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Former Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Mark Pike passed away at the age of 57 on Wednesday. He had been battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Pike spent 13 years with the Bills, his entire career. Buffalo selected him in the seventh round of the 1986 NFL draft.
Appearing in 173 regular season games for Buffalo, Pike was a member of all four Super Bowl teams in the 90s.
He was a key member of the team’s special teams unit alongside wide receiver Steve Tasker.
“He was a big man who played special teams, which was a matchup nightmare for our opponents,” Tasker told the team’s website. “He was a unique specimen. His ability to run and play special teams with his versatility was unbelievable.”
Pike led the Bills in special teams tackles in seven of his last eight seasons and is the team’s all-time leader in that stat (255). He is second in NFL history (Larry Izzo: 298).
Pike most recently attended the Week 4 home game against Houston as the Bills’ Crucial Catch honoree. It is a NFL program which highlights the fight against cancer.
According to the Buffalo News, Pike’s battle was “complicated” by a recent COVID-19 infection and a pneumonia diagnosis.
Bills Wire sends their condolences to the Pike family.
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