BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — Buffalo Bills fans had a pretty tough Wednesday.
“I had to try and gather myself while I was at work. Half freaked out and trying to hold it together," says Gabrian Calkins. Who found out the news of the release of Jordan Poyer, Tre'Davious White, and Mitch Morse as she was traveling to visit a friend here in Western New York.
“Kind of expected and unexpected when it happened," adds Daniel Gozdan.
“Next thing you know it’s one after the other, after the other. Tre, Mitch. I was like, this is really the end of an era." Syracuse-born Bills fan James Keller told 7 Sports.
It was in 2017 when Poyer signed with Buffalo. From there he helped lead the Blue and Red from years of never even sniffing the playoffs, to being a continual Super Bowl contender.
“Poyer was one of the first guys to give us a shot," Keller said."Same with Mitch. Tre was drafted here but those guys gave us a shot to change the organization. Poyer has been the leader on defense I think for the entirety of that time.”
Then you have Sean McDermott’s first-ever draft pick as head coach of the Bills. Tre'Davious White. His remarkable play on the field left no doubt, but off the field, both in the locker room and in the community, his humor and personality left an imprint.
“I was working at Best Buy. And I got called to bring out some TVs. I got to put them into the back of Tre'Davious’ Navigator. He was a really good guy," Gozdan added. "Personable and he would talk to you.”
And then you have Mitch Morse who became a leader instantly after moving to Buffalo. His team-first, defend you until the end attitude struck a chord with many fans.
“People were getting negative about a lot of stuff. And he just came out and said, man these are my guys, lifelong Bills fan Stephanie Keller says. "This team is great and it showed what a leader he was.”
What probably weighs the heaviest on fans was that this generation’s core of talent, who snapped the drought and continually put Buffalo in the Super Bowl conversation, will not have a ring as a Buffalo Bill to show for any of it.
But moving forward the hope for Bills Mafia in the coming season stays the same.
"You obviously hope they’ll bring in guys that'll win us the Super Bowl. After all these years.”
“It’s exciting. We get guys like Dalton Kincaid and James Cook who are really stepping up. Which is weird because it feels like we’re still in a new era of Bills football. But hopefully, it’s getting over the hump and getting that Lombardi trophy.”
