Will Grant
Encyclopedia
Wilfred L. Grant is a former American football
center
in the National Football League
for the Buffalo Bills
and Seattle Seahawks
.
and became their starting center in his third year (1980) for all 16 games between left offensive guard Reggie McKenzie and right guard Conrad Dobler
, replacing Willie Parker (offensive lineman)
, also the third year of head coach
Chuck Knox
, when the team won the AFC east division title with Joe Ferguson
as the quarterback
, but lost their first playoff game to the San Diego Chargers
. Grant remained their starting center for the next 5 years, up to his final year in Buffalo (1985), starting in 16, 9 out of 9 (strike year), 16, 16, and 15 games, respectively. In 1981, with Ferguson still at quarterback, the Bills made the playoffs for the second year in a row with a 10-6 won-lost record, won a wild-card match against the New York Jets
but lost to the Cincinnati Bengals
in the divisional round. After that, the team tailed off to 4-5, 8-8, 2-14, and 2-14 won-lost records. In 1986, Grant was replaced by rookie Kent Hull.
in 1986 and 1987, starting 6 games in 1986 but only once in 1987, his final year in the NFL.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for 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...
and Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
.
Buffalo Bills
Will Grant was taken by the Buffalo Bills in the 10th round (255th overall) of the 1978 NFL Draft1978 NFL Draft
The 1978 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978...
and became their starting center in his third year (1980) for all 16 games between left offensive guard Reggie McKenzie and right guard Conrad Dobler
Conrad Dobler
Conrad Francis Dobler is a retired American football offensive lineman in the NFL.-Cardinals:Dobler was drafted in round 5 out of the University of Wyoming in the 1972 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played right offensive guard for the Cardinals from 1972 to 1977, next to Hall-of-Famer...
, replacing Willie Parker (offensive lineman)
Willie Parker (offensive lineman)
William Nolen Parker is a former American football center who played for eight seasons in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions.-San Francisco 49ers:...
, also the third year of head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Chuck Knox
Chuck Knox
Charles Robert "Chuck" Knox is a former American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is best remembered as head coach of three National Football League teams, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Rams, serving two separate stints with...
, when the team won the AFC east division title with Joe Ferguson
Joe Ferguson
Joseph Carlton Ferguson, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the NFL. Ferguson played college football at the University of Arkansas, where he still holds the school's single game record for most completions and in that same season was named the Southwest Conference's Offensive...
as the 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...
, but lost their first playoff game to the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Grant remained their starting center for the next 5 years, up to his final year in Buffalo (1985), starting in 16, 9 out of 9 (strike year), 16, 16, and 15 games, respectively. In 1981, with Ferguson still at quarterback, the Bills made the playoffs for the second year in a row with a 10-6 won-lost record, won a wild-card match against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
but lost to the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the divisional round. After that, the team tailed off to 4-5, 8-8, 2-14, and 2-14 won-lost records. In 1986, Grant was replaced by rookie Kent Hull.
Seattle Seahawks
Grant then joined Knox with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in 1986 and 1987, starting 6 games in 1986 but only once in 1987, his final year in the NFL.