Players who played for both the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions
58 NFL players have suited up for both franchises. Here they all are, ranked the way The Chains ranks them, most recognizable first.
58
Players
5
Easy to name
Legendary
Best link
Chains matchup: Tough. Compared with the other 495 team pairs, based on how many of these players are easy to name.
How this plays in The Chains
Every link in a puzzle is scored by how unlikely it was that a fan would name it. Connect a Bills player to a Lions player through Brad Banta and the link is rated Legendary (+250 bonus points). The obvious answers score little. The deep cuts are where the big points are.
Play today's puzzleEasy to name
Common and Uncommon. The easiest answers between these two teams.
- Common
Reggie Bush
RB · 2006–2016 · BUF 2016, DET 2013–2014
- Uncommon
C.J. Gardner-Johnson
DB · 2019–2026 · BUF 2026, DET 2023
- Uncommon
Drayton Florence
CB · 2003–2013 · BUF 2009–2011, DET 2012
- Uncommon
Kelvin Sheppard
ILB · 2011–2018 · BUF 2011–2012, DET 2018
- Uncommon
Andre Roberts
WR · 2010–2022 · BUF 2019–2020, DET 2016
In the middle
Real answers, but not the first ones people think of.
- Rare
Daryl Worley
DB · 2016–2024 · BUF 2020, DET 2021
- Rare
Matt Cassel
QB · 2005–2018 · BUF 2015, DET 2018
- Rare
Ty Johnson
RB · 2019–2026 · BUF 2023–2026, DET 2019–2020
- Rare
Quinton Jefferson
DL · 2016–2025 · BUF 2020, 2024, DET 2025
- Rare
Shawn Bryson
RB · 1999–2006 · BUF 1999–2002, DET 2003–2006
- Rare
Justin Bannan
DT · 2002–2013 · BUF 2002–2005, DET 2013
- Rare
Frank Reich
QB · 1990–1998 · BUF 1990–1994, DET 1997–1998
- Rare
Nickell Robey-Coleman
CB · 2013–2022 · BUF 2013–2016, DET 2021
- Rare
James Ihedigbo
DB · 2008–2016 · BUF 2016, DET 2014–2015
- Rare
Teddy Lehman
OLB · 2004–2008 · BUF 2008, DET 2004–2007
- Rare
Josh Johnson
QB · 2008–2025 · BUF 2015, DET 2019
- Rare
Pete Metzelaars
TE · 1990–1997 · BUF 1990–1994, DET 1996–1997
- Rare
Kyle Allen
QB · 2018–2026 · BUF 2023, 2026, DET 2025
- Rare
Sam Martin
P · 2013–2026 · BUF 2022–2024, DET 2013–2019
- Rare
Matt Prater
K · 2007–2025 · BUF 2025, DET 2014–2020
- Rare
Jerome Felton
FB · 2008–2016 · BUF 2015–2016, DET 2008–2010
- Rare
Kurt Schulz
DB · 1992–2001 · BUF 1992–1999, DET 2000–2001
- Rare
Rafael Bush
DB · 2010–2018 · BUF 2018, DET 2016
- Rare
Logan Thomas
QB · 2014–2023 · BUF 2016–2018, DET 2019
- Rare
Ko Simpson
FS · 2006–2009 · BUF 2006–2008, DET 2009
- Rare
Mike Badgley
K · 2018–2025 · BUF 2025, DET 2022–2023
- Rare
Michael Gaines
TE · 2004–2009 · BUF 2007, DET 2008
- Rare
Chris Oldham
DB · 1990–2001 · BUF 1991, DET 1990
- Rare
John Wendling
SS · 2007–2013 · BUF 2007–2009, DET 2010–2013
- Rare
Dean Marlowe
SS · 2015–2023 · BUF 2018–2020, 2022, DET 2021
- Rare
Gabe Ikard
C · 2015–2017 · BUF 2015–2016, DET 2015
- Rare
Jacquies Smith
DE · 2014–2018 · BUF 2014, DET 2017
- Rare
Chris Spielman
LB · 1990–1999 · BUF 1996–1997, DET 1990–1995
- Rare
Ashlee Palmer
OLB · 2009–2014 · BUF 2009, DET 2010–2014
- Rare
Julian Stanford
OLB · 2012–2022 · BUF 2018–2019, DET 2013–2014
- Rare
Kyle Peko
DL · 2016–2024 · BUF 2019, DET 2024
- Rare
Dave Rayner
K · 2005–2011 · BUF 2011, DET 2010
- Rare
Eric King
CB · 2005–2010 · BUF 2005, DET 2009–2010
- Rare
Rick Strom
QB · 1990–1996 · BUF 1994, DET 1996
- Rare
Vernon Turner
RB · 1990–1995 · BUF 1990, DET 1993, 1995
- Rare
Dorin Dickerson
WR · 2010–2013 · BUF 2012, DET 2013
- Rare
Jonathan Scott
T · 2006–2014 · BUF 2008–2009, DET 2006–2007
- Rare
Matthew Mulligan
TE · 2009–2016 · BUF 2015, DET 2016
- Rare
Jonathan Williams
RB · 2016–2023 · BUF 2016, DET 2020
- Rare
Crezdon Butler
CB · 2010–2016 · BUF 2012, DET 2015–2016
- Rare
Stefan Charles
DT · 2013–2016 · BUF 2013–2015, DET 2016
- Rare
Daryl Porter
DB · 1997–2001 · BUF 1998–2000, DET 1997
- Epic
Jeff Hunter
DL · 1990–1994 · BUF 1990, DET 1990–1992
- Epic
Jamon Meredith
T · 2009–2016 · BUF 2009–2010, DET 2010
- Epic
Darian Barnes
FB · 2002–2008 · BUF 2008, DET 2008
The rarest links
The players almost nobody names first, and the biggest bonus in a puzzle.
- Epic
Eric Lee
LB · 2016–2018 · BUF 2017, DET 2018
- Epic
Donovan Greer
DB · 1997–2002 · BUF 1998–2000, DET 2002
- Epic
Michael Ola
G · 2014–2019 · BUF 2016, DET 2015–2016
- Epic
Khari Lee
TE · 2015–2018 · BUF 2017–2018, DET 2016
- Epic
Copeland Bryan
DE · 2007–2009 · BUF 2007–2008, DET 2009
- Epic
Matt Murphy
TE · 2002–2006 · BUF 2006, DET 2002
- Epic
Jerome Couplin
SS · 2014–2015 · BUF 2014, DET 2014
- Legendary
Brad Banta
TE · 1994–2004 · BUF 2004, DET 2001–2003
Teams are counted as franchises, so earlier cities and names are included (the Raiders in Oakland, the Rams in St. Louis, the Titans as the Oilers). Rarity tiers come from the same scoring The Chains uses in its daily puzzles. A small set of one-season 2002 entries that couldn't be verified is left out.
More Bills matchups
Bills and 49ers · Bills and Bears · Bills and Bengals · Bills and Broncos · Bills and Browns · Bills and Buccaneers · Bills and Cardinals · Bills and Chargers · Bills and Chiefs · Bills and Colts · Bills and Commanders · Bills and Cowboys · Bills and Dolphins · Bills and Eagles · Bills and Falcons · Bills and Giants · Bills and Jaguars · Bills and Jets · Bills and Packers · Bills and Panthers · Bills and Patriots · Bills and Raiders · Bills and Rams · Bills and Ravens · Bills and Saints · Bills and Seahawks · Bills and Steelers · Bills and Texans · Bills and Titans · Bills and Vikings
More Lions matchups
Lions and 49ers · Lions and Bears · Lions and Bengals · Lions and Broncos · Lions and Browns · Lions and Buccaneers · Lions and Cardinals · Lions and Chargers · Lions and Chiefs · Lions and Colts · Lions and Commanders · Lions and Cowboys · Lions and Dolphins · Lions and Eagles · Lions and Falcons · Lions and Giants · Lions and Jaguars · Lions and Jets · Lions and Packers · Lions and Panthers · Lions and Patriots · Lions and Raiders · Lions and Rams · Lions and Ravens · Lions and Saints · Lions and Seahawks · Lions and Steelers · Lions and Texans · Lions and Titans · Lions and Vikings