Aptly Named UDFA Bills Get Perfect Jersey Number

You just can’t make this up.

And frankly, why would be are you making this up? The premise is too esoteric, too absurd, too “direct” to work in fiction – which makes the fact that it happens in reality. that much more entertaining.

Utah guard Keaton Bills fell through the cracks in the 2024 NFL Draft after a reliable five-year stint in Salt Lake City, signing with, objectively, the funniest team possible as an agent undrafted free agent.

The Buffalo Bills.

Related: An intriguing guard with an appropriate name nicknamed UDFA from Bills with the best shooting on the roster

It’s a signing that makes as much sense from a footballing point of view as it does from a marketing point of view. Bills, while unspectacular throughout his time with the Utes, was solid, ranking as a solid run blocker at left guard while simultaneously being productive in pass protection. He has allowed just three sacks throughout his college career, according to Pro Football Focus, earning honorable mentions on the All-Pac-12 team in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Buffalo has always valued offensive line depth under general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott; Although Bills is nowhere near the 53-man roster given the crowded nature of the room, Buffalo obviously sees something in the Utah native, and he currently projects as a prime candidate for the team. training team.

And even though the primary motivation for this signing is rooted in football, the team is taking advantage of the inherent marketing potential. After officially putting pen to paper on Thursday, Bills were assigned, in hindsight, the only uniform number that made sense: no. 60, a number representative of the year the Buffalo Bills were founded.

The Bills began operation in 1960 as one of eight teams in the then-new American Football League (AFL); Buffalo actually participated in and hosted the first game in AFL history, a July 1960 preseason game between the Bills and the Boston Patriots at War Memorial Stadium. Buffalo went 5-8-1 in the inaugural AFL campaign; he would ultimately improve his fortunes throughout the league’s 10 seasons of operation, winning consecutive league championships in 1964 and 1965 under head coach Lou Saban and quarterback Jack Kemp. The AFL would merge with the NFL before the start of the 1970 season.

The Bills jersey will perhaps be the most sought-after undrafted free agent commodity in Buffalo history, as its uniform is representative of the history and legacy of the entire franchise. Fans will get their first opportunity to see him in action Friday as the team’s rookie minicamp begins.