Buffalo Bills

Did the NFL and Buffalo Bills forget about former first round pick Derrick Burroughs after he suffered a serious neck injury?

Derrick Burroughs Buffalo Bills forgotten career ending injury
Derrick Burroughs was injured in a Monday Night Football Game, but this story about him feeling forgotten by the Bills and the NFL is very sad. Please read. 

Derrick Burroughs will always be a legend to me. Growing up as a child, I was a huge fan of Derrick. The standout from Memphis became the Buffalo Bills first round pick in 1985, and would end up suffering a career ending injury in 1989. 

It was a Monday Night Football Game against the Houston Oilers, when the Bills former first round pick suffered a horrific and scary neck injury. It has been years, and not many would even remember this, but I have been in contact with Derrick for years and even I didn’t know this is what really happened?

Derrick Burroughs joined Ranting Ron on his YouTube show and Burroughs began to speak about his time with the Bills. There were some interesting facts, and as a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan, I cannot believe the organization or the NFL acted this way. 

Check out this clip then, we will review why Burroughs feels the way he does.

On September 24, 1989 Burroughs did not keep his head up on a tackle and he would end up severely damaging his neck. Burroughs would end up paralyzed for the next 24 hours. Derrick never played another game in his career

The crazy part about this was the NFL nor the Buffalo Bills would pay his medical bills. I know football is different back in the 80’s but damn I didn’t think it was like this. Burroughs was a first round pick. I mean the team rallied around Kevin Everett when he suffered a neck injury. I know it was a different time, but this was hard to hear. 

Derrick Burroughs had to actually sue the Buffalo Bills in court, and he finally would win a judgement against the Bills, but he still has hatred in his heart, and that is not good. Not a Buffalo Bills with hatred? This story crushed me when I heard it. 

In the interview above with Ranting Ron, Burroughs says the Bills have never even reached out to him since the injury. Derrick Burroughs has never been invited back to Buffalo for any game nor have the Bills ever honored him in any way, and I think today is the day we change that. 

This is the best fan base in the world. I am writing this article because I want this fan base to get behind this movement and get Derrick at least to a game to be recognized. To know how far he has come as a player from his injury is special. Derrick is the currently the Director of Athletics at Lane College. He was their head coach and helped Vernon Kearney earn a spot in the NFL as a cornerback. Derrick is a great man of faith, and as a die-hard Bills fan, I would love for the Bills to somehow make this right. 

How does this make you feel? I want to know because it bothers me, because this is not the #BillsMafia I know. I know this happened before the #BillsMafia was born, but we cannot claim we are a family if we push one of our own out. I consider Derrick Burroughs a personal friend, and I feel we need to make this right. Can we get Derrick recognized by the Bills?

Update: 

On NFL Draft Diamonds, we do not take any side here but we love the players. The players are what make the league. Derrick says that the Bills have in fact reached out in this hour-long interview with Ranting Ron, but there still has not been any resolution. Under the new CBA, the alumni have more protection, but hopefully, the Bills can get Derrick some help. He had to quit coaching football because the pain was so excruciating. The Bills are my team and I know this did not happen under the Pegulas, but they can at least look into this matter. 

Damond Talbot

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

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