BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — Last year, on a Saturday in Pittsburgh, “Buffalo” Joe Andreessen showed that the kid from Lancaster was more than just a feel-good story.
“Like I said, I’m an undrafted guy, and I looked at it as an opportunity with nothing to lose," Andreessen told reporters following a 2024 preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. "Not a lot of people are expecting me to make the team."
Fast forward almost a year, and a lot has changed for Andreessen both on and off the field.
“Sometimes kids don’t even know who you are, and their dad has to introduce them and tell them that they play for the Bills, their eyes light up," Andreessen said this week following Wednesday's training camp practice. "Hopefully, for the kids who are a little bit older, they can look towards me and see that anything is possible."
WATCH: From feel-good story to competitor, Buffalo Bills linebacker Joe Andreessen ready to take next step
From signing autographs at training camp to being front and center on HBO’s Hard Knocks.
“I saw the beginning, and it kind of surprised me," he said. "I was like 'Oh, I’m the opening piece, huh?' It was cool.”
Andreessen has become more than just a local success story.
“It’s not Buffalo Joe anymore, it’s Joe Andreessen, the NFL football player," Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said of Andreessen.
Andreessen heads into his second year in the league with 16 NFL games under his belt. It’s why Babich wants to see him take the next step in his NFL journey.
“Every year, the greatest football players I’ve been around, they feel like they need to prove they belong in the NFL," added Babich. "The All-Pros we’ve all coached, that’s their mentality, and it needs to be his mentality.”
Expectations are high for Andreessen this season, but it looks like his confidence is even higher.
"When you see that trust within the coaches or the top people within the organization, it builds your confidence and makes you feel better," Andreessen added. "When you’re playing without thinking or worrying about external things, it allows you to play faster.”
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