their diamond in the rough at cornerback while unleashing the most dangerous special teams threat in team history.
Over the next 8 seasons, McGee would ride out his entire 10-year career with the Bills. He’d make another All-Pro in 2005 and go on to break a gaggle of franchise records. Starting 90 games and appearing in 122 over that span, McGee stuffed those stat sheets like a turkey.
His most memorable performance, according to himself, was the Bills’ 2005 Christmas Eve matchup against the Bengals. The 4-10 Bills’ playoff hopes were dead as they traveled to Cincinnati to take on the 11-3 Bengals. Late in the third quarter, McGee returned a kickoff 99 yards to give the Bills a 20-17 lead. With under a minute left in the same game and the Bengals down 3, Carson Palmer gets picked off by McGee, who takes it 46 yards for the game-sealing score. This made McGee the first player in NFL history with a kick and interception return touchdown in the same game. Merry Christmas, Bills fans!
When McGee is brought up, the first thought that comes to mind is his kick returning, even though the guy was an awesome cornerback for Buffalo. On the defensive side, McGee would end up with 17 interceptions (1 returned for a score), 99 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries (1 scoop and score), 3 sacks, and over 500 tackles.
As a returner? I have no trouble saying he was one of the best return men in modern NFL history. He wasn’t on the level of Devin Hester, but he was our own star special teamer. From 2004 through 2007, McGee returned 195 kickoffs for 5,198 yards (26.66 yard per return) to pair with 5 touchdowns. All-in-all, he’d finish his time here with over 200 returns and 5,722 all-purpose yards on kickoffs.
All Good Things Come to an End
The Bills wished the 33-year-old McGee a Happy Valentine’s Day on February 14, 2013, by cutting the veteran. This wasn’t a huge surprise as the aging CB was dealing with injury issues the previous few seasons, and the addition of new, younger talent came in like Stephon Gilmore.
Oddly enough, he was cut just three days after George Wilson, the subject of the first “Dredging Up the Drought.” Buddy Nix was shedding some weight, and McGee didn’t have a bad word about the situation.
McGee retired shortly after his release, cementing the fact he’d be a Bill for life.
The former Bill still has roots down in Buffalo, though. McGee is a partner in the Buffalo steakhouse, SEAR, with former teammates Fred Jackson and Brian Moorman. May I add that SEAR is incredible? One of my favorite spots in Buffalo, and you might even run into some Bills while eating (I recommend the Brussel Sprouts).
Back during the Bills’ 2018 season, McGee made his return to the field and “lead the charge” for the team before a game against Jacksonville we’d win 24-21.
Terrence McGee’s legacy lives on and he still retains a host of Buffalo Bills’ records and NFL marks:
- Most passes defended in Bills’ history (99)
- Most fumble return yards (106)
- Most kickoff return touchdowns in Bills’ history (5)
- Most kickoff return yards in Bills’ history (5,450)
- Most kickoff returns in Bills’ history (207)
- Longest kickoff return touchdown in Bills’ history (104)
- T-Most total return touchdowns in Bills’ history (7)
- T-23rd all-time NFL kick return average (26.3)
- T-26th all-time NFL kick return yards (5450)
- T-9th all-time NFL kick return scores (5)
- 2x All-Pro (2004, 2005)
- 1x Pro Bowl (2004)
- First player in NFL history to return a kickoff and an interception for a touchdown in the same game (12/24/2005 @CIN)
Terrence McGee is a Buffalo Bills’ LEGEND. No talking me out of it, and why would you? McGee will go down as one of the best “all-around” players in team history, not just during the drought. He had the talent and the numbers to leave Buffalo after his rookie deal but stuck around gave us his all during some depressing times.
Cheers to No. 24.
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