Bill Polian thinks the Buffalo Bills should stay the course, and isn't in a position to take on a "football czar" or formal advisory role, the former general manager and current ESPN analyst said on The John Murphy Show Tuesday night. Polian has been speaking freely with media over the last week, but apparently not in an effort to win a job.
"Anything I could do to help in any way, I would," Polian said on the Bills' daily radio show. "But any kind of a formal role is absolutely precluded. Nor am I seeking that. I'm very happy with what I'm doing at ESPN."
In January, Polian turned down a role in the revamped Bills organization, following the purchase of the team by Kim and Terry Pegula and subsequent resignation of head coach Doug Marrone. Saying he didn't want to make that kind of long-term commitment, the two parties went their separate ways - but that hasn't stopped Polian from speaking about the team with the Pegulas or in the media.
In an interview with The Buffalo News before Christmas, Polian expressed strong opinions on Buffalo's quarterback situation, offensive line, defensive scheme, and more. These thoughts were apparently conveyed to the Pegulas prior to the News report. So what, exactly, is the extent of his influence with the owners?
"If anybody asks, sure. If anyone has questions, I'm happy to answer and happy to help in any way I can," replied Polian when pressed on his relationship with the organization. "Things I can do along those lines, I'm very happy to do. I want the Bills to do well. That's the overarching message: I want the Bills to do well."
To sum up, then, the 73-year-old Polian is happy to be a consultant on an on-call basis, but doesn't want to work for the team in a paid, defined role, because he would rather work for ESPN. Having someone not around the team on a daily basis providing input to the owner seems like a dangerous, and apparently repetitive, game.