Buffalo Bills To Hire Pete Metzelaars To Coach Tight Ends, Per Steve Tasker

by Brian Galliford on Feb 2, 2012 8:30 AM EST in Buffalo Bills News

The Buffalo Bills still have one vacancy on their coaching staff, and if former star special teamer Steve Tasker is to be believed, they're on the verge of hiring the best tight end in franchise history to coach the position. That's right, folks: Tasker tweets that Pete Metzelaars is set to join Chan Gailey's coaching staff, even though Tasker does not refer to Metzelaars by name (instead going with "former roomy of mine").

Metzelaars played in the NFL for 16 seasons, including spending his prime in Buffalo, where he spent a full decade. In those 10 seasons, Metzelaars became a favorite target of Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, catching 302 passes for 2,921 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also spent time with Seattle, Carolina and Detroit.

Metzelaars has spent the past eight seasons as a coach with the Indianapolis Colts, where he started as a quality control coach and ended tutoring the team's offensive line. If Tasker is correct, and Metzelaars gets the job, he'll make his return to Buffalo coaching the position he still defines in the minds of Bills fans everywhere.

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jim Kelly

Read somewhere this morning that Kelly has announced it as well.

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by Let's Go Buffalo (UK) on Feb 2, 2012 8:38 AM EST via mobile reply actions

When I was in high school in Rochester

He came and spoke to our football team about volunteering and being involved in the community. Great guy. Tall as hell.

@phillybillsfan

by TedWashington'sRobotDance on Feb 2, 2012 8:44 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Tallest player I remember meeting. Bruce was the largest – nearly Shaq-like in sheer size.

"Son. People can see you!"

by TheAfghanTwilight on Feb 2, 2012 3:21 PM EST up reply actions

Which high school?

by Xaviermw on Feb 2, 2012 6:17 PM EST up reply actions

Chix

Gets some points on this

by fanick82 on Feb 2, 2012 9:01 AM EST reply actions

hope this is true

He was one of the very few good pass-catching tight ends in franchise history. I just hope he can convince Gailey to use the tight end for more than just blocking. Chandler had a great start to last season, but then they stopped trying to throw to him.

by SiriusRed on Feb 2, 2012 9:23 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Yay! Now please replace the QB coach with Jim Kelly, hire Thurman Thomas as RB coach, and Andre Reed to coach the WR’s. On D, hire Bruce Smith to coach the D line, Talley to coach the LBs and Odomes/Henry Jones can tag team the DBs. Dream team!

by BuffaloRepresent on Feb 2, 2012 9:27 AM EST reply actions 2 recs

Can we get Tasker as Special Teams coach?

Cuse fan in ACC country.

by petecarp on Feb 2, 2012 9:34 AM EST up reply actions

Man, how did I leave that out?

by BuffaloRepresent on Feb 2, 2012 9:50 AM EST up reply actions

Surprised we haven't hired Frank Reich to help coach a position too.

I know we hired Lee and moved the TE coach over to WR’s… those are the two coaching positions Reich had in Indy. I am not saying he is a must have, but talk about bringing some credibility and pride back to the lockeroom… I say we need as much as we can get to instill in the players today.

Dolphins Week will once again be Squish the Fish Week!

by dabillsr1 on Feb 2, 2012 9:50 AM EST reply actions

My guess is that Metzy would have lit a FIRE under Shawn Nelson

We haven’t developed a TE at Buffalo since Kevin Everett and that was obviously very short lived. Granted our offenses hasn’t revolved around the TE position nor does Chan’s, but having a threat there can really help a QB like Fitzy and open up the outside of the football field too.

Chandler is decent and it will be interesting to see where Buffalo goes with resigning him or not?

IMO, though drafting a TE, unless he is a premier talent (which there may only be 1 or 2 guys per draft) takes 2-3 years to evolve. I think It is better to take a guy like Chandler and continue to work with him. They also signed Fendi Odbum late last year off a practice squad and he can be Metzy’s developmental project.

by dabillsr1 on Feb 2, 2012 10:02 AM EST reply actions

Nelson had migraine issues. If you don’t suffer from them, you don’t understand how difficult they can be to manage. There are multiple types, from the traditional make-you-ill by opening your eyes to the cluster type that last months without relenting.

"Son. People can see you!"

by TheAfghanTwilight on Feb 2, 2012 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

Ginger

My favorite of all time!

by Section312AgainstCanadians on Feb 2, 2012 10:10 AM EST reply actions

Here is an interesting list of redheads:
http://listverse.com/2008/10/12/top-25-famous-redheads/

I honestly had no idea Malcolm X had red hair.

"Son. People can see you!"

by TheAfghanTwilight on Feb 2, 2012 3:28 PM EST up reply actions

Right-on

Having Metz back in Buffalo would be a great move, now if they can find a spot for Reich it would be icing on the cake. Both had the opportunity to work with two great QB’s with Kelly as a teammate and of course working with Manning as coaches. They’ve been involved with explosive offenses and their knowledge would be a welcome addition to the Bills staff.

Football is like life - it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.

Vince Lombardi

by Goose22 on Feb 2, 2012 10:11 AM EST reply actions

Good signing......

Man knows all the tricks and all the techniques. Worked his way up the ladder, I like it!
Needed some good news about the staff……

Go bills!

PodunkO - The great post ender!

by podunkowego on Feb 2, 2012 11:10 AM EST reply actions

I guess it’s cool for nostalgia but is he a good coach?

I could care less if he was a good former TE for the Bills – I want good coaches

I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it! LET'S DO IT! - Venkman

by J2 on Feb 2, 2012 11:10 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

He was the Colts O-Line coach for a few years and played TE for a really long time. Seems qualified to be a TE coach to me.

by Pistol on Feb 2, 2012 11:25 AM EST up reply actions

being qualified and being a good coach are 2 different things are they not?

Who gives a crap if he was a former Bill? Can he do the job and do it right?

I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it! LET'S DO IT! - Venkman

by J2 on Feb 2, 2012 11:32 AM EST up reply actions

being qualified and being a good coach are 2 different things are they not?

No, because if he wasn’t a good coach he wouldn’t be qualified for the job.

by Pistol on Feb 2, 2012 1:13 PM EST up reply actions

Qualified

In Buffalo he’d be qualified:) Sorry, Jk.

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

by buffalobacker on Feb 2, 2012 10:42 PM EST up reply actions

This kind of sums up my feeling. Everyone seems real excited. I’m like, “eh, can he coach?” We’ll see, I guess.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Feb 2, 2012 11:28 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah!

He got to work with all those old on the Bills and the Colts.
He shouldn’t need the money either, he wants to win. I think it was a really smart hire, getting the young guy who coached on that offense as it collapses.
It is almost like we did that on purpose.

PodunkO - The great post ender!

by podunkowego on Feb 2, 2012 11:15 AM EST reply actions

i think classic example of time and winning makes average look great

here are his stats…

http://www.nfl.com/player/petemetzelaars/2502071/profile

that averages to 24 catches, 230 yards, 9.6 yds/catch, 2 TD per season

that on par with robert royal numbers… ouch! and he is the best TE in our franchise history? not a high a bar at all…. if we resign chandler and keep him for 6-7 years, he can be easily our franchise TE of all time…

immediately everyone will start to defend him saying he was a complete team player, blue collar, could block awesome… how could you say that?

but really really difficult to make any argument to contradict those numbers

by statcruncher on Feb 2, 2012 11:45 AM EST reply actions

added information

his best year was 93 with 609 yards… that year he was 7th amongst his peers

his average year was 92 with 298 yards… he was 16th in the league amongst peers…. that’s right dead average

by statcruncher on Feb 2, 2012 11:52 AM EST up reply actions

Matters none

I don’t care if all he caught is a cold, he’s (from most observances) a great guy and had some success as a coach with guys in Indy.

I see what you’re saying though, the memory of big Pete might be > his numbers indicate he was as a player, but all I care is if he can coach Chandler/Onobun/whoever.

by buffaloparks on Feb 2, 2012 2:59 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

I always liked Jay Riemersma. I fully believe that to be a good TE for the BIlls, the player has to have a strange last name.

"Son. People can see you!"

by TheAfghanTwilight on Feb 2, 2012 3:31 PM EST up reply actions

Like Fendi Onobun?

And I probably spelled that wrong! Guess Scott Chandler is gone too… :)

by buffaloparks on Feb 2, 2012 3:38 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Fendi Onobun sounds like a name of a tennis or cricket player.

"Son. People can see you!"

by TheAfghanTwilight on Feb 2, 2012 3:41 PM EST up reply actions

He had some amazing games, just no amazing seasons. Remember, he had to battle a host of hall-of-famers for playing time. If you got Thurman, Lofton and Andre as your other options, you feel comfortable spreading the ball…

by Ian MacPersonoid on Feb 3, 2012 2:43 PM EST up reply actions

TE

More importantly than his being a good player with Buffalo, I like this hire because he’s done a good job in Indy, particularly in 2010 when Indy’s backup TEs stepped up following Clark’s injury. Personally, I think Gailey needs to change his vision of the role of a TE in a modern NFL offense and I see TE is a larger priority on Buffalo’s offseason shopping list than receiver opposite Johnson or even a starting LT. I’m convinced that the way games are officiated now favors the TE matchup and Gailey has been behind times and needs to play catch-up ASAP.

"There's only one C.J. Spiller." -Buddy Nix

by Port Royal on Feb 2, 2012 12:02 PM EST reply actions

Interesting thought

By officiating are you referring to how ticky tack it’s become for defenders and getting PI and holding calls? Because I can see that for sure. A big guy becomes really hard to defend. Chandler is basically “open when he’s covered” like that. I have always under valued TE, but this is a good rationalization for me. Isnt there like half a dozen Gronkowski’s out there? Let’s get one of them! LOL!!

by buffaloparks on Feb 2, 2012 3:44 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

This was discussed the other morning on Mike and Mike, with Chris Carter, I believe. Bascially stating how Belichick is reinventing the position and creating a need for new types of defenders because of the rules in place that protect the offense. Those rules make it nearly impossible to defend a big target now.

"Son. People can see you!"

by TheAfghanTwilight on Feb 2, 2012 3:57 PM EST up reply actions

Nice Point

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

by buffalobacker on Feb 2, 2012 10:46 PM EST up reply actions

Now they need a good TE for him to coach

by MythicPicnic on Feb 2, 2012 12:41 PM EST reply actions

I think we have 2 pretty decent tight ends already

Chandler is ok,just needs to be coached up on his blocking..Lee Smith threw some sweet pancake blocks on a couple of linebackers this past year,but needs to be coached up on his route running..A good coach for them gives us another whole dimension of offense..Wouldn’t hurt the running game one bit either running a 2 tight end offense..Sure hope that Pete is that Coach,and those 2 guys are those players..

by 3nOutNoMore on Feb 2, 2012 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

Nice, Buffalo connection and a guy who’s shown some coaching ability with Indy? Can’t see anything bad about this one.

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by UZ on Feb 2, 2012 2:15 PM EST reply actions

Wimp with the Mask

Yeah, that ugly sucker just pops up everywhere. He’s no Masked Marvel, that’s for sure. I take it the channel has nothing to do with Olympic swimming, eh?

by frcorny on Feb 2, 2012 3:17 PM EST reply actions