The 2000s Buffalo Bills Quiz | NFL Teams

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Five Buffalo Bills players made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the 2000s. Which player WASN'T among them?

Answer: Andre Reed

Both Jim Kelly and Bruce Smith were inducted in their first year of eligibility (2002 and 2009, respectively). Thurman Thomas was inducted in 2007 in his second year of eligibility. The other Bills players inducted during the 2000s were James Lofton and Joe DeLamielleure, both inducted in 2003. Coach Marv Levy and owner Ralph Wilson were also inducted into the Hall of Fame during the decade (2001 and 2009, respectively).

But seven-time Pro Bowl receiver Andre Reed didn't make it into the Hall of Fame during the 2000s, despite being eligible as of 2006.

2. The Buffalo Bills spent the decade of the 2000s in search of a quarterback, and it initially looked like they found one in 2002. What former number one draft pick did they sign from the division rival New England Patriots?

Answer: Drew Bledsoe

A four-time Pro Bowler who led the then hapless Patriots to the Super Bowl in the 1996/1997 season, Drew Bledsoe had the misfortune of getting injured early in the Patriot's 2001 season and being replaced by a sixth-round draft pick named Tom Brady. That Brady guy turned out to be pretty good, so the Patriots traded Bledsoe to the Bills.

Despite a good start in the 2002 season, resulting in a Pro Bowl appearance, Bledsoe didn't quite live up to expectations and was released after the 2004 season.

3. Eric Moulds was the Buffalo Bills' top receiver during the first half of the 2000s. Which 2004 first-round draft pick was the Bills' main receiver for the remaining years of the decade?

Answer: Lee Evans

Lee Evans was the first receiver the Bills had drafted in the first round since they took Eric Moulds in 1996. During the 2005 season, Moulds and Evans made a formidable receiving duo, but when Moulds was traded to the Houston Texans in 2006, Evans took over as the number one receiver and remained so through the end of the decade. He was later traded to the Baltimore Ravens in 2011.

4. The Buffalo Bills used a 2001 second-round draft pick to select a running back who had an impressive but short career with the Bills. Which former Tennessee Volunteer and future convicted felon was the Bills' dominant running back until 2004?

Answer: Travis Henry

Travis Henry had a monster second season with the Bills, running for nearly 1500 yards and earning a Pro Bowl berth. But by 2004, he had lost his starting job and demanded to be traded. He ended up with the Tennessee Titans and eventually the Denver Broncos. By 2008, substance abuse violations derailed his career, and the NFL gave him a year-long suspension, during which time he was convicted of narcotics trafficking and sentenced to three years in prison.

5. Although the Buffalo Bills offense during the 2000s wasn't spectacular, their defense still remained strong, thanks to some successful draft picks. Which Pro Bowl cornerback was a Bills' first-round pick in 2001?

Answer: Nate Clements

Nate Clements was the 21st overall pick in the 2001 draft, and he scored his first career pick-six courtesy of Peyton Manning a few weeks into his NFL career. He ended up with 23 interceptions during his time with the Buffalo Bills and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2004.

He left the Bills for the San Francisco 49ers in 2007, signing an extended contract that made him the highest paid defensive player at that time.

6. The 2001 draft was good for the Buffalo Bills. Which Pro Bowl defensive end and career-long Buffalo Bill did the Bills select in the second round?

Answer: Aaron Schobel

A Pro Bowl selection in 2006 and 2007, Aaron Schobel played for the Bills from 2001 until his retirement in 2010. Arguably the Bills' best draft pick of the decade, the workhorse Schobel had a 116-consecutive-game streak from 2003 to 2008. At the time of his retirement, his 78 career sacks were second only to Bruce Smith in the Bills' record books.

7. During the 2000s, the Buffalo Bills drafted some running backs who turned out to be great picks for other teams. Which 2007 first-round "Beast" fell into this category?

Answer: Marshawn Lynch

Nicknamed "Beast Mode" for his unstoppable running style, Marshawn Lynch started his Buffalo career with two 1000-yard seasons, but off-the-field troubles became a distraction and by 2009, Fred Jackson replaced Lynch as the starting running back. Lynch was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 where his career really took off.

8. In the 2003 draft, the Buffalo Bills took a chance with their first-round pick on an injured running back who might not have ever been able to play. Which future Baltimore Raven Pro Bowler was it?

Answer: Willis McGahee

Willis McGahee was a star running back at the University of Miami and was projected to be a high first-round pick in the draft, but he suffered a severe knee injury during the 2003 Fiesta Bowl that left his NFL future in question. Still, the Bills decided to draft him and let him sit out through the 2003 season while he recuperated.

He proved to be an effective running back with a couple of 1000-yard seasons, but he wasn't happy in Buffalo, publicly voicing his displeasure, and was traded to the Ravens in 2007.

9. In 2002, the Buffalo Bills signed a free agent linebacker who came into the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the St. Louis Rams in 1998. Which perennial Pro Bowl alternate was it?

Answer: London Fletcher

London Fletcher broke the Bills' team record for tackles in his first year with the team, led the team in tackles each season and went on to have the most tackles in the NFL for the decade. Besides being high performing, Fletcher was also durable, starting every game during his five years with the Bills.

Despite his impressive statistics, Fletcher never made the Pro Bowl during his time in Buffalo although he was selected as an alternate. He signed with the Washington Redskins after leaving the Bills in 2007.

10. The player who appeared in the most Buffalo Bill games during the 2000s was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks in 2001 and remained with the team until 2012. Which Pro Bowl punter was it?

Answer: Brian Moorman

Not only was Brian Moorman a punter at Pittsburg State University, he was also an NCAA champion hurdler. He was drafted by the Seahawks in 1999 but never played with them during the season and was signed as a free agent by the Bills in 2001. During his career with the Bills, he was selected to two Pro Bowls and made the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team.

He was released by the Bills during the 2012 season but brought back in 2013.

Source: Author PDAZ

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
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The 2000s Buffalo Bills Trivia Quiz

After the glory days of the 1990s, the Buffalo Bills went through a drought during the 2000s, with no play-off appearances and only one winning season. But there were some highlights during the decade. What do you remember about those years?

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