It has been a rough past two weeks for Buffalo Bills fans. As if the competition for the starting quarterback wasn’t enough anxiety for them, the release of Fred Jackson added to the emotional whirlwind. The longtime Buffalo Bill and veteran running back was by far the most notable name amongst a long list of cuts that were necessary to get the roster down to the NFL maximum of 53.

Jackson got his opportunity to play in the NFL in a 2006 tryout for the Bills after two seasons with the Sioux City Bandits of the IFL and one with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe. He made his Buffalo Bills debut in 2007. Since then, Jackson has been running through defenders viciously for many, many years. Many Buffalo Bills fans are sad to see Jackson go.

Buffalo loves Fred Jackson for the heart he played with and the man he proved to be off the field.

Bills General Manager Doug Whaley released a statement the day the organization made the decision:

“Today, we had to make the difficult decision to release Fred Jackson. He had an incredible career for this organization for the past 10 years. We thank Fred for his hard work, dedication and leadership during his tenure with the Buffalo Bills. Fred has inspired the city of Buffalo in a number of ways. Fred and his family have been dedicated to this community and we can’t thank them enough for their contributions through his career.”

Jackson is a down-to-earth guy. He was not only a proud fan but a proud resident of Buffalo, NY. Jackson was everyone’s favorite player, probably because he has done so much community service throughout the city. He’s a surefire candidate for the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame, where many of historically great Bills names are immortalized in the upper deck of the Ralph Wilson Stadium.

After fan Drew Wagner placed a sign along McKinley Parkway expressing his displeasure with the release of Jackson, Fred decided to stop by Wagner’s home to express his appreciation of the support. This single act of mutual respect symbolizes the general feeling between the Buffalo Bills fan base and Jackson.

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