Press Coverage

By Tim Graham

On a Google search for images of new Buffalo Bills linebacker Kiko Alonso, two of the first three pictures are a mug shot from one of his arrests.

The Bills have made a concerted effort to assemble high-character players under General Manager Buddy Nix. The last Bills regular to get legitimately arrested (not counting fullback Corey McIntyre's mistaken-identity case) was safety Donte Whitner four years ago.

But the Bills are showing faith in Alonso, selecting him with the 46th overall draft choice tonight.

Continue reading "Despite checkered past, Bills say LB Kiko Alonso 'a good risk'" »

By Tim Graham

Former Buffalo Bills safety Donte Whitner visited the NFL Network's "NFL AM" crew this morning, and one of the segments asked him to name the five best safeties in the league.

The top two on Whitner's list are former teammates:

• 1. Dashon Goldson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• 2. Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills
• 3. Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks
• 4. Ed Reed, Houston Texans
• 5. Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers

Whitner played alongside Byrd for two seasons in Buffalo's secondary.

"He's a guy that's going to force fumbles," Whitner said. "He's going to always be around the football. He has very good hands, very good instincts.

"I'd say that if he's not No. 2, he's really 1-B."

By Tim Graham

Stevie Johnson would love to be the John Calipari of Buffalo.

Johnson claimed he has been trying his best to woo some star free agents to the Buffalo Bills.

Dwayne Bowe? Greg Jennings? Dashon Goldson?

Continue reading "Stevie Johnson giving Bills sales pitch to Bowe, Jennings, Goldson" »

By Tim Graham

George Wilson laughed at the idea that as Valentine's Day approaches, he's being courted for the first time in his career.

On Monday, the Buffalo Bills released Wilson, a defensive captain who started every game last season at strong safety. He led the Bills with 73 solo tackles, was second with 98 total tackles and had five pass breakups.

CBS Sports reporter Jason La Caonfora tweeted today that Wilson already has meetings scheduled with the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions with more teams possibly interested.

Wilson told WGRZ Channel 2 sports anchor Adam Benigni that the Bills' decision was expected because they want 2011 fourth-round draft choice Da'Norris Searcy to play.

"When I took my contract in Buffalo after Donte Whitner left, how those negotiations went, I kind of knew that I was just a Band-Aid to over up the wound for a moment, not for an extended period of time," Wilson told Benigni. "Even though I had every desire to finish my career as a Bill, I understand the business side of it."

Wilson, an undrafted wide receiver who was converted to defense, lamented missed opportunities.

He dropped what should have been an interception two plays before Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck completed a fourth-down touchdown pass with 63 seconds left to beat the Bills in Week Seven.

On the St. Louis Rams' game-winning drive inside the two-minute warning of Week 14, Wilson missed two chances to intercept Sam Bradford.

"I only have control over what I do when I'm out there on the field," Wilson said. "I had those opportunities. I didn't make those plays. And I'm a former Bill now.

"But I'm not going to focus on that particular part of my experience in Buffalo. I've had too many good years and have came across too many great people to just focus on my last season there. I just look at it overall as a great ride."

By Tim Graham

NEW ORLEANS --At halftime of Super Bowl XLVII, the Baltimore Ravens appear to be in control with a 21-6 lead over the San Francisco 49ers.

Turner-Carroll grad Corey Graham is a reason for that. He has been an on-the-spot star for the Baltimore Ravens throughout the postseason.

On the sports world's biggest stage tonight, Graham was involved in a game-changing turnover that helped swing momentum for the Ravens in the second quarter.

Continue reading "Corey Graham on the spot, Donte Whitner not in Super Bowl XLVII" »

By Tim Graham

NEW ORLEANS -- Donte Whitner is one game away from comprehensive vindication.

The Buffalo Bills' polarizing 2006 first-round draft pick was voted to his first Pro Bowl and will win a world championship Sunday if the San Francisco 49ers beat the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII.

Whitner claimed he's the same player he was with Buffalo.

"I think sometimes players just get drafted into the wrong system and come into a bad situation," Whitner said, "and there's really nothing you can do about it except go out and work hard, let everybody talk and let the chips fall where they may."

Continue reading "Donte Whitner 'drafted into the wrong system' and 'a bad situation'" »

By Tim Graham

After several days of intense liver conditioning, Buffalo News senior columnist Jerry Sullivan, reporter Mark Gaughan and I are headed to New Orleans to cover Super Bowl XLVII for the next week.

We will produce columns and articles for The Buffalo News print edition and pepper the Press Coverage blog with items. A few stories will pop up today, but we will kick into another gear at Tuesday's notoriously colorful media day.

Press Coverage generally is a place where you find football news with a distinct Western New York flavor, but you can expect to see more than Donte Whitner and Corey Graham stories. You can expect our observations and thoughts on whatever transpires around the NFL's biggest event.

But there still will be plenty of fresh Bills material to dispense. The football community will converge on New Orleans. I'll gather Bills opinions from the myriad players, executives, retired legends, celebrities and analysts staggering about in this relentless 24-hour town.

Let's just hope I can decipher my notes the next morning.