Buffalo Bills: The influence of the great Chuck Knox

With Chuck Knox sadly passing away over the weekend, we look back at his impact with the Buffalo Bills and the NFL in general.

The Buffalo Bills found themselves thrust into the NFL limelight at the weekend, but not for reasons they would have liked. As reported by the Associated Press, via WBFO 88.7, Chuck Knox passed away at the age of 86.

Knox died after a long battle with dementia. He is survived by Shirley, his wife of 66 years, four children and six grandchildren.

The reaction from NFL teams and media alike was telling, in terms of how much Knox was loved and respected. The Seahawks captured the man perfectly, describing him as one of the great influencers in football and in life.

Certainly, Knox left his mark during his three decades in professional football, both as an assistant and head coach. This include 22 years as a head coach, with the Rams, Bills and Seahawks.

To get an idea of the impact and influence of Knox, look no further than his ranking among NFL head coaches. He currently stands 10th all-time for regular season wins, with 186.

Knox totaled 13 winning seasons during his 22 years as a head coach, and made 11 trips to the playoffs. About the only blight on his record, was his inability to win a championship.

In fact, Knox may well be the greatest NFL head coach to never reach the ultimate glory. (No doubt, there will be arguments from fans of the likes of Marty Schottenheimer, Dan Reeves and a certain Marv Levy.)

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Knox did reach the conference championship game on four occasions, including three straight during his first stint with the Rams. Regardless of your interpretation of what represents success, he was named NFL Coach of the Year three times and the only one to achieve this with three different teams.

Of course, Buffalo Bills fans will mostly be interested in what Knox achieved during his five seasons in Western New York. And there is a lot to be proud of.

The Bills had already had success since being formed in 1960, most notably two championships from their time in the AFL. However, Know still achieved some notable franchise firsts.

Knox helped the Bills win their first ever AFC East division title, in 1980. He also became the first Bills head coach to be named NFL Coach of the Year, again in 1980.

The Bills made two playoff appearances during Knox’s time in Buffalo, being eliminated in the divisional round on both occasions. He finished his tenure with a 37-36-0 record after the strike-shortened season in 1982.

And yet, you have to wonder how much more Knox might have achieved with the Bills, considering the success he went on to have with the Seahawks. The only reason he left Western New York, was because he was unable to negotiate a new deal with Ralph Wilson.

Overall, despite the sadness that comes with Knox’s passing, this is a time to celebrate his life. And we leave it to former Bill Fred Smerlas to have the final word, via WBFO 88.7:

"“Chuck Knox, my first NFL coach, was a hard nose, blue collar coach. He was Bill Parcells 10 years before Bill Parcells. He knew how to tweak a player as well as anyone. One of the great all time coaches. RIP to the original ‘old blue eyes’.”"

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Do you remember much about Knox from his time with the Buffalo Bills? And where do you rank him all-time among NFL head coaches? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.