| January 19, 2004 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 07:10 PM |
Once three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Robert James suffered a career-ending knee injury during a 1974 preseason game, the Bills needed a player to fill the position. It would end up taking two years, but that’s when they selected Oregon’s Mario Clark in the first round of the NFL draft. Named to the NFL’s All-Rookie team in ‘76, the following season, Clark had a career-high seven interceptions and averaged 21.6 yards per return. While Clark was gaining respect, that wasn’t necessarily the case with the Bills. A 2-12 record in ‘76 was followed with a 3-11 mark the next season. Five wins in two years wasn’t what Buffalo or its fans hoped for. Simply put, the Bills were not frightening opponents. However, that soon changed. In 1980, two years after Buffalo hired Chuck Knox as its head coach, the Bills posted an 11-5 record and won the AFC East. It was the club’s first divisional title in 14 years. Traded to San Francisco in ‘84 for a fourth-round draft choice in ‘85, Clark left the Bills after eight seasons with 25 interceptions (sixth all-time in the team’s history) and without missing a single game. .
Where are they now - Career stats
