Almost forty years after Wray Carlton scored the Buffalo Bills' first touchdown on September 18, 1960, the Bills reached a team milestone scoring the 1000th touchdown in team history twenty years ago today.
Butch Rolle was the Bills' seventh-round draft choice in 1986 from Michigan State University. He started two games for the Bills in his six-year career, but played in every game. If you had to give a nickname to Rolle it would have to be "Mr. Touchdown." In 1987, he had two catches and scored two touchdowns for three yards each. In 1988, he had two catches for three yards and two touchdowns. In 1989, he had one catch and scored one touchdown gaining only one yard. In 1990, he had three catches for three touchdowns, the first in the season opener being the milestone. His first two receptions of 1991 were also for short-yardage scores. That's ten straight receptions under three yards each, and all for touchdowns.
The milestone is fitting because it was accomplished at the dawn of the most prolific era in Buffalo Bills touchdowns. The Bills were facing the Indianapolis Colts and unveiled the no-huddle offense for the very first time. The offense, led by Jim Kelly and orchestrated by offensive coordinator Ted Marchibroda, didn't punt the entire game, even when Frank Reich came in to replace the injured Kelly. Reich is the quarterback who threw the pass that would become number 1,000.
1990 will always be remembered for its end rather than beginning, but a pretty special moment happened in the second quarter of the season opener.