The Buffalo Bills, like the Cleveland Browns (at least before Mike Holmgren), have a bad habit of giving former players too much influence over the organization.
As a result, plenty of them aren’t bashful about wielding it.
Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly previously has made his views known regarding the team’s quarterback situation. “I like Trent [Edwards] personally,” Kelly told USA Today in November. “He works hard. But he’s had three years. It’s time to find somebody who is the future of the Buffalo Bills. If I’m the owner, that’s what I’m thinking.
“Whether it’s Tim Tebow, whether they’ll have a shot at him when draft time comes . . . you have to look at the top three quarterbacks in the draft, really study them. And you look for a guy with good character, good leadership ability and good arm strength -- and a guy who doesn’t come from California.” (Tom Brady possibly disagrees.)
It apparently wasn’t a coincidence that Kelly blurted out Tebow’s name; Kelly’s wife has disclosed on her Twitter page that the former Bills signal-caller had dinner on Sunday night with Tebow.
“JK is on his way home from having dinner with Tim Tebow,” Jill Kelly writes. “I can’t wait to get the full scoop! Can’t wait for draft day!”
She later said that Kelly wouldn’t give her the “full scoop” because she would have put it on Twitter. She later said that Kelly told her Tebow is a “class act and a great guy.”
It’s unknown whether Kelly acted on his own or with the blessing of the organization, but it’s fair to infer that Tebow wouldn’t have been in Buffalo without an invitation from the team. Thus, it’s likely that Kelly was invited by the team to participate in the meal.
Though this might be encouraging to Bills fans who are hoping for someone/anyone to help improve the organization’s on-field performance, it’s not encouraging if the former players have a say in who those players will be.