Eric Wood
Encyclopedia
Buffalo Bills
Wood was selected with the 28th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Counted on to start at right guard, Wood joined a completely retooled offensive line that was expected to feature two rookie starters—him, and second round pick Andy Levitre
Andy Levitre
-Buffalo Bills:Levitre was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 51st pick overall in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, and was the first college guard drafted. He is the sixth selection from Oregon State in Bills history, the first since Keith Ellison in 2006...
at left guard—and no players returning at the same position. On July 28, 2009, Wood signed a five-year contract with the Bills, reportedly worth more than $12 million.
Wood immediately became the Bills starting right offensive guard next to center Geoff Hangartner
Geoff Hangartner
Geoffrey Thomas Hangartner is an American football center for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, with Levitre at left guard. On November 22, 2009, in his 10th game, Wood sustained a compound fracture of the tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
and fibula in the fourth quarter of an 18–15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week 11, after Jaguars DT Montavious Stanley
Montavious Stanley
Montavious Stanley is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville....
ran into Wood's leg. Wood underwent season-ending surgery in a Jacksonville hospital and did not return to Buffalo with the team. He was placed on the injured reserve list on November 24, 2009.
On March 30, 2010, Wood told the Buffalo Bills that his leg was healing well and that he gave it an 80% chance to be ready for training camp. He eventually started 14 games in the 2010 NFL season
2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,...
, missing only Steelers
2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 78th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League and the eleventh season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fourth under head coach Mike Tomlin...
and Vikings
2010 Minnesota Vikings season
The 2010 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 50th season in the National Football League, and the fifth under head coach Brad Childress until November 22, when he was fired and Leslie Frazier was named interim head coach...
games because of an ankle injury. The Bills were playing the same trio up the middle: Wood at right guard, Hangartner at center, and Levitre at left guard.
However, in 2011, Wood was switched to center, between Levitre and new starting right guard Kraig Urbik
Kraig Urbik
Kraig Urbik is an American football offensive guard/tackle for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
. These three have been instrumental in the resurgence in the Bills offense, led by Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Harvard....
at quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and Fred Jackson
Fred Jackson
Frederick "Fred" George Jackson is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He attended Lamar High School in Arlington, Texas...
at running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
.