ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — For Lancaster alum Joe Andreessen, making his debut for his hometown Buffalo Bills was always going to be a big occasion.
"I had a bunch of people texting me they were going to be here for me, so I'm grateful for their support," Andreessen said.
The Depew native and former University at Buffalo Bull played in his first preseason game Saturday in the Bills 33-6 loss to the Bears.
The moment, Andreessen said, lived up to his expectations of what his first game as a Bill in Orchard Park would feel like.
"It's kind of that nervous excitement, if you've ever had that feeling and then over time it kind of goes away. You step out on the field and it kind of comes back up. Your heartbeat's kind of high, and then it cools down and it's just football," he said.
There was one point in the game when you could hear an audible cheer, coming from the stands in the lower bowl toward the south end zone, after Andreesen made one of his four tackles.
He said he probably heard the support but was so focused on his responsibilities in game that he moved on to the next play.
It's that sort of focus he hopes keeps him in the NFL.
"There's plays you know you did well on, there's plays you wish you had back," Andreessen said. "I'm just trying to prove that I can play at this level, and that's, you know, the scheme and stuff like that, you'll get by with that over time.
"But I'm trying to prove that my technique is good, and my intelligence out there on the field is good. Definitely things to improve on, as always."
As Andreessen continues fighting for his place in the league, he'll continue to be grateful for the hometown support.
"Seeing everyone out there, I just need to thank God a lot," Andreessen said. "Thank my parents a lot, thank my brother a lot for putting me in that position. To be here, they've sacrificed so much for me."