Tag: Steve Tasker

Which Bills players made Peter King’s all-time NFL 53-man roster list?

Four total:

Around the same time as the Super Bowl, NFL honors and Pro Bowl each year is the unveiling of player that will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The 2024 class was announced in early February and while the Buffalo Bills don’t have any former players in there this year, plenty of ex-Bills players are already considered some of the all-time greats.

With all the football hype in the air over the past few weeks, longtime NFL writer for NBC Sports’ Peter King put together his list of players he would include on his all-time roster. Among them, four players have featured in a Buffalo uniform.

Here are all four:

One player from each NFL team who should be in the Hall of Fame by now

One player from each NFL team who should be in the Hall of Fame by now (including the #Bills:

The Pro Football Hall of Fame recently revealed its list of 25 modern-era semifinalists who will be considered for the Class of 2024, which will be revealed before Super Bowl LVIII in February.

Among them are two first-year eligible candidates that made the semifinalist cut in tight end Antonio Gates and pass rusher Julius Peppers. There are a slew of other notable names who have been finalists in the past, including return specialist Devin Hester, wide receivers Steve Smith Sr. and Torry Holt and linebacker Patrick Willis.

There are also three senior finalists up for induction: Linebacker Randy Gradishar, defensive tackle Steve McMichael and wide receiver Art Powell.

That made us wonder: Who is one player, coach or owner from each NFL team who should be in the Hall of Fame by now? Because, let’s face it, there are multiple deserving parties who continue to wait their turn.

From multi-year semifinalists to those who have been waiting decades to those considered among the greatest ever at their position, our NFL Wire editors revealed their pick for one player, coach or owner who should be in the Hall of Fame by now.

Steve Tasker named to list of best players not enshrined in Pro Football Hall of Fame

Steve deserves the HOF:

The Pro Football Hall of Fame and NFL just went through the weekend festivities to welcome the 2023 class.

The inductees are:

  • DB Rondé Barber
  • Coach Don Coryell
  • LB Chuck Howley
  • DL Joe Klecko
  • CB Darrelle Revis
  • CB Ken Riley
  • OL Joe Thomas
  • LB Zach Thomas
  • EDGE DeMarcus Ware

One not listed above is former Bills special teams ace Steve Tasker. CBS Sports thinks that’s wrong.

Tasker’s final year of eligibility as a modern-era selection was 2022. If he is to make it now, it will be via the Seniors Committee.

With the recent Hall of Fame festivities in mind, CBS Sports named 20 players most deserving to be in the Hall, and Tasker kicked off the list.

Here’s how CBS Sports campaigned for Tasker:

One of the greatest special teams players in NFL history, Tasker earned seven Pro Bowl nods from 1987-95. During that span, Tasker helped the Bills become the first franchise to appear in four consecutive Super Bowls. Tasker’s brilliance was on display during the opening minutes of Super Bowl XXVII. With the Cowboys punting from their own 16-yard line, Tasker was lined up against linebacker Robert Jones, a rookie who filled in for an injured starter. Jones didn’t have a chance against Tasker, who beat Jones on an inside move before blocking Mike Saxon’s punt. Tasker’s play set up the game’s first touchdown.

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Steve Tasker named semifinalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2024

Steve Tasker named semifinalist for 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame:

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Former Bills wide receiver and special teams ace Steve Tasker was named among 60 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2024 class.

Tasker was one of 31 semifinalists selected by the Hall’s 12-person Seniors Committee.

Each semifinalist played his last game no later than the 1998 season. The Seniors Committee will meet Aug. 22 and may select up to three Seniors for final consideration. The expansion of the Seniors pool for election to the Hall was approved in 2022 for the classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Tasker’s final year of eligibility as a Modern Era selection was 2022.

Considered one of the best special teams players ever in the NFL, Tasker was with the Bills from 1986 to 1997. Only three full-time special teams players are enshrined in the Hall of Fame: punter Ray Guy and kickers Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen.

Tasker’s bio as published on the Hall of Fame’s press release can be found below:

Steve Tasker (wide receiver/kick returner/punt returner, 1985-1997): Late-round pick of the Houston Oilers. Claimed off waivers by Buffalo Bills midway through his second NFL season. Key member of Bills’ special teams units over next 11 seasons, earning seven Pro Bowl nods and appearing in four Super Bowls.

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CBS Sports: Steve Tasker is one of NFL’s top Hall of Fame snubs

CBS Sports: Steve Tasker is one of NFL’s top Hall of Fame snubs:

Buffalo Bills fans know the massive impact that Steve Tasker had on special teams. Tasker showed the importance of the gunner position on coverage units like never before.

While the gunner position might not be the sexiest spot on a roster, it is a vital position for multiple reasons. Tasker’s contributions should place him in historical importance for the NFL.

Instead, Tasker has been overlooked for the Hall of Fame. For now, we have a consolation.

CBS Sports named Tasker one of the top-20 players not named to the prestigious NFL Hall of Fame.

Here’s the breakdown on Tasker:

One of the greatest special teams players in NFL history, Tasker earned seven Pro Bowl nods from 1987-95. During that span, Tasker helped the Bills become the first franchise to appear in four consecutive Super Bowls. Tasker’s brilliance was on display during the opening minutes of Super Bowl XXVII. With the Cowboys punting from their own 16-yard line, Tasker was lined up against linebacker Robert Jones, a rookie who filled in for an injured starter. Jones didn’t have a chance against Tasker, who beat Jones on an inside move before blocking Mike Saxon’s punt. Tasker’s play set up the game’s first touchdown.

Tasker missed out on his final chance to be voted into the Hall of Fame last year. No longer eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot, Tasker’s fate now rests in the hands of the senior committee.

Tasker recorded 204 special teams tackles and seven blocked punts.

He was a seven-time Pro-Bowl participant. Tasker won the MVP for the event in 1993, becoming the first special teams player to win that honor. Tasker was named to the All-Time NFL Team in 2000.

Rightfully so, Tasker is part of the Bills’ Wall of Fame at Highmark Stadium.

Tasker helped revolutionize the special teams team. Hopefully, the senior committee will give Tasker the honors that he deserves.

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Darryl Talley, Steve Tasker star in epic Bills playoff hype video

Darryl Talley, Steve Tasker star in epic #Bills playoff hype video:

While yes, it is an advertisement, it’s sweet pretty epic.

The Bills unveiled a pre-playoffs hype video for the team this week. Team legends Darryl Talley and Steve Tasker star in it and some “unfinished business” and postseason preview is dusted off.

Need any more reason to be jazzed up for the Patriots matchup en route? Probably not, but check out the video below anyways:

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Cornelius Bennett, Steve Tasker among 2021 Hall of Fame semifinalists

Former Buffalo Bills LB Cornelius Bennett, WR Steve Tasker among 2021 Hall of Fame modern-day semifinalists.

Former Buffalo Bills special teams ace Steve Tasker has some company this year.

For the eighth time, Tasker was named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday as the 2021 class is in the process of being selected. But for the first time, former Bills linebacker Cornelius Bennett is among that grouping, too.

Here’s the full list of 25 players named to the modern-era player semifinalists:

Along with Bennett, Eric Allen, Willie Anderson and Rodney Harrison are among non first-year eligible players to advance to the semifinal stage of the Hall of Fame voting process for the first time.

In 2021, Tasker is the only one of the 25 players listed as a player who falls under the “special teams” category. Tasker was most recently named a semifinalist the past two years of voting. He also was in 2004, 2008-2010, 2012-13.

Of all 25, only former safety and current 49ers general manager John Lynch (9) is the only player to have more nominations to the semifinals than Tasker.

In the next round of the process, the 25 will be cut down to 15, then 15 to 10, and 10 to five. The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 will be enshrined Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021 in Canton as part of the 2021 Enshrinement Week.

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Report: Steve Tasker to replace Eric Wood on Bills radio broadcast

Update to the Buffalo Bills’ radio broadcast team ahead of the 2020 regular season.

The NFL is going to attempt to play a regular season in 2020 despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in place. While the Bills will be part of that routine, the color analyst for the team’s radio broadcast will not.

Former player Eric Wood currently wears a few hats in the broadcast world, from his podcast, What’s Next with Eric Wood, to his college football duties covering the ACC for ESPN. But the Buffalo News reports that all of these duties don’t mix well with COVID-19.

Steve Tasker is evidently replacing Wood on the team’s radio broadcast for next season. That’s because Wood, who lives in his hometown of Louisville, won’t be allowed to travel due to coronavirus travel restrictions in place. Tasker will join play-by-play broadcaster John Murphy during game broadcasts.

When, and perhaps a much bigger word… if… COVID-19 travel restrictions allow it, Wood would re-join the team’s broadcast during the season.

Tasker previously worked as a national analyst for CBS Sports for 21 years because that came to an end after last season, which led to his current role: the full-time host on the team’s weekday radio and television show,One Bills Live.

Because of the strong COVID-19 protocols put in place by the NFL, such as daily testing of players among other precautions being taken, players and coaches are allowed to travel from state-to-state for games. Broadcasters do not fall under this category, however, they’re not scheduled to travel with the team early in the season, either.

It was reported earlier this offseason that the Bills’ radio broadcast would do their jobs from the team’s facility in Orchard Park, even when the team travels. Even so, Wood wouldn’t be in a position to travel back-and-forth consistently to do so because of current New York State restrictions. Keeping broadcasters doing their jobs at home is a tactic that Major League Baseball first put in place during their regular season.

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Steve Tasker misses Pro Football Hall of Fame once again

Former Buffalo Bills WR Steve Tasker misses Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Considered the final piece to the Bills’ Super Bowl years, special teams ace and receiver Steve Tasker failed to crack the Pro Football Hall of Fame again this year.

On Thursday, the “finalists” were announced. In that, the list of 25 semifinalists was brought down to 15 and Tasker was on the outside looking in.

Finalists included OG Alan Faneca, WR Torry Holt, OL Steve Hutchinson, RB Edgerrin James, S John Lynch, LB Sam Mills, S Troy Polamalu, DL Richard Seymour, LB Zach Thomas, WR Reggie Wayne, S Steve Atwater, OT Tony Boselli, WR Isaac Bruce, S LeRoy Butler and DT Bryant Young.

Tasker has been named a semi finalist seven times.

Along with Tasker, LB Clay Matthews, DE Simeon Rice, RB Fred Taylor, WR Hines Ward, RB Ricky Watters, LB Patrick Willis, LB Carl Banks, S Darren Woodson and DB Ronde Barber were also cut from the semifinal list.

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Steve Tasker named 2020 Hall of Fame semifinalist

Former Buffalo Bills WR Steve Tasker named 2020 NFL Hall of Fame semifinalist.

Former Bills wide receiver and special teams ace Steve Tasker has been named a 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist, the Hall of Fame announced.

The original list of candidates was cut down to 25 players this week and Tasker still has his shot. It’s the seventh time Tasker was named a semifinalist and first time since 2013 he’s made it to the semifinalist list.

Tasker, who currently works on the team’s radio show, played for the Bills from 1986-1997. He played for the Houston Oilers during his career as well.

The list will be reduced to 15 finalists, who will be announced on Jan. 2.

Here’s the full list of semifinalists:

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