1980 Profile: Mario Clark

Cornerback
No. 29
Oregon
"Mario has been a starter for the Bills in 59 of 60 games since being selected in the first round of the 1976 College Draft. He won All-Pacific 8 honors at Oregon."

-1980 Topps No. 191

R.I.P. Keith Lincoln

1980 Profile: Curtis Brown

Running Back
No. 47
Missouri
"Rundown Brown. What happened to Curtis a year ago? The same thing that happened to Terry Miller, we can only guess. Brown rushed for 574 yards (3.3) and only one touchdown. He showed more promise the year before with 591 yards (4.6) and four touchdowns.
Maybe he was tired from the extra pass-catching. Brown finished third on the club with 39 receptions, including one for 84 yards.
Born in St. Louis, Brown rushed for 375 yards in one game for Scott JC (Kansas). He transferred to Missouri where he bruised Oklahoma one afternoon with 20 carries for 153 yards."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1980 Edition

"A powerful runner, Curtis' quickness and strength make him extremely difficult to bring down. He scored a touchdown on a 102-yard kickoff return against the Colts in 1978."

-1980 Topps No. 443

1980 Profile: Fred Smerlas

Nose Tackle
No. 76
Boston College
"Another of the Bills' rookie wave. A second-round pick a year ago, he challenged Mike Kadish for the middle guard position until a knee injury finished the big rookie with three games to go. Smerlas and Kadish shared the job last year and may have the same arrangement this autumn, unless Smerlas suddenly comes on like the next Curley Culp.
Smerlas is a tough, aggressive player who certainly has size and strength. Born in Waltham, Mass., he was a three-year starter at Boston College and a two-time New England heavyweight wrestling champion in high school.
Smerlas enjoys weightlifting and camping. Together. He once bench pressed a 1,500-pound Grizzly 10 times in succession."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1980 Edition

R.I.P. Bob Zeman

Defensive Coordinator, 1983 Buffalo Bills

1980 Profile: Jeff Nixon

Free Safety
No. 38
Richmond
"Wolfgang Amadeus Nixon? Not really. His mother actually is a descendant of Johan Sebastian Bach. Jeff was born in Germany, is an accomplished guitarist and has written some music. He's the Bills' Renaissance Man, except that he can also play football.
Nixon was a fourth-round draft pick of the Bills. He led the team with six interceptions last year as a rookie, beating out veteran Tony Greene over the last four games.
Born in Fursten Feldbruck, Germany, he set Richmond University interception and punt return records. He had 25 tackles in a game against North Carolina. He now lives in Glendale, Arizona- Jeff sure gets around."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1980 Edition

1980 Profile: Jim Haslett

Linebacker
No. 55
Indiana (PA)
"Tom who? While the Bills mourned the loss of top draft pick Tom Cousineau to Canada, some kid named Haslett came along and was voted NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He's Jim Haslett and it's a great story.
He's from Indiana University. Not the Hoosiers. Indiana U. of Pennsylvania. He's a second-round pick who finished second on the Bills in tackles (124) besides intercepting two passes, recovering two fumbles, forcing two more and getting a sack.
Born in Pittsburgh, Haslett made numerous College Division All-American teams at Indiana, Pa. He punted for a 41.5-yard average, including 61.3 on four punts against Lock Haven, when he boomed one 73 yards."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1980 Edition