Before the Bills home opener against the Arizona Cardinals, the 1964 and 1965 Buffalo Bills AFL Championship teams were honored. Five former players were in attendance including RB Wray Carlton, QB Ed Rutkowski, CB Butch Byrd, CB Booker Edgerson and LB Paul Maguire. Former owner Mary Wilson, the wife of the late Ralph Wilson Jr., also participated in the on-field acknowledgement.
“It’s a great experience, but it’s strange to me, because we’re old,” Carlton joked. “It’s been a long time, but to see all these guys here is wonderful.”
The sentiments remained the same from all of the players as they all said that it was an honor to be remembered.
“Well, it’s really great to be remembered,” Byrd said. “There’s a lot of excitement here as we look around at all these people. It’s a really gratifying event.”
“Oh, it’s great. It really is,” Rutkowski said. “And just to be back with all of my teammates and be here for the first home opener means an awful lot to us. Hopefully we’re going to have an influence, a positive influence, on the outcome of this game. Let these guys remember who the ’64 and ’65 champions were and see if they can duplicate that this year.”