Although the regular season has been reasonably strong success (up until Week 4), the Buffalo Bills have some sad news to announce.
Hall of Fame guard, Billy Shaw, has sadly died on Friday at his home in Georgia, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is saddened to share the news that the Class of 1999’s Billy Shaw has passed away at age 85.#HOFForever
More info: https://t.co/IPmnsLmN2h pic.twitter.com/3Afm94LLdI
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) October 4, 2024
Bills Offensive Guard, Billy Shaw, Died On Friday
It was announced that his family was by his side, and that the cause of his death was hyponatremia – the severe lack of sodium in the blood.
Shaw was an excellent guard who cemented his spot at the pinnacle of the American Football League (prior to the 1970 merger) offensive linemen from almost the moment he turned professional. Securing 7 All AFL nods and 8 AFL All Star accolades, the 2 x AFL champion – including the last two won by the Buffalo Bills was a mainstay of Bills’ championship team in the 1960s.
Shaw Was A Groundbreaking Offensive Lineman In The 1960s
In a statement, the Pro Football Hall of Fame president, Jim Porter, paid tribute to Shaw’s immensely impressive career in the AFL at a time of great change in the professional footballing landscape.
“Billy Shaw holds the distinction of being the only member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to play his entire career in the American Football League, but while that fact is worthy of noting and nice to recite, it comes nowhere near providing the reason he was elected as a member of the Class of 1999.
Billy’s all-around athleticism brought a new dimension to the guard position and made the 1960s Buffalo Bills a formidable opponent capable of bruising opponents with a punishing rushing attack. And while Billy could be unforgiving to anyone in his way on the football field, he was the classic example of the ‘Southern gentlemen’ off the field to everyone he encountered.”
What’s more impressive is that Shaw actually started his career as a two-way player, primarily playing on the defensive line, until he was suggested to move over full time offense by fellow Hall of Famer and then All-Star game coach, Otto Graham.
A very sad day for the Bills, and we wish the best for Shaw’s finally in celebrating what has been a fantastic career – and life.
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