ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — At the start of each season, Buffalo Bills players vote for who they want to lead and represent the team through the ups and downs of the next couple of months. This year, eight Bills players earned the title of “captain” with only one new name added to that list.
However, within the group of leaders who are not new to the role is wide receiver Stefon Diggs as he is now regaining the title for his third season while in Buffalo. Yet this time around, Diggs said the recognition feels different.
“It means more now than it did when it was my first time being named captain,” Diggs said.
“The consistency of it, the respect from your peers. I know the biggest thing for me is always earning respect from my teammates and earning the respect from my coaches. When you get named captain that's like reassurance you might be half way decent at what you do, not just professionally, but as far as how you represent yourself and who you are as a man.”
Diggs also talked about the fact that the acknowledgement of his leadership role also means more right now because of what went on in the off-season and all the outside chatter happening off the football field.
As for the one guy on that list who is not a returning captain, fourth-year receiver Gabe Davis says that the announcement took him by surprise when he was the last captain revealed in the eight-man group. Davis went on to say that he feels extremely honored and recalled the conversation he had with his mom on the phone when he broke the news.
“My mom said it was destined for me,” Davis said. “She knew this was a dream for me and to be able to live it. Don’t take it for granted and be happy that I'm living the life that I’m living.”
“I was like mom, it’s tough for players to get to the NFL but imagine the ones that get to wear the ‘C’ on their chest,” Davis recalled. “I said be proud this is the man you raised and I learned everything from you and I’m happy that I can make you proud and do the things I’m doing.”
Aside from the discussion on captain selection, Thursday’s practice in Orchard Park also gave a sneak peak at the two new members of the Bill’s practice squad.
Quarterback Shane Buechele and veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey both joined the team on the field at practice on Thursday morning. Buechele is coming to Buffalo with one year of experience most recently with the Kansas City Chiefs while Kirksey is coming to the Bills squad with ten years of experience most recently playing with the Houston Texans.
Thursday’s practice was the last one for a couple of days before the start of week one regular season preparations to face the New York Jets on September 11th at MetLife Stadium.