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Willis McGahee
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McGahee gets rough welcome at Ravens camp
Jul/31/07 04:59 AM | Permalink
WESTMINSTER, Md. - The first hour of the first day of training camp had barely passed when a rookie linebacker named Prescott Burgess lowered his head into Willis McGahee's chest.

McGahee, the prized running back going at half speed, fell to the ground and fumbled away the football.

There was a gasp, and not the kind you want to hear in the first hour of the first day of any NFL training camp.

Especially at the Baltimore Ravens' camp, where expectations are higher than normal in great part because of the arrival of McGahee to run the football -- the one that Burgess, a sixth-round draft pick out of Michigan, had just dislodged on the first real hit of training camp.
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Face in a new place: Willis McGahee
Jul/19/07 12:54 PM | Permalink
Adversity is Willis McGahee's friend.

Strike that -- companion is a better word. Adversity is Willis McGahee's companion. Yep, that works better. Remember the 2003 Fiesta Bowl? McGahee, the best running back in college football, was about to lead his Miami Hurricanes to another national championship and was a lock to be a top five pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

But upstart Ohio State derailed the Hurricanes' back-to-back hopes, and an ugly fourth quarter knee injury turned McGahee's NFL dreams into a nightmare. So, yeah, McGahee knows a bit about having to overcome adversity.
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With McGahee, Ravens Add a Little Swagger on Offense
Jun/10/07 03:04 PM | Permalink
Willis McGahee was sitting outside the Baltimore Ravens’ locker room in Owings Mills, Md., on Thursday when cornerback Chris McAlister walked by, rubbing his fingertips together — the universal sign used to ask for money.

McAlister was offering to sell McGahee his jersey number, 21, which McGahee wore during his turbulent tenure with the Buffalo Bills.

“No, you can have it,” said McGahee, who joined the Ravens in a trade in March. “I’m good.”

McGahee said he was content to wear No. 23 in Baltimore.

“I don’t want 21,” he said. “I’m looking for a fresh start, and 23 was the number I was picked,” referring to his stature as the 23rd selection in the 2003 N.F.L. draft.
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McGahee: ’Perfect situation’ with Ravens
Jun/08/07 10:58 AM | Permalink
OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Willis McGahee was sitting outside the Baltimore Ravens’ locker room Thursday when cornerback Chris McAlister walked by, rubbing his fingers together the universal sign used to ask for money.

McAlister was offering to sell McGahee jersey No. 21, which the running back wore during his turbulent tenure with the Buffalo Bills.

"No, you can have it," McGahee replied. "I’m good."

Obtained in a trade with the Bills in March, McGahee is content to wear No. 23 in Baltimore.

"I don’t want 21. I’m looking for a fresh start, and 23 was the number I was picked," he said, referring to being the 23rd overall selection in the 2003 NFL draft.
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McGahee acquisition strengthens Ravens
Jun/04/07 10:17 AM | Permalink
Four months after running away with the AFC North title, the Baltimore Ravens haven’t lost much ground to their division rivals. They helped the offense by trading for former Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee and kept most of the NFL’s top-ranked defense intact.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ explosive offense needs more support from its 30th-ranked defense. Mike Tomlin replaces long-time Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who didn’t leave the cupboard bare for his successor. No AFC North team did more to improve than the Cleveland Browns, but it may not be enough to keep them from finishing last again.

Here’s a rundown of the offseason moves by each AFC North club, along with key questions each team faces entering training camp:
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Ravens' McGahee eager to make difference
May/28/07 11:19 AM | Permalink
OWINGS MILLS - In ornate, cursive letters tattooed onto his thick neck, Willis McGahee wears a note of optimism.
A few inches below the Baltimore Ravens running back's left ear, a tattoo reads: "Guess Who's Back."

Now that McGahee got acclimated to the Ravens during his first minicamp with the team since being acquired in a trade from the Buffalo Bills in March, he's intent on capitalizing on a fresh start.

"I'm motivated, I've got to step my game up," said McGahee, whom Buffalo traded for two third-round draft picks and a seventh-round selection. "My teammates are expecting a lot of me. I'm going to go out there and dish it out. Hopefully, we can all work together and make that run we want."
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Ravens' McGahee one happy camper
May/22/07 11:57 AM | Permalink
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After Willis McGahee's first practices with the Ravens last week, team officials couldn't say they gained any insight whether their new running back is primed for a career year or if he is going to add any punch to the passing attack.

But the Ravens did learn something about McGahee -- he is a man of his word.

Often criticized for missing voluntary workouts with the Buffalo Bills, McGahee lived up to his promise that he would attend the Ravens' minicamps and expects it to pay dividends.

"I'm motivated, I've got to step my game up," said McGahee, who will rejoin his teammates for the second Ravens minicamp tomorrow. "My teammates are expecting a lot of me. I'm going to go out there and dish it out. Hopefully, we can all work together and make that run we want.
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Willis McGahee
May/17/07 06:11 PM | Permalink
With all of the hoopla -- and rightfully so -- surrounding Ravens quarterback Steve McNair's first  comments regarding the unusual DUI charges facing him in Tennessee, running back Willis McGahee seemed like almost an afterthought during the team's first minicamp today.

But McGahee's first workout open to the media went without a hitch. In fact, McGahee, whom the Ravens acquired from the Buffalo Bills in March for two draft picks in last month's draft and a third-round choice next year, looked good, catching a few passes in the flat on seven-on-seven drills and running smoothly.

McNair and McGahee were the highlights of today's session. Equally noteworthy were the absences of linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle, offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, free safety Ed Reed, defensive end Trevor Pryce, defensive tackle Kelly Gregg, center Mike Flynn and running back Mike Anderson -- which didn't seem to bother coach Brian Billick.

"I'm very comfortable with the guys that we have here. I'm excited about that," he said. "And those that aren't here, I'm very comfortable knowing what they're going to be able to do when they get here."

Several players who underwent surgery during the offseason returned to the field. Return specialist B.J. Sams (ankle), fullback Justin Green (knee), defensive tackle Justin Bannan (toe) and running back Musa Smith (neck) all took part in drills. Linebacker Dan Cody, who opted to avoid surgery on his left knee, also practiced.

(blogs.baltimoresun.com)
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McGahee to zoom with Ravens
May/09/07 11:46 AM | Permalink
THE SCHEDULE is out. Seven coaches have been hired and fired. Most of the free-agent movement has taken place. And now rookies are settling into their new homes.

It's time to distinguish between the winners and losers this offseason in terms of fantasy value.

Today, I concentrate on guys whose values have increased significantly since the last time we saw them in uniform. Here's my top 16, starting with the most likely to improve:

Willis McGahee, Ravens. Much will be made of Tom Brady's new toys, but the fact is the New England quarterback already put up some pretty impressive numbers, so his potential for improvement is somewhat limited. Not so with McGahee, a very talented back who goes from a weak team to a strong one, which could vault him into the first round.
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McGahee has ‘love’ for WNY
Mar/30/07 08:16 PM | Permalink
Willis McGahee wants to set the record straight.

The former Buffalo Bills running back, who was traded to the Baltimore Ravens, feels he needs to respond to an article about him in last Sunday’s Baltimore Sun. He has been bashed in Western New York by fans and the media for comments he made in the story.

One quote in the story suggests that he was taking a shot at Buffalo’s women, but he said that was not the case.

“I can’t talk bad about the women in Buffalo because I dated some of them,” McGahee said by telephone from Baltimore, where he is househunting. “One thing about me is I would never call any girl the B-word or anything like that. That’s not me. I have a mom and she didn’t raise me that way.”
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McGahee Arrives In Baltimore
Mar/28/07 10:42 PM | Permalink
When the Ravens traded for Willis McGahee earlier this month, he was adamant about committing to Baltimore's offseason conditioning program.

"This is a fresh start. I'm going to be up here working out," he said in a March 9 press conference. "If the coach tells me to come up next week, I'd be up here next week. That's how it is."

For any of the doubters out there, McGahee was speaking the truth.

On the second day of the Ravens' voluntary offseason workout program, McGahee got his first full session in Baltimore under his belt Tuesday.
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Esmonde: Bye, Willis, it’s so good to see you go
Mar/28/07 10:40 PM | Permalink
No wonder the Bills got rid of this guy. Willis McGahee, party animal, could not find a place to party in Buffalo.

Maybe it is no surprise. The Bills running back last year had trouble finding holes to run through on the field. His navigational skills off the field apparently were no better.

McGahee was recently traded to the Baltimore Ravens. In an article in Sunday’s Baltimore Sun, he said that he “couldn’t wait to get out of” our fair burg and that the trade was “such a relief.”

His parting shots were all low blows. McGahee — who went to the University of Miami, a notorious party school — questioned the quality of our womenfolk and indicted our supposed lack of night life. He said coming to Buffalo four years ago “was like hitting a brick wall.”
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DEAR MR. McGAHEE — TAKE THIS!
Mar/27/07 09:17 AM | Permalink
Dear Willis McGahee, Your words to The Baltimore Sun certainly stung some people in this town, leaving them calling for you to apologize. Not me. I have to say thank you.

Thanks for putting to rest any regrets Buffalo fans may have had about seeing you gone. There was some fan disgruntlement after they shipped you to Baltimore for a couple of third-round draft picks and a roll of tape.

But you took care of that in an article Sunday in the Baltimore Sun:

“Coming from Miami, I was used to partying, going out, just having something to do every night. Restaurants, whatever. Going to Buffalo, it was like hitting a brick wall,” you told The Sun. “Like, ‘Damn!’ Can’t go out, can’t do nothing. There’s an Applebee’s, a TGI Friday’s, and they just got a Dave & Busters. They got that, and I’m like, ‘What the?’ And, you know, the women …”
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New team, new start for Ravens' McGahee
Mar/26/07 09:14 AM | Permalink
Motivation problems?

Though McGahee wasn't surrounded by the best talent in Buffalo, motivation seems to have been a problem at times. He'll readily admit that he didn't step into a leadership role, even though Bills coaches asked him to be more vocal.

"I'm shy, to tell you the truth," McGahee says. "I'm not really the type of person to be all yelling, 'We need to do this, we need to do that.' I went to the University of Miami. We know how to play. You don't need to yell at me to tell me to do something. Just tell me, and I'll go ahead and do it.

"I wasn't, I guess, a team leader. But if you aren't happy, you're just going to do your own job and don't worry about nothing else. They asked. But that isn't like me to be trying to get other grown men fired up. They know what they've got to do."
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Thomas expected McGahee trade
Mar/24/07 12:39 PM | Permalink
(March 23, 2007) — BUFFALO — Thurman Thomas sported his brand new No. 34 Sabres jersey, presented to him by team president Larry Quinn, during Buffalo's victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.

The former Buffalo Bills' superstar and newest member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame was back in town to visit his ailing father-in-law, and to check out his favorite hockey team at HSBC Arena.

He sat in team owner Tom Golisano's luxury suite, spent some time in the broadcast booth with Rick Jeanneret and Jim Lorentz, and led a Let's Go Buffalo cheer during a break in the action.

But football is never very far from Thomas' mind, especially when it comes to matters concerning the Bills, and he shared some thoughts on his old team's decision to trade away running back Willis McGahee.
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McGahee gets number 23
Mar/21/07 08:15 PM | Permalink
OWINGS MILLS — Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee, recently acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills, will wear the No. 23 this fall.

The Ravens traded a third-round draft pick, No. 92 overall, and a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft along with next year’s third-round selection in exchange for the former University of Miami star. The Ravens signed McGahee to a contract with a maximum value of $40.12 million.

(carrollcountytimes.com)
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Schauf: A rebirth for McGahee in Baltimore?
Mar/14/07 08:12 PM | Permalink
Ever since the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft, I've been telling every Bills fan who would listen that his team made a horrible choice selecting Willis McGahee with the 23rd pick. One general manager and two coaches later, the franchise finally conceded that I was right by dealing its leading rusher to the Ravens. Back then, the Bills had just finished making big improvements in their second year under head coach Gregg Williams, going from 3-13 to 8-8 in 2002. They had enjoyed huge seasons from Drew Bledsoe, Eric Moulds and Peerless Price, as well as 1,400 yards from second-year back Travis Henry. Buffalo seemed to be a player or two from making the playoffs and, at the very least, set at running back for a little while. Yet, there the team went on draft day, taking the injured stud from Miami who would be sitting out at least a year (and if the Bills really wanted a back, Penn State's Larry Johnson was healthy, fresh off a 2,000-yard season and still sitting on the board).
 
Long story short, McGahee sat out while rehabbing his injury, Henry got understandably fed up with the franchise and left, and the Bills have sputtered their way to a seven-year playoff drought. Now the newest regime, after having its own trouble with McGahee, decided it would rather send him away than keep working on a contract extension. To top it all off, the team got just two third-round picks (one this year, one next) and a seventh-rounder. Some (e.g. Peter King) might say that's too much, but it leaves the Bills with just third- and seventh-round players to try to help the team this year. Even Wes Welker brought the Dolphins a second-round pick. Bills mistakes aside, though, McGahee has been the most significant player fantasywise to change teams this off-season, and the move could help his production.
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Mcgahee: More Versatility For Ravens' Offense?
Mar/14/07 08:11 PM | Permalink
For years, Ravens running backs have taken handoffs and disappeared into piles of humanity. Sometimes they came out, sometimes they didn't. The point is, you knew where they were going and it was up to the defense to stop it.

The Ravens feel that predictable scenario is going to change with the acquisition of former Buffalo Bills tailback Willis McGahee, who was introduced late last week at the team's Owings Mills practice facility.

"I'm happy to be here," the soft-spoken, 6-foot, 228-pound five-year veteran said. "I can run, block, either one, whatever they want me to do."
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Ravens Trot Out Their New Runner
Mar/13/07 11:54 AM | Permalink
Willis McGahee made his first public appearance as a Baltimore Raven yesterday, smiling from his new $40.1 million contract and the possibility of playing for a playoff team for the first time.

Dressed in a green button-down shirt and jeans, the Ravens' new starting running back addressed a variety of topics at his introductory news conference in Owings Mills, Md., including his four-year tenure with the Buffalo Bills, reuniting with former University of Miami teammate Ed Reed and his future with Baltimore.

"My situation wasn't that great in Buffalo," said McGahee, who was flanked by General Manager Ozzie Newsome and Coach Brian Billick. "I thank God for getting the 990 [rushing yards last season] to tell you the truth. If you look at it, I missed two games and was facing nine guys in the box a lot. If you get to a better team with receivers, a quarterback, a line helping out, it's going to be hard to stop everybody."
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Inside Dish: McGahee strengthens Ravens
Mar/12/07 12:48 PM | Permalink
The acquisition of Bills RB Willis McGahee immediately elevates the Ravens' offense and makes Baltimore an even stronger Super Bowl contender. But it's a move the Ravens never would have made if the less talented Jamal Lewis had agreed to their one-year, $2 million contract offer at the start of the free-agent period. McGahee gives the Ravens explosiveness--something Lewis couldn't produce last season, particularly against the Colts in the playoffs. Now it's up to coach Brian Billick to lean on McGahee and reduce QB Steve McNair's workload. . . .

(sportingnews.com)
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Hurricane Willis touches down in Baltimore
Mar/11/07 10:29 PM | Permalink
The Buffalo Bills traded disgruntled running back Willis McGahee to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday morning for a third and seventh-round pick in the 2007 draft and a third-round pick in 2008, a deal which should benefit both teams.

The Buffalo Bills are more than a few players away from contending after losing their two best defensive players to free agency in Nate Clements and London Fletcher. Their offensive line was one of the worst in the league last season, allowing 47 sacks while paving the way for the 27th best ground game in the league, and the free agent signings of two inconsistent linemen (Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker) is not the long term answer. This move allows them to address some of those needs through the draft while getting rid of a locker room headache that bogged down the team over the past two seasons.
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McGahee confident he'll pay dividends
Mar/11/07 10:28 PM | Permalink
Coming off his worst season, new Ravens running back Willis McGahee is ready to show why the team traded three draft picks for him.

"You always have something to prove when you go to a new team just to show your organization that you belong here," said McGahee, who was flanked by coach Brian Billick and general manager Ozzie Newsome at his introductory news conference today.

McGahee, 25, ran for 3,365 yards in three seasons with the Buffalo Bills. But he failed to crack 1,000 yards for the first time last season, when he managed 990 yards rushing.

McGahee said the dip in production has nothing to do with his reconstructed knee. In the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, he suffered a gruesome knee injury, tearing three ligaments.
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Welcome, Willis
Mar/11/07 10:27 PM | Permalink
The Ravens answered any questions about their open running back spot Thursday, acquiring Willis McGahee via trade with the Buffalo Bills. Baltimore sent three draft picks - two this year and one in 2008 - to the Bills for the highly-regarded fifth-year running back.

Pending a physical early Friday morning, McGahee's hard-nosed, physical style could be a perfect fit in the Ravens' offense, which thrives on grinding the ball on the ground and utilizing receivers out of the backfield.

"This is a runner who can make people miss and has the explosion and speed to take it the distance," said general manager and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome. "He also has the power and size to run inside. He's a viable receiver out of the backfield and is a good pass blocker, not something every back can do.
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McGahee traded, gets new deal
Mar/11/07 10:24 PM | Permalink
Running back Willis McGahee has a new team and a new contract.

McGahee, who was acquired Thursday by the Baltimore Ravens in a trade with the Buffalo Bills for three draft picks, signed a new six-year contract extension worth more than $32 million.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the deal, which included $15 million in guarantees. That guarantee comes in the form of a $7.5 million signing bonus McGahee will be paid now and guaranteed option bonuses of $6 million in 2008 and $1.5 million in 2009. Beyond that, McGahee receives base salaries of $595,000 in 2007 (final year of original deal), $605,000 in 2008, $620,000 in 2009, $3.6 million in 2010, $6 million in 2011, $6.5 million in 2012 and $7.2 million in 2013.

The deal follows Buffalo's decision to trade the disgruntled McGahee to the Ravens for a third- and seventh-round pick in this year's NFL draft and a third-rounder in 2008. McGahee had one year remaining on his contract with the Ravens, but had expressed unhappiness with playing in Buffalo.
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Bills trade Willis McGahee to Ravens
Mar/11/07 10:22 PM | Permalink
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Willis McGahee likes to refer to himself as the NFL's best running back. Let's see how he does replacing Jamal Lewis in Baltimore.

The Ravens acquired McGahee in a trade with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, a day after Lewis signed with Cleveland. In exchange, the Bills received third- and seventh-round picks this year and a third-rounder next year.

"This is a runner who can make people miss and has the explosion and speed to take it the distance," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "He also has the power and size to run inside. He's a viable receiver out of the backfield and is a good pass blocker, not something every back can do."
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McGahee To Ravens?
Mar/08/07 02:06 AM | Permalink
Clayton also reports that talks between the Bills and Ravens regarding Willis McGahee are heating up, saying that if Buffalo were to deal with Baltimore, it would likely happen soon.

(wben.com)
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Bills' trade options for McGahee dwindling
Mar/06/07 11:46 AM | Permalink
(March 6, 2007) — If the Buffalo Bills truly are looking to unload running back Willis McGahee, their list of potential trade partners is shrinking rapidly.

On Monday the Denver Broncos, who were known to have contacted the Bills in regards to McGahee's availability, opted instead for another back with Buffalo ties, ex-Bill Travis Henry.

The Broncos jumped on Henry almost as soon as he was released by Tennessee and inked him to a five-year deal that included a reported $12 million in guaranteed money, by far the biggest payday of his checkered NFL career that now includes three 1,200-yard rushing seasons.

And Houston, the team that could have had Reggie Bush in the 2006 draft and then lost starter Domanick Davis for the entire 2006 season because of a knee injury, signed 30-year-old Ahman Green to a four-year, $23 million contract.
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Broncos one of few looking at McGahee
Mar/05/07 12:40 PM | Permalink
There are teams interested in acquiring running back Willis McGahee, but free-agent shopping in the NFL could severely hinder the Buffalo Bills' ability to deal their starter.

The Denver Broncos have contacted the Bills with an interest in McGahee, NFL sources told The Buffalo News. The Broncos are in need of a starting running back after trading leading rusher Tatum Bell to Detroit on Friday.

One league source said the Broncos have "a serious interest" in McGahee.

However, the Broncos also have other options in free agency. They entertained free agent running back Ahman Green of Green Bay on Saturday morning. Then they set their sights on former Bill Travis Henry, who was released by Tennessee on Saturday afternoon because he was due to get an $8.3 million bonus Monday.
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Starting Lines: McGahee Not `Untouchable'
Feb/27/07 09:40 AM | Permalink
Coach Dick Jauron said Monday the Bills would listen to trade offers for running back Willis McGahee. "It's in our best interest to listen to everybody, and no people are untouchable," Jauron said at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. Last week, new general manager Jerry Reese said the Giants would be interested in McGahee to replace the retired Tiki Barber.

(courant.com)
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Bills put McGahee on trading block; Giants interested
Feb/25/07 06:02 PM | Permalink
02/24/2007 13:50 PM - The Buffalo Bills are using part of their time here at the NFL scouting combine this weekend to apprise teams that starting tailback Willis McGahee is available via trade, and it appears they have attracted the interest of at least one potential suitor.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Buffalo Bills are using part of their time here at the NFL scouting combine this weekend to apprise teams that starting tailback Willis McGahee is available via trade, and it appears they have attracted the interest of at least one potential suitor.

Jerry Reese, the first-year general manager of the New York Giants, acknowledged on Saturday morning that his team has some interest in McGahee, a four-year veteran who has twice posted 1,000-yard seasons.

"There is some talk about Willis out there," Reese said. "We'll investigate Willis. We'll investigate everybody out there with trade talks. We'll leave no stones unturned."
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Willis McGahee Update
Feb/23/07 01:31 PM | Permalink
Jauron put any rumors about Willis McGahee's position with the team to rest.

"Willis is our starting runningback," Jauron said. "He's a performer. He works hard. He works through injuries, an awfully tough guy. Willis is our runningback as we go into the offseason."

(wben.com)
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Willis McGahee Update
Feb/13/07 10:18 AM | Permalink
CBS analyst Steve Tasker told PFW that the Bills still believe in RB Willis McGahee but that his limitations keep him from being considered an elite back. "I think there are some things Willis doesn't do as well as other top backs. He's a power runner. He runs downhill and he doesn't hop, jump and skip, but that also means he doesn't hop, jump and skip in pass routes, and they have to tailor pass routes for him. So that's a limitation, although he catches the ball well and runs well after catching it. But he's more of a screen-pass guy and a swing-type guy. He's not going to split out, catch it in the slot and make a guy miss."

(profootballweekly)
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A Bush in hand sure beats McGahee
Jan/21/07 04:44 PM | Permalink
It's one of those opinionated Sundays . . .

Allow me to cast another vote urging the Bills to drop Willis McGahee on his head.

As for his so-called written "apology" for a Penthouse interview in which he urged the Bills be moved to Toronto in order to brighten his social life, I suspect that his opening line - "It has come to my attention" - was never thought, much less spoken, by McGahee in his entire life.

Aside from his over-inflated ego, refusal to leave Miami to work out with his teammates in their offseason conditioning program and his inability to distinguish third down from fourth down, there is a more important reason to replace McGahee. The Bills need someone to convert on third-and-1 in order to keep drives alive. He doesn't do it often enough.

It's a pretty good year for running backs in the draft. If Buffalo wanted to invest a first-round choice in one of them, the top two, Marshawn Lynch of California and Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma, likely would be gone before the Bills' turn at No. 12. There is an off-chance Antonio Pittman of Ohio State or Kenny Irons of Auburn would last until Round Two, but the most tempting possibility in Buffalo's top spot might be Michael Bush of Louisville.
Bush, a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate, broke his leg in the opening game. His recovery would have to be medically certified, but if he's healthy he's a 6-foot-3, 250-pounder with outstanding speed. He was recruited as a quarterback.

(buffalonews.com)
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Willis responds about article
Jan/18/07 01:25 PM | Permalink
Interviewed for January's issue of Penthouse Magazine, Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee was quoted as saying it would be a "good situation" if the NFL had a team in Toronto and rather than put a team in Toronto, the NFL should move the Bills there. "Case closed," he said.
McGahee's agent released this response from his client on the article:

"It has been brought to my attention that through an article I did with Penthouse magazine, fans and readers may have misinterpreted my response when asked about the possibility of the NFL one day coming to Toronto.

"I want to make it clear today as I have been committed to the Bills for the last four years that my heart is with the Bills and the city of Buffalo. If the league decided to expand my intent was that Toronto is a beautiful place to do so. I never would suggest the Buffalo Bills move to Toronto. My words were taken out of context and I suggested they get a team with a loyal fan base and organization such as the Buffalo Bills. My family and I have made our home here and enjoy the hospitality of the city. I am a proud member of the Buffalo Bills, we have the most loyal, supportive and dedicated fans in the world, and I cannot think of a better organization to be a part of."

(buffalonews.com)
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Willis has worn out his welcome
Jan/16/07 11:52 AM | Permalink
Marv Levy has gotten a lot of credit for changing the culture of the Bills since taking over as general manager a year ago. Much of it is justified. Levy has instilled a renewed sense of camaraderie, and he has been firm in his commitment to players of high character and intellect.

But Levy can't have it both ways. The talk about character begins to ring hollow when his top running back, Willis McGahee, is embarrassing the franchise and the community at every turn.

McGahee has worn out his welcome in this town. It's pretty evident that he doesn't want to be here. From what I can gather, his recent request for a contract extension is a thinly veiled attempt to poison the waters with management and force a trade out of Buffalo.
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Bills have options with disappointing McGahee
Jan/16/07 08:29 AM | Permalink
When the Buffalo Bills took a gamble and selected running back Willis McGahee with their first-round pick in the 2003 draft, they were expecting to a land a player who would be elite for years to come. At the time, the ex-University of Miami star was arguably the draft's most talented player, but a severe knee injury kept teams away from selecting him.

McGahee spent his inaugural season with the Bills rehabbing his injury, then joined the fray in 2004. As the leader of a magical second-half run that saw Buffalo accumulate a 6-1 record and a near-playoff berth, McGahee was a yardage and touchdown machine, racking up 1,128 and 13, respectively.

Since his promising first season, however, things have quickly gone downhill for the 25-year-old. Although he accrued a solid 1,247 rushing yards in 2005, his 3.8 yards per carry average and meager five touchdowns didn't exactly elevate him to the top of the league. It got worse this past season for McGahee, who's often criticized for running indecisively. In 14 total games for the 7-9 Bills, the 6-foot, 228-pounder finished with a below-average 990 ground yards and six touchdowns.
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JAY SKURSKI: McGahee’s mouth may run him out of town
Jan/15/07 02:30 PM | Permalink
Chances are, Buffalo Bills general manager Marv Levy isn’t a regular reader of Penthouse Magazine.

He might want to pick up a copy of the latest issue, though.

In it appears an exclusive interview with Bills running back Willis McGahee, who had plenty of interesting things to say about the future of his team in Western New York.

Asked about his thoughts on Toronto ever getting an NFL team, McGahee took it a step further, suggesting to the ... ahem, adult publication, that the Bills should just move their operations up the Queen Elizabeth Way.

I doubt McGahee is an expert on the relocation of NFL franchises, so Levy and Bills fans don’t need to lose any sleep over that. But the 81-year-old GM has to wonder what his star running back is doing granting an interview to Penthouse in the first place.
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Rough Week For Willis McGahee
Jan/10/07 07:58 PM | Permalink
(WGR 550)- A double dose of bad publicity for Bills runningback Willis McGahee in The Miami Herald and Penthouse magazine, as a paternity suit and a candid interview regarding Bills fans and the team's future in Buffalo became public.

First, the Penthouse interview. When asked about the possibility of an NFL team in Toronto, McGahee said, "That would be a good situation. Toronto is a beautiful place. But if they're going to put a team there, they should just bring the Buffalo Bills to Toronto. Case closed."

McGahee also said he owes the Bills organization for taking a chance on him.

"I got a lotta love for Buffalo," he said. "I thank God for the whole situation. I'm trying to make them proud. I'm trying to do some things here."
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McGahee's production doesn't justify new deal
Jan/01/07 12:15 PM | Permalink
BALTIMORE - This won't come as any great surprise, but Willis McGahee was not in a celebratory mood in the early stages of New Year's Eve. The Bills' featured back wasn't raising a glass. He was raising an objection.

McGahee rushed 11 times for just 23 yards in Sunday's season-ending, 19-7 loss to the Ravens. He fell 10 yards short of a 1,000-yard season. Asked if he felt the Bills hadn't run the ball enough, the 990-yard man nodded toward an adjacent locker, where offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild was standing.

"There you go right there," McGahee said. "Talk to him."

Fairchild didn't hesitate when he was asked if the Bills had abandoned the run. "Yeah, I probably did. They're tough to run against. Had we been able to get a little more out of it, it might have helped us a little more."
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McGahee fails to have grand time
Jan/01/07 12:10 PM | Permalink
BALTIMORE - Needing just 33 yards to reach 1,000 for the season, reaching that milestone for a third straight year seemed like a sure thing for running back Willis McGahee.

But the Baltimore Ravens' defense had other ideas.

McGahee had no room to run all day and finished with a season-low 23 yards on 11 carries in the Bills' season-ending 19-7 loss. The total left him 10 yards shy of the 1,000-yard plateau. Thurman Thomas and O.J. Simpson remain the only backs in Bills history to do it at least three times.

"It was tough," McGahee said. "[The Ravens] have a good defense. They're all good on that side of the ball, so I knew it was going to be hard to run on them."
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McGahee covets new deal - Agent says Bills RB deserves extension
Dec/28/06 01:15 PM | Permalink
Willis McGahee has been one of the best running backs in the NFL over the past three seasons. Now his agent believes he should be paid accordingly.

Drew Rosenhaus said getting McGahee a contract extension will be "a high priority" this offseason.

"Willis has been a very productive player for the Buffalo Bills," Rosenhaus said from his Miami office. "He has played through injuries. He's worked hard. He has been a good teammate. I think he deserves a new contract and we will vigorously pursue that this offseason."

Rosenhaus said he approached the Bills about an extension earlier this year, but added those talks were just preliminary. He hopes more intensive discussions will take place once the season is over.

McGahee still has one year left on the five-year deal he signed as a rookie in 2003. He was due to make $905,000 in base salary next season, but Rosenhaus indicated that McGahee has hit some escalators that increase his pay significantly in 2007.
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McGahee and Evans Creating Problems for Opponents
Dec/21/06 01:21 PM | Permalink
We've seen successful offensive teams in the NFL before. Oftentimes their talent at the skill positions creates big matchup problems for opposing defenses. The most current example would be San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates. Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison when they played together in Indianapolis posed matchup headaches as well.

Buffalo's offense is beginning to show that same potential with Willis McGahee and Lee Evans, and you need only look at the big plays they've provided as evidence.

Last Sunday's game against Miami is a perfect example. After watching McGahee rumble for 125 yards against the Jets including a 57-yard touchdown run the week before, the Dolphins were committed to stopping Buffalo's top back. With the wind whipping as hard as it was at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Miami was even more comfortable loading up the box with defenders
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McGahee hangs tough
Dec/18/06 02:45 PM | Permalink
Running back Willis McGahee threw up last week against the New York Jets. He almost got knocked out by the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

A helmet-to-helmet collision with Miami middle linebacker Zach Thomas separated McGahee from the ball and, at least temporarily, his senses.

"That was the hardest hit I have taken since I have been in the NFL," McGahee said. "I was driving and [Thomas] got a good hit, right along the side of my head, and everything went still for a minute. He gave me a little ringing."
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McGahee battles through illness
Dec/13/06 12:54 AM | Permalink
Just give him a ham sandwich and he'll be all right.

That was exactly the formula for Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee in Sunday's 31-13 upset of the New York Jets at the Meadowlands.

McGahee battled his way both through an upset stomach and a porous New York run defense, amassing 125 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
McGahee averaged 7.8 yards per carry, which was a single-game best.

'My stomach got upset,' said McGahee, who replenished his body with a ham sandwich on the sideline. 'I didn't eat anything before the game because I had to come out to the stadium earlier than I usually do.'
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Performance by Buffalo’s McGahee Leaves Sick Feeling
Dec/11/06 08:14 AM | Permalink
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Dec. 10 — When Willis McGahee dashed into the end zone for a first-quarter touchdown against the Jets, he made a quick U-turn toward the Buffalo Bills’ sideline and kept on moving.

He scooted past his coaches, dodged his teammates and finally found a sliver of light by the Bills’ bench.

And then he threw up.

“I asked him, ‘Are you all right?’ ” said J. P. Losman, the Bills’ quarterback. “He was sick.”
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McGahee eats Jets for lunch
Dec/11/06 08:09 AM | Permalink
Moments after he barreled through the Jets' defensive line and scored on a 57-yard first-quarter dash, a nauseous Willis McGahee threw up on the sideline and was in dire need of something to fill his stomach to boost his waning energy.

So, the Buffalo running back ordered a submarine sandwich and ate a late lunch on the sideline during the first half.

"It was a ham and cheese," McGahee said. "Something basic. I took the cheese off because the dairy product probably would have made it worse."
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McGahee will test Jets - Running back hopes to show up ex-teammate
Dec/10/06 12:25 PM | Permalink
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Willis McGahee leaned into the microphone for effect, knowing each playful jab eventually would get back to Jonathan Vilma.

"Jon, you can't stop me, bro," the Buffalo Bills running back said. "Just case closed, that's it."

And with that, the friendly rivalry between the former college teammates was back on. The two will meet again today when the Jets (7-5) play host to the Bills (5-7) at the Meadowlands.

"Tell Willis that's cute," the New York linebacker said with a big grin. "That's real cute. Tell him when he gets Defensive Rookie of the Year and he gets to the Pro Bowl and he gets to the playoffs, then we can talk."
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Willis McGahee Talks Some Trash to Vilma
Dec/07/06 11:05 AM | Permalink










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Bills need McGahee to bring his game up a notch
Dec/07/06 10:26 AM | Permalink
(December 7, 2006) — ORCHARD PARK — You don't have to tell Marv Levy what it takes to win in the National Football League.

The man is a Hall of Famer who took the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1990s.

That's why there was no look of amazement on Levy's face Sunday as he watched the San Diego Chargers defeat the Buffalo team he is in charge of rebuilding piece by piece.

Right there, in living color on an otherwise cold and gray day at Ralph Wilson Stadium, was a team that is built to win. And of all the things that San Diego does well, one stood above all the others in the Chargers' 24-21 victory: San Diego's ability to run the ball.
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McGahee aims to run more than mouth
Dec/07/06 10:19 AM | Permalink
Bills running back Willis McGahee did not practice yesterday and had a protective boot on his sore left ankle, but he expects to play on Sunday.

Why wouldn't he? McGahee has thrived against the Jets in his career, averaging 134.5 yards in the last four games, including a career-high 150 when the teams met in Week 3. McGahee said having his buddy and Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma on the other side of the line brings out the best in him. And, apparently, a few verbal jabs as well.

To tell you the truth, I don't even talk to him before we play each other," McGahee said of his former University of Miami teammate while talking to Buffalo reporters yesterday. "Once we see each other on the field, he makes his little tackles, he goes to running his mouth. Then that's when it all starts. Saying things like 'It's going to be a long game.' I be like 'OK.' That's when I put my hard hat on and it's time to go to work."
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McGahee Has New Injury; Trash Talks to Vilma
Dec/06/06 08:14 PM | Permalink
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Still recovering from three broken ribs Willis McGahee was a non-participant in practice Wednesday. Only the reason he sat out practice had nothing to do with his ribs.
When McGahee emerged from the training room to speak with the media he hobbled to the microphone wearing an immobilizer boot on his left ankle. But Buffalo's top back downplayed the presence of the device.

"It's my prosthetic shoe," joked McGahee. "(The ankle) has been going on, but (the boot) is for precautionary reasons. That's all. It's nothing. No worries."

McGahee, who is listed as questionable on the team's injury report, is fairly confident he'll be on the field Sunday.

"That's the game plan," said McGahee of playing Sunday. "I wouldn't be right here talking if I wasn't playing Sunday."
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McGahee finally relents: Tomlinson's the best
Dec/03/06 08:34 PM | Permalink
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Willis McGahee let out a heavy sigh when he realized where the conversation was headed.

With LaDainian Tomlinson and his eye-popping numbers coming to town, this was not the ideal time to revisit McGahee's brow-raising claim from a year ago that McGahee was the NFL's best running back.

The numbers heavily stacked against him, McGahee knew better than to further the debate. He instead issued a grudging concession in leading up to the Buffalo Bills (5-6) hosting Tomlinson's San Diego Chargers (9-2) on Sunday.

''He's up there. He's one of the best running backs,'' McGahee said. ''You just have to look at what he has done. I think he has over 21 touchdowns, and that's hard to do in the NFL. And I'm struggling to get five.''
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McGahee’s Sense of Team Gets Him Back on the Field
Nov/28/06 01:47 PM | Permalink
Willis McGahee is a man of faith. He relied on it when his knee was torn apart in the National Championship game three years ago, and he admitted to turning to that same faith these past few weeks as his body tried to heal itself again after another serious injury.

"The good Lord, He had a lot to do with it," said McGahee of being able to play with pain of three broken ribs and get through Sunday's game. "I just prayed and rested. That's all."

McGahee, who has a pair of praying hands tattooed on the right side of his neck, has been somewhat of a miracle healer in his playing career. Many thought his career was over after his catastrophic knee injury. But not once in his rehabilitation did he have a single setback.CE429E0FAB344031BB29D3D2069BD135
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Rapid recovery has Willis feeling good
Nov/28/06 09:39 AM | Permalink
Running back Willis McGahee was a little sore, but he was feeling good a day after his return from broken ribs.

His sunny disposition reflected the mood of the Buffalo Bills, who are playing their best football of the season. Sunday's 27-24 victory over Jacksonville was Buffalo's second straight and third in four games since the bye.

"We tried to start out good, but things weren't going our way and we went into our little drought," said McGahee, who was at the team's practice facility Monday even though the players had the day off. "But we knew things would turn around for us eventually. We just couldn't keep staying in that drought. We're learning how to finish right now. Even though we were up, 24-17, and [Jacksonville] came back, we didn't lose our composure. We didn't panic. We knew what we had to do."
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BILLS NOTEBOOK: McGahee goes over 3,000 yards for his career
Nov/27/06 05:44 PM | Permalink
ORCHARD PARK — Not only did Willis McGahee double his touchdown production Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Buffalo Bills running back also eclipsed a milestone along the way.


McGahee’s 63 yards gave him 3,017 for his career, making him the seventh player in franchise history to gain at least 3,000. McGahee accomplished the feat in his 41st game, tying Cookie Gilchrist and Thurman Thomas for the third fastest to 3,000.

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Spare Ribs
Nov/27/06 08:27 AM | Permalink
Does anyone need more proof about Willis McGahee’s toughness? Between his well-documented comeback from his knee injury to Sunday’s performance with three cracked ribs, he’s earning a reputation as Jack Youngblood-tough. Not only did he play with the cracked ribs, but he scored twice and averaged 5.3 yards per carry. I really didn’t think we’d hear from McGahee again this year. Cracked ribs are incredibly painful, and even if the Bills’ trainer shot him up higher than Avery Johnson voice, it’s still a fantastic effort. Obviously, Anthony Thomas becomes a permanent staple on your bench, but don’t drop him since a helmet to the chest could sideline McGahee again.

(rototimes.com)
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McGahee Update
Nov/27/06 08:24 AM | Permalink
Bills RB Willis McGahee: After sitting out two games with broken ribs, he returned to action and without question played in pain. But he made terrific runs on both of his touchdowns and had to suck it up and play longer than expected when Anthony Thomas twisted an ankle.

(democratandchronicle.com)
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Bills 'guardedly optimistic' about RB McGahee
Nov/24/06 12:59 AM | Permalink
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (Nov. 23, 2006) -- Bills coach Dick Jauron was "guardedly optimistic" Willis McGahee will play against Jacksonville this weekend after the running back took part in his first practice in full pads.

It was McGahee's second successive day of practice after breaking three ribs in a 24-10 victory against Green Bay on Nov. 5. Jauron said McGahee was involved in some contact and described the player as moving well while wearing added padding to protect his ribs.

McGahee, who leads the Bills with 579 yards rushing, is still listed as questionable on the team's injury report. Jauron cautioned that a decision on whether he'll play will come down to game time Nov. 26 when the Bills (4-6) host the Jaguars (6-4).
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McGahee returns to Bills practice, listed as questionable
Nov/22/06 10:59 PM | Permalink
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Willis McGahee returned to practice Wednesday, but it's uncertain whether the Buffalo Bills running back is ready to play after missing two games with broken ribs.

Coach Dick Jauron listed McGahee as questionable for Buffalo's home game against Jacksonville on Sunday. While Jauron didn't rule McGahee out entirely, he expressed concern that he might not be physically ready after missing two weeks of workouts.

"It's going to affect him in terms of conditioning and he'll have to get used to the twisting and turning," Jauron said.
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Bills RB McGahee out indefinitely
Nov/09/06 12:27 AM | Permalink
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -Running back Willis McGahee is out indefinitely with three broken ribs, leaving the Bills without their best offensive threat against the Indianapolis Colts this weekend.

Coach Dick Jauron on Wednesday ruled McGahee out, adding the player's injury is more severe than initially thought. Jauron said follow-up tests showed McGahee damaged three ribs in Buffalo's 24-10 win over Green Bay last weekend.

McGahee was originally diagnosed with one broken rib and later tests showed breaks in two others.
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McGahee, Reed Out For Sunday
Nov/08/06 05:13 PM | Permalink
Orchard Park, NY (WGR 550) - It was a dose of good news/bad news at One Bills Drive today. The bad news is that both Willis McGahee and Josh Reed are out for Sunday's game against the Colts. McGahee has a broken rib plus two cracked ribs. Reed was just released from the hospital yesterday after suffering a bruised kidney in last Sunday's game.

(wgr550.com)
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McGahee likely to sit on Sunday - Broken rib may keep him on bench against the Colts
Nov/07/06 08:55 AM | Permalink
(November 7, 2006) — ORCHARD PARK — Although the Buffalo Bills won't say anything official, it is very likely that running back Willis McGahee will miss Sunday's game at Indianapolis with a broken rib.

Coach Dick Jauron announced Monday that McGahee broke his ninth rib early in the first quarter of Buffalo's 24-10 victory over Green Bay.

"My understanding is we'll just see where it goes," Jauron said. "It's painful, obviously, and they'll do some more tests today. He's scheduled for a scan today to examine it further."
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McGahee ready to carry on - Bills aim to get RB more involved in offense
Oct/19/06 02:06 PM | Permalink
Getting running back Willis McGahee rolling again figures to be the simplest way for the Buffalo Bills' offense to pull itself out of its two-week funk when it faces the New England Patriots on Sunday.

What's simple, however, may not be easy, to paraphrase Bills General Manager Marv Levy.

The Patriots rank eighth in the NFL against the run.

"We'd like to get him anywhere from 20 to 30 touches a game, run and pass, that's what our goal is," Bills coach Dick Jauron said of his workhorse weapon. "Willis is right up near the top of the league in carries per game. . . . We think a lot of him, and he's responded really well to us."
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Buffalo's gamble on McGahee paying off in big way
Oct/15/06 11:10 AM | Permalink
DETROIT -- There's a good possibility that if Willis McGahee hadn't torn up his knee in college football's national championship game against Ohio State in 2003 that he'd be wearing a Detroit Lions uniform today.

The Lions had the second overall pick in the draft that year and likely would have selected McGahee, the University of Miami running back, over Michigan State wide receiver Charles Rogers because running backs touch the ball three times as much as receivers and can have a greater impact on the game.

As it turns out, the Lions probably should've drafted him second anyway. Instead, McGahee slid to the 21st overall spot where the Buffalo Bills took a gamble on him. McGahee sat out that 2003 season to rehabilitate his knee, but he's come back strong.
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Bears’ focus: Stop McGahee
Oct/08/06 09:33 AM | Permalink
CHICAGO — Chicago Bears nose tackle Ian Scott pondered the question for a moment, then rendered his take.

The issue? Whether Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee presents the biggest test so far this season for the team’s defense.

“He’s the NFL’s leading rusher right now,” Scott concluded, “so that would be fair to say.”

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Bills rely heavily on McGahee
Oct/07/06 10:10 AM | Permalink
You can’t always believe everything you see or hear coming from Miami, but Willis McGahee is the real deal.

McGahee, the much-heralded running back from the University of Miami, leads the NFL in rushing with 389 yards in four games.

He is making his mark with a team that boasts a history of tremendous running backs — including O.J. Simpson and Thurman Thomas, the last Bills running back to lead the league in rushing (1991).
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McGahee Out To Be A Complete Back
Oct/04/06 05:37 PM | Permalink
Head coach Dick Jauron called Willis McGahee's performance last Sunday his best game under his watch.

That may come as a surprise to some Bills fans who might say, 'He only had 78 rushing yards and averaged just 2.8 yards per carry.'

Production on the ground is obviously one of his primary responsibilities, and he's been effective in that area as he leads the league in rushing through the first four weeks (389 yards). But it's not his only duty on the field.

"Willis really played an exceptional game," said Jauron. "He was outstanding in every area. He made some terrific runs, but he made a lot of blocks, aggressive blocks. He did a terrific job. That's the best I've seen him play since I've been here. And he's played really well every week, but that was the best all around."
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McGahee steps up as a blocker
Oct/03/06 03:02 PM | Permalink
Willis McGahee has had many outstanding performances as a runner, but it was his role as a blocker that stood out during the Buffalo Bills' win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

In the first quarter, McGahee picked up pass-rushing defensive end Darrion Scott, giving quarterback J.P. Losman time to compete a 9-yard pass to receiver Lee Evans. McGahee's block on defensive tackle Spencer Johnson in the third quarter allowed Losman to scramble for 15 yards.

McGahee's most impressive block came against Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kevin Williams late in the first half. The 6-foot-5, 311-pound Williams collapsed the pocket with an inside bull rush and had his sights on Losman. But McGahee delivered a powerful blow that flattened Williams.
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McGahee tries to carry on tradition of Gilchrist
Oct/01/06 03:06 PM | Permalink
Last week, Willis McGahee's name appeared in the same sentence with that of Cookie Gilchrist. Fair enough, since McGahee passed Gilchrist to become No. 3 on the Bills' list of most carries, behind only O.J. Simpson and Thurman Thomas.

I doubt if McGahee ever heard of Cookie, since Gilchrist played for the Bills back in 1962-64, a football generation or two before Willis was born.

McGahee is a big, powerful runner, 228 pounds and 6 feet tall. A "big back" in the early '60s was normally someone between 195 and 205 pounds. Cookie was 6-2 and 252 pounds, ran the standard pro testing distance, 40 yards, under 4.4 seconds and, years before weight training and other modern conditioning came into football, he had a body-fat reading that was minuscule.
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Big rush can't offset mistakes - McGahee Update
Sep/25/06 10:34 AM | Permalink
(September 25, 2006) — ORCHARD PARK — Willis McGahee usually doesn't have much to offer in the way of explanations, good or bad, for his performances on Sundays.



McGahee lives in a simple world, really. Get the ball, run with it as fast and as far as he can, and let someone else dispense with the descriptions of the X's and O's.


Willis runs, that's his job, and Sunday against the New York Jets he ran better than he ever has during the two-plus seasons that he has been an active contributor for the Buffalo Bills.
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Bills' McGahee load of a problem for Vilma, Jets
Sep/22/06 08:11 AM | Permalink
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- In the past three meetings between the teams, Bills running back Willis McGahee has owned the Jets, and therefore has owned his former college teammate and good friend at Miami, linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

McGahee, who battled back from a career-threatening knee injury suffered against Ohio State in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of those games against the Jets, including a career-high 143-yard performance in the Bills' 27-17 victory in Buffalo last season.
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McGahee has history on his side against the Jets
Sep/21/06 08:21 AM | Permalink
In his third NFL season, Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee hasn't exactly been the league's most consistent ball carrier. In fact, most of his performances over the last year-plus have left much to be desired for the Bills' fans, many of whom expected the former first-round pick out of Miami to be an elite pro back.

Despite McGahee's slightly above average but disappointing career, he's struck it rich all four times he's faced Buffalo's Week 3 opponent, the New York Jets . For reasons unbeknownst to most, the 6-foot, 228-pound McGahee, for lack of a better term, has owned the Jets' defense, no matter who's on it.
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Week 1 NFL U VIDEO Highlights
Sep/14/06 06:22 PM | Permalink
I added one more highlight to the video after several people suggested it! So enjoy the updated version which now features Kellen Winslow. Sorry couldn't get Santana Moss or Portis on this week's video but I promise from now on they will be more complete.

Check out NFL U Week 1 Highlights under the NFL U Video Highlights page or click here!

Every week I will add the weekend's highlights along with picture updates in the gallery. If you have any suggestions please don't hesitate to email me at procanes@gmail.com.
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Back in Miami, it's time for McGahee to step up
Sep/14/06 08:12 AM | Permalink
"It's time to take the diapers off."

In 2004, former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil was fed up with his first-round pick from 2003, running back Larry Johnson, so he expressed his displeasure for the ball carrier by blasting him with the above comment. Naturally, it led to quite a firestorm of controversy. However, it also fired up Johnson. Last year, the former Penn State star played NFL defenses like his own personal puppets, rushing for over 1,700 yards in what was basically half a season.

With Johnson in mind, it brings us to the player taken four choices ahead of him in the '03 draft, another running back, the Buffalo Bills ' Willis McGahee. Through two seasons in the league, McGahee hasn't been the kind of dominant back Buffalo thought it was getting.
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McGahee Maintains He Wasn’t Stopped
Sep/12/06 12:50 AM | Permalink

9/12/2006 - ORCHARD PARK (AP) — It’s a day later, and Willis McGahee is still a yard short.



To hear the Bills running back put it Monday, it wasn’t his fault. 



McGahee was on the defensive after failing to convert what proved to be a crucial fourth-and-one in Buffalo’s 19-17 season-opening loss at New England on Sunday. 



Insisting he reached the ball across the Patriots 6 for what would’ve been a first down, McGahee accused a New England player of nudging the ball backward, leading to the NFL official’s decision to spot the ball a foot short. 



‘‘Oh man, I think it was a bad spot. I clearly reached across,’’ McGahee said following a brief practice as the Bills prepare to play at Miami on Sunday. ‘‘I reached. I did an extended reach at that. But things happen, we’re at their home. It was just going to go their way.’’

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McGahee feels like his old self
Sep/09/06 09:38 AM | Permalink
FOXBORO -- It has been more than three years since Willis McGahee ripped his left knee apart at the Fiesta Bowl and threw his future as a professional football player into doubt.

You'd never know that, of course, if all you had to go on as your evidence was what McGahee did for the Buffalo Bills the last two years -- 284 carries for 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2004, and 325 carries for 1,247 yards and five touchdowns last year.

But to hear the former University of Miami standout tell it, he wasn't feeling ``right'' until ``probably towards the end of last year.''

``I really wasn't 100 percent,'' McGahee told New England reporters via conference call, ``but I was able to get out there and make a couple of plays. Towards the end of the year, I started feeling it. This year I am very confident in myself.''
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McGahee Eager to Prove Bills Doubters Wrong
Sep/07/06 02:10 PM | Permalink
Last year Willis McGahee rushed for 1,247 yards. Most NFL running backs would chalk it up as a productive season, but for McGahee it was a forgettable one. Not so much because of his rushing total, but because of what was going on around him. The frustration primarily stemmed from the way in which he was used, which for a feature back could have been described as part-time.

McGahee feels it kept him from being the best back he could be for the Bills. But now with a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and a new offensive approach which makes him a focal point, he believes he'll be able to put his full skill set on display.

"It was taken away before," said McGahee of how he was used in 2005. "But that's in the past and you can't do anything about it. You live and learn from that. You just let the animal loose and let him do what he does."

Inspired by Steve Fairchild's offensive system which will feature McGahee more in the passing game and leave him on the field more frequently in third down situations, Buffalo's top back got himself in the best shape of his pro career.
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McGahee News
Sep/05/06 09:13 PM | Permalink
Among the many intriguing player storylines throughout the league is that of Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee. He has seemingly done everything he needed to do to rebound from a disappointing 2005 season by dropping weight and being fairly well focused in training camp to learning the new scheme of new offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild. McGahee also has been saying the right things in terms of the enthusiasm he has expressed for playing a larger role in Buffalo's offense. And if the Bills are to have a prayer of even being respectable, they desperately need McGahee to carry the brunt of the load and have the biggest season of his NFL career. He has a chance to get off to a strong start against a Patriots defense that could be missing some key players due to injury for the Bills' Sept. 10 opener at Foxboro.

(nfl.com)
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Willis says he's ready to ramble
Sep/05/06 01:11 AM | Permalink
Willis McGahee was intent on putting last season where it belonged, which was as far from One Bills Drive as possible. He figured there was no reason Sunday to revisit a miserable year in which the Buffalo Bills finished 5-11. Instead, he emphasized how this is a new era, complete with a new coach and a new offense.

Quarterback J.P. Losman has newfound confidence after struggling last season. The Bills have 20 new players on the roster from a year ago. They have three new starters along the offensive line.

But for all the changes the Bills made, there appears to be little changing this: They are going nowhere without a strong running game.
And it starts with McGahee.

"I can't be more excited," he said after practice Sunday. "The season is finally getting here, and I'm ready to go out there and rock and roll."
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Bills Training Camp Award (Willis McGahee)
Aug/24/06 04:17 PM | Permalink
Best quote: "I don't smell." Comment by Willis McGahee when asked if he may have to soon part with his University of Miami shoulder pads for the sake of hygiene.
(buffalobills.com)
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McGahee again has bounce in his step
Aug/19/06 11:08 PM | Permalink
Willis McGahee was the ricochet we all remember from his college days Friday, harder to catch than a guy who owes you money. He fluttered. He dashed. He disappeared into the end zone.
Buffalo fans have waited three years to see the bouncy running back break a long, exciting gain and he finally did in the Bills' 44-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
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Looser, leaner McGahee prepared to improve on last year
Aug/19/06 11:07 PM | Permalink
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) - It was a half-hour after practice and Willis McGahee was holding court with hundreds of fans packed against a rail a few feet above the sideline and yelling to get the running back's attention.
Men, women, children - the crowd in some places two and three deep - held footballs, posters, programs and jerseys to be autographed by the Buffalo Bills player.
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If McGahee falters, so will Bills
Aug/16/06 06:31 PM | Permalink
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Willis McGahee: The best running back in the NFL, as he declared himself last October? A stretch, to say the least.
Willis McGahee: The most important running back in the NFL? Now that he just might be.

"In our division, and where we play, we have to run the ball," new Buffalo coach Dick Jauron said after the Bills' preseason opener Saturday night here against the Panthers. "We're going to run it."
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