Did anyone realize. . .

[TigerJ]

. . .that James Harris, new GM for the Jaguars, is a former starting QB for the Bills? I didn't notice at first. The article said he'd played QB for the Rams (then the LA Rams), but he started his career in Buffalo and started for a year or two. If you check, you may find he still holds the Buffalo record for a run from scrimmage by a QB. It was a quarterback draw. He burst through the line of scrimmage, which was the Bills 5 yard line, and nobody was there. He had good speed and kept on running. Ninety-five yards later he had a TD. I'd be surprised if anyone has done better. It might even be an NFL record. It would be close at least.

Oops! My bad. He is their vice president of player personnel.

[RedEyE]

What year was that TigerJ?

[Cntrygal]

Great find on that connection Tiger!

[TigerJ]

My memory is a little fuzzy on the time frame, RedEyE, but I'm thinking late 70's. I think it's post OJ Simpson. I'll see if I can find out.

[The_Philster]

He was with the Bills from 1969-1971 and Relentless shows no rushing TDs for him so it must have been a preseason game?

[RedEyE]

Another interesting fact about James Harris:

He was the first African American QB to regularly start in the NFL.

[TigerJ]

My memory is fuzzier than I thought. James Harris was drafted in the eighth round in 1969. OJ Simpson was drafted in round one, and #1 overall in the AFL draft. A quiz at the official Bills site names him the first black starter in NFL history at QB, but at the Rams. He must have never been the official starter in Buffalo, but had his big run in a reliever role. Either that or he didn't get the distinction of being an NFL starter in Buffalo because it was the AFL at the time.

Here are some links:

http://www.drafthistory.com/teams/bills.html

http://www.buffalobills.com/

At the Bills site you have to type in James Harris on search and then click on the first link that appears. Wait for it to fully load. I don't know why the link won't take you directly there.

[RedEyE]

Thanks TJ

[TigerJ]

I wonder if he got tackled just before the end zone. It's too long ago. I was only a teenager. Hard to research that ancient NFL/AFL history too.

[The_Philster]

In 1969, he rushed 10 times for 25 yards
In 1970, 3 for -8
1971, 6 for 42
Had to have been a preseason game

[TigerJ]

I'm still looking. I haven't found anything on that run. I don't think I imagined it. I did find this interesting article that gives a lot of information about him. It is interesting to note that Grambling gave the NFL its first starting black QB (Harris) and it's first Super Bowl starting and winning QB, Gramblings current head coach Doug Williams.

Here's the link: http://www.lasportshof.com/99inductees/harris.htm

[Ingtar33]

Maybe it was as a receiver? A lot of the first Black QB's also played other positions and if he caught a little screen pass it might have gone down as a reception... Good find TJ.

[lordofgun]

Maybe it was called back for holding.

[The_Philster]

Originally posted by Ingtar33
Maybe it was as a receiver? A lot of the first Black QB's also played other positions and if he caught a little screen pass it might have gone down as a reception... Good find TJ.

Nope. According to Relentless , he never caught a pass as a Bill

[TigerJ]

I guess unless there is someone older and with a better memory for Bills stuff than me, no one will be able to fill in the gaps and tell me why there is no long run recorded. At any rate it's good to see that a guy who got his first break with the Bills has come a long way and was able to break some longstanding barriers on the way.