1993 Buffalo Bills season

The 1993 Buffalo Bills season was the 34th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). The Buffalo Bills finished the National Football League's 1993 season with a record of 12 wins and 4 losses, and finished first in the AFC East division.

1993 Buffalo Bills season
Owner	Ralph Wilson
General manager	John Butler
Head coach	Marv Levy
Home field	Rich Stadium
Results
Record	12–4
Division place	1st AFC East
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Raiders) 29–23 Won AFC Championship (vs. Chiefs) 30–13 Lost Super Bowl XXVIII (vs. Cowboys) 13–30
Pro Bowlers	7 RB Thurman Thomas WR Andre Reed OT Howard Ballard OLB Cornelius Bennett DT Bruce Smith CB Nate Odomes ST Steve Tasker
AP All-Pros	3 DT Bruce Smith (1st team) RB Thurman Thomas (2nd team) CB Nate Odomes (2nd team)

The Bills qualified for their fourth straight Super Bowl, where they faced the Dallas Cowboys in a rematch of the previous season's Super Bowl. However, just like with the previous Super Bowl, the Bills would lose to the Cowboys, this time by a score of 30–13.

Until the 2020 season, this Bills squad was the last to reach the AFC Championship Game. The Bills' four consecutive Super Bowl appearances remains unmatched as of 2024, with no other team having even so much as played in four out of five consecutive Super Bowls until the Kansas City Chiefs did so from the 2019 through the 2023 seasons.

Season summary

Despite the many jokes about the Bills having lost three straight Super Bowls—a fan pleaded with head coach Marv Levy for the team to not return to the Super Bowl: "I can't take it. I can't go to work on Monday if we don't win the game. It's tearing me up. I can't handle it"—Don Beebe recalled that "I've got to be honest with you. We thrived in it. We enjoyed it. We were going to go to four ... I think that comes a lot from the Winston Churchill poems and the speeches that we would get from Marv". Dan Patrick reported that "Buffalo players have been wearing t-shirts reading something along the lines of 'Let's Tick Them Off and Go for Four'". The team qualified for another Super Bowl; they became the first franchise to win four consecutive conference championships, as well as the first to appear in four consecutive Super Bowls.

Defensive end Bruce Smith was named NEA Defensive Player of the Year, and tied for the league lead with 13.5 sacks. Smith, linebacker Darryl Talley and special teams gunner Steve Tasker were named to the 1993 All-Pro team. The Bills' 47 defensive takeaways in 1993 is the third-highest total of the 1990s.

Running back Thurman Thomas led the AFC with 1,315 rushing yards.

Offseason

Additions	Subtractions
WR Bill Brooks (Colts)	LB Shane Conlan (Rams)
CB Mickey Washington (Redskins)	WR James Lofton (Rams)
	CB Cliff Hicks (Jets)
	G Mitch Frerotte (Seahawks)

NFL Draft

1993 Buffalo Bills draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	28	Thomas Smith	CB	North Carolina
2	55	John Parrella	DT	Nebraska
4	111	Russell Copeland	WR	Memphis
5	136	Mike Devlin	C	Iowa
5	139	Sebastian Savage	CB	NC State
5	167	Corbin Lacina	OT	Augustana
7	195	Willie Harris	WR	Mississippi State
8	223	Chris Leuneberg	OT	West Chester (PA)
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted Free Agents

1993 Undrafted Free Agents of note

Player	Position	College
Phil Bryant	Running back	Virginia Tech

Personnel

1993 Buffalo Bills staff

Front office Owner/President – Ralph Wilson Vice President of Administration/general manager – John Butler Vice President of Football Operations – Marv Levy Assistant general manager/Director of Pro Personnel – Bob Ferguson Director of player personnel – John Butler Assistant director/Collegiate Scouting – A. J. Smith Director of Player Development/Alumni Relations - Jerry Butler Head coaches Head coach – Marv Levy Assistant head coach – Elijah Pitts Administrative Assistant to the Head Coach – Chuck Lester Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/Offensive Line – Tom Bresnahan Quarterbacks – Jim Shofner Running Backs – Elijah Pitts Receivers – Charlie Joiner Offensive Quality Control/Tight Ends – Don Lawrence

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinatorr/Linebackers – Walt Corey Defensive line – Dan Sekanovich Defensive backs – Dick Roach Defensive Quality Control / Administrative Assistant – Chuck Lester Special teams coaches Special teams – Bruce DeHaven Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning Coordinator – Rusty Jones

Roster

1993 Buffalo Bills roster

Quarterbacks (QB)  7 Gale Gilbert 12 Jim Kelly 14 Frank Reich Running backs (RB) 23 Kenneth Davis KR 33 Eddie Fuller 35 Carwell Gardner FB 34 Thurman Thomas 21 Nate Turner FB Wide receivers (WR) 82 Don Beebe KR 80 Bill Brooks 85 Russell Copeland 81 Brad Lamb 83 Andre Reed 89 Steve Tasker 87 Chris Walsh Tight ends (TE) 84 Keith McKeller 88 Pete Metzelaars

Offensive linemen (OL) 75 Howard Ballard T 66 Jerry Crafts T 65 John Davis G/C 62 Mike Devlin C 70 John Fina T 67 Kent Hull C 68 Corbin Lacina G 63 Adam Lingner 74 Glenn Parker G 51 Jim Ritcher G Defensive linemen (DL) 77 Oliver Barnett DE 90 Phil Hansen DE 73 Mike Lodish NT 92 John Parrella NT 99 James Patton 94 Mark Pike DE 78 Bruce Smith DE 91 Jeff Wright NT

Linebackers (LB) 97 Cornelius Bennett OLB 96 Monty Brown ILB 50 Keith Goganious ILB 52 Richard Harvey OLB 55 Mark Maddox ILB 53 Marvcus Patton ILB 56 Darryl Talley OLB Defensive backs (DB) 43 Matt Darby FS 36 Jerome Henderson CB 20 Henry Jones SS 38 Mark Kelso FS 37 Nate Odomes CB 24 Kurt Schulz FS 28 Thomas Smith CB 25 Mickey Washington CB 29 James Williams CB Special teams  2 Steve Christie K  9 Chris Mohr P

Practice squad 54 Anthony Fieldings LB 30 Yonel Jourdain RB 48 Vince Marrow TE 60 Jerry Ostroski G 31 Sebastian Savage CB 53 active, 3 inactive, 5 practice squad Reserve 86 Rob Awalt TE (IR) 85 Al Edwards WR (IR) 47 Kirby Jackson CB (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 5	New England Patriots	W 38–14	1–0	Rich Stadium	79,751
2	September 12	at Dallas Cowboys	W 13–10	2–0	Texas Stadium	63,226
3	Bye
4	September 26	Miami Dolphins	L 13–22	2–1	Rich Stadium	79,635
5	October 3	New York Giants	W 17–14	3–1	Rich Stadium	79,283
6	October 11	Houston Oilers	W 35–7	4–1	Rich Stadium	79,613
7	Bye
8	October 24	at New York Jets	W 19–10	5–1	Giants Stadium	71,541
9	November 1	Washington Redskins	W 24–10	6–1	Rich Stadium	79,106
10	November 7	at New England Patriots	W 13–10 (OT)	7–1	Foxboro Stadium	54,326
11	November 15	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 0–23	7–2	Three Rivers Stadium	60,265
12	November 21	Indianapolis Colts	W 23–9	8–2	Rich Stadium	79,101
13	November 28	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 7–23	8–3	Arrowhead Stadium	74,452
14	December 5	Los Angeles Raiders	L 24–25	8–4	Rich Stadium	79,478
15	December 12	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 10–7	9–4	Veterans Stadium	60,769
16	December 19	at Miami Dolphins	W 47–34	10–4	Joe Robbie Stadium	71,597
17	December 26	New York Jets	W 16–14	11–4	Rich Stadium	70,817
18	January 2, 1994	at Indianapolis Colts	W 30–10	12–4	Hoosier Dome	43,028

Game summaries

Week 1

See also: 1993 New England Patriots season

Week One: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Patriots	0	7	7	0	14
Bills	0	17	0	21	38

at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

• Date: September 5
• Game time: 1:00 p.m.
• Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C), wind 12 mph (19 km/h)
• Referee: Gerald Austin
• TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth
• Box Score

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Patriots Bills 2 Bills 28-yard field goal by Steve Christie 0 3 2 Bills Bill Brooks 4-yard touchdown reception from Jim Kelly, Steve Christie kick good 0 10 2 Patriots Ben Coates 54-yard touchdown reception from Drew Bledsoe, Scott Sisson kick good 7 10 2 Bills Andre Reed 41-yard touchdown reception from Jim Kelly, Steve Christie kick good 7 17 3 Patriots Greg McMurtry 2-yard touchdown reception from Drew Bledsoe, Scott Sisson kick good 14 17 4 Bills Andre Reed 22-yard touchdown reception from Jim Kelly, Steve Christie kick good 14 24 4 Bills Andre Reed 14-yard touchdown reception from Jim Kelly, Steve Christie kick good 14 31 4 Bills Punt returned 47 yards for touchdown by Russell Copeland, Steve Christie kick good 14 38 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 14 38

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 7 3 0 3 13 Cowboys 0 3 0 7 10 Date: September 12 Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas Game start: 3:00 p.m. Game weather: 85 °F (29 °C), wind 16 mph (26 km/h) Referee: Bernie Kukar TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy

Scoring summary 1 BUF Carwell Gardner 10 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick) Bills 7–0 2 BUF Steve Christie 48 yard field goal Bills 10–0 2 DAL Lin Elliott 43 yard field goal Bills 10–3 4 DAL Kevin Williams 5 yard run (Lin Elliott kick) Tie 10–10 4 BUF Steve Christie 35 yard field goal Bills 13–10

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total • Dolphins 16 3 3 0 22 Bills 0 6 0 7 13 Date: September 26 Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 79,635 Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C) • 16 miles per hour (26 km/h; 14 kn), rain (at start of game) Referee: Johnny Grier TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire

Week 5

See also: 1993 New York Giants season

Week Five: New York Giants (3–0) at Buffalo Bills (2–1)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	0	14	0	0	14
Bills	10	0	0	7	17

at Rich Stadium • Orchard Park, New York

• Date: October 3
• Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C) • 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)
• Game attendance: 79,283
• Referee: Gordon McCarter
• TV announcers (TNT): Gary Bender and Pat Haden
• Pro-Football-Reference.com

Game information
Giants Phil Simms 12/28, 160 Yds, 2 TD, 3 INT Rodney Hampton 32 Rush, 86 Yds Dave Meggett 2 Rec, 37 Yds Mike Sherrard 2 Rec, 37 Yds Bills Jim Kelly 14/25, 142 Yds, TD, INT Thurman Thomas 26 Rush, 122 Yds Pete Metzelaars 6 Rec, 44 Yds, TD

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP NYG BUF 1 Bills 24-yard field goal by Steve Christie 0 3 1 Bills Interception returned 85 yards for touchdown by Henry Jones, Steve Christie kick good 0 10 2 Giants Chris Calloway 5-yard touchdown reception from Phil Simms, David Treadwell kick good 7 10 2 Giants Mark Jackson 3-yard touchdown reception from Phil Simms, David Treadwell kick good 14 10 4 Bills Pete Metzelaars 8-yard touchdown reception from Jim Kelly, Steve Christie kick good 14 17 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 14 17

Week 6

1 2 3 4 Total Oilers 7 0 0 0 7 • Bills 7 21 0 7 35 Date: October 11 Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 79,613 Game weather: 41 °F (5 °C) • 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn) Referee: Tom White (American football official) TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Al Michaels, Dan Dierdorf

Scoring summary Q1 BUF Don Beebe 34 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick) BUF 7–0 Q1 HOU Leonard Harris 17 yard pass from Warren Moon (Al Del Greco kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 BUF Andre Reed 24 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick) BUF 14–7 Q2 BUF Andre Reed 39 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick) BUF 21–7 Q2 BUF Thurman Thomas 7 yard run (Steve Christie kick) BUF 28–7 Q4 BUF Kenneth Davis 3 yard run (Steve Christie kick) BUF 35–7

Week 8

Buffalo Bills (4–1) at New York Jets (2–3)

1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 0 6 7 6 19 Jets 7 0 0 3 10 Date: October 24 Game start: 1:00 PM EST Game attendance: 71,541 Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C) • 14 miles per hour (23 km/h; 12 kn) TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy

Scoring summary Q1 NYJ Brad Baxter 1 yard rush (Cary Blanchard kick) NYJ 7–0 Q2 BUF Steve Christie 37 yard field goal NYJ 7–3 Q2 BUF Steve Christie 33 yard field goal NYJ 7–6 Q3 BUF Darryl Talley 61 yard interception return (Steve Christie kick) BUF 13–7 Q4 BUF Steve Christie 22 yard field goal BUF 16–7 Q4 NYJ Cary Blanchard 33 yard field goal BUF 16–10 Q4 BUF Steve Christie 30 yard field goal BUF 19–10

Week 9

November 1, 1993.

1 2 3 4 Total Redskins 7 3 0 0 10 • Bills 14 0 7 3 24 Date: November 1 Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 79,106 Game weather: 32 °F (0 °C) • 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn) Referee: Larry Nemmers TV announcers (Monday Night Football): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf

Scoring summary Q1 9:00 BUF Andre Reed 65 yard pass from Kelly (Christie kick) BUF 7–0 Q1 4:35 WSH Reggie Brooks 7 yard rush (Chip Lohmiller kick) TIE 7–7 Q1 0:10 BUF Bill Brooks (American football) 11 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick) BUF 14–7 Q2 8:24 WSH Chip Lohmiller 19 yard field goal BUF 14–10 Q3 5:27 BUF Thurman Thomas 1 yard rush (Steve Christie kick) BUF 21–10 Q4 11:25 BUF Steve Christie 45 yard field goal BUF 24–10

Week 12

1 2 3 4 Total Colts 3 3 3 0 9 • Bills 0 16 7 0 23 Date: November 21, 1993 Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 79,101 Game weather: 37 °F (3 °C) • 21 miles per hour (34 km/h; 18 kn) Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks, Dan Hampton

Week 13

Buffalo Bills (8–2) at Kansas City Chiefs (7–3)

1 2 3 4 Total Bills 7 0 0 0 7 • Chiefs 7 3 10 3 23 Date: November 28 Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 74,452 Game weather: 29 °F (−2 °C) • 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn) Referee: Dale Hamer TV announcers (NFL on NBC): Marv Albert, Mike Ditka

Scoring summary 1 4:14 BUF Kenneth Davis (American football) 9 yard rush (Steve Christie kick) Bills 7–0 1 KC Marcus Allen 18 yard pass from Joe Montana (Nick Lowery kick) TIE 7–7 2 KC Nick Lowery 30 yard field goal Chiefs 10–7 3 KC Keith Cash 1 yard pass from Joe Montana (Nick Lowery kick) Chiefs 17–7 3 KC Nick Lowery 22 yard field goal Chiefs 20–7 4 KC Nick Lowery 34 yard field goal Chiefs 23–7

Week 14

Los Angeles Raiders (6–5) at Buffalo Bills (8–3)

1 2 3 4 Total • Raiders 3 7 6 9 25 Bills 0 14 3 7 24 Date: December 5 Location: Rich Stadium Orchard Park, NY Game start: 1:00 PM EST Game attendance: 79,478 Game weather: 37 °F (3 °C) • 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn); wind chill 29 Referee: Bob McElwee TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Todd Christensen

Scoring summary 1 7:43 Raiders Jeff Jaeger 37 yard field goal Raiders 3–0 2 Bills Thurman Thomas 3 yard rush (Steve Christie kick) Bills 7–3 2 Raiders Jeff Hostetler 11 yard rush (Jeff Jaeger kick) Raiders 10–7 2 Bills Don Beebe 65 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Christie kick) Bills 14–10 3 Raiders Jeff Jaeger 34 yard field goal Bills 14–13 3 Bills Steve Christie 35 yard field goal Bills 17–13 3 Raiders Jeff Jaeger 26 yard field goal Bills 17–16 4 Bills Thurman Thomas 1 yard rush (Steve Christie kick) Bills 24–16 4 Raiders Jeff Jaeger 47 yard field goal Bills 24–19 4 Raiders Tim Brown 29 yard pass from Jeff Hostetler Raiders 25–24

Week 15

1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 9 17 21 0 47 Eagles 7 13 7 7 34 Date: December 12th, 1993 Location: Veterans Stadium • Philadelphia Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 60,769 Game weather: 30 °F (−1 °C) • 21 miles per hour (34 km/h; 18 kn); wind chill 17 Referee: Johnny Grier TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert and Paul Maguire

Week 16

Buffalo (9–4) at Miami (9–4)

1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 9 17 21 0 47 Dolphins 7 13 7 7 34 Date: December 19 Location: Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 2:59.44 Game attendance: 71,597 Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C) • 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn) Referee: Howard Roe TV announcers (NFL on NBC): Dick Enberg, Bob Trumpy

Week 17

1 2 3 4 Total Jets 7 0 7 0 14 • Bills 7 6 0 3 16 Date: December 26, 1993 Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 70,817 Game weather: 9 °F (−13 °C) • 23 miles per hour (37 km/h; 20 kn) Referee: Ed Hochuli TV announcers (NFL on NBC): Don Criqui, Paul Maguire

Standings

AFC East
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(1) Buffalo Bills	12	4	0	.750	329	242	W4
Miami Dolphins	9	7	0	.563	349	351	L5
New York Jets	8	8	0	.500	270	247	L3
New England Patriots	5	11	0	.313	238	286	W4
Indianapolis Colts	4	12	0	.250	189	378	L4

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Game Site	Final score	Attendance
Divisional	January 15, 1994	Los Angeles Raiders (4)	Rich Stadium	W 29–23	61,923
AFC Championship	January 23, 1994	Kansas City Chiefs (3)	Rich Stadium	W 30–13	76,642
Super Bowl	January 30, 1994	vs. Dallas Cowboys (N1)	Georgia Dome	L 13–30	72,817

Super Bowl XXVIII

Main article: Super Bowl XXVIII

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	6	0	14	10	30
Bills	3	10	0	0	13

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

• Date: January 30, 1994
• [2]

Scoring Summary

• DAL – FG: Eddie Murray 41 yards 3–0 DAL
• BUF – FG: Steve Christie 54 yards 3–3 tie
• DAL – FG: Eddie Murray 24 yards 6–3 DAL
• BUF – TD: Thurman Thomas 4 yard run (Steve Christie kick) 10–6 BUF
• BUF – FG: Steve Christie 28 yards 13–6 BUF
• DAL – TD: James Washington 46 yard fumble return (Eddie Murray kick) 13–13 tie
• DAL – TD: Emmitt Smith 17 yard run (Eddie Murray kick) 20–13 DAL
• DAL – TD: Emmitt Smith 1 yard run (Eddie Murray kick) 27–13 DAL
• DAL – FG: Eddie Murray 20 yards 30–13 DAL

Awards and records

• Nate Odomes, Tied NFL Lead, 9 Interceptions
• Bruce Smith, Newspaper Enterprise Association Defensive Player of the Year Award
• Thurman Thomas, AFC Leader, 1,315 Rushing Yards

References

• Bills on Pro Football Reference
• Bills on jt-sw.com
• Bills Stats on jt-sw.com