Billy Shaw initially arrived in Buffalo towards the end of the first 1960 season. The offensive guard, hailing from Georgia Tech, was uncertain about playing in the chilly conditions of Buffalo.

The Buffalo Bills had drafted him in the second round of the 1961 AFL draft, which occurred in November 1960, right after the college football season ended. Upon arriving, he visited the old War Memorial Stadium to meet his new team.

Eddie Abramoski, the Bills’ original trainer, reminisced about that day many years later. “The locker room was about 55 degrees,” he recalled. “Billy was wearing a topcoat and looking around nervously. He leaned over to scout Harvey Johnson and said, ‘Mr. Johnson, I’m not sure I can handle this cold weather,’ to which I thought, ‘Billy, you haven’t even experienced real cold yet.’”

Abramoski recalled Johnson chuckling at Shaw, who was originally from Mississippi, as he reassured him that he would “be just fine.”

To say he was “fine” would be an understatement.

Shaw carved out a legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the Bills franchise, and he is the only player enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who spent his entire career in the AFL.

Shaw passed away Friday at 85 years old in his Toccoa, Georgia home, surrounded by his wife Patsy and their three daughters. His family reported that hypoonatremia was the cause of his death.

Hall of Fame President Jim Porter released a statement, emphasizing: “Billy Shaw is unique in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the only player to have spent his entire career in the American Football League. While this fact is significant, it hardly captures the essence of why he was inducted into the Class of 1999. His remarkable athletic abilities added a new dimension to the guard position and significantly contributed to the formidable rushing offense of the Buffalo Bills in the 1960s. Though he was fierce on the field, off the field, he epitomized the traits of a ‘Southern gentleman’ to everyone he met.”

Throughout his nine seasons with the Bills, one could always identify Shaw’s exceptional skills on any given play. Shaw’s ability to lead Cookie Gilchrist down the field, taking out would-be tacklers, was a highlight of those early franchise years.

His unmatched skills, flawless technique, and unwavering composure defined his game. One of the most significant performances of his career revealed when all these traits came together in an unforgettable way, appropriately during the most crucial game he played as a Bill.

This game took place in the 1964 AFL Championship against the San Diego Chargers at War Memorial Stadium. On that cold December day, Shaw, putting aside his previous fears of the weather, delivered the type of performance that lands players in the Hall of Fame.

Shaw faced off against Ernie Ladd, a towering defensive tackle for the Chargers. Ladd was as feared in the AFL as Deacon Jones was in the NFL, standing at 6 feet 9 inches and weighing 290 pounds, renowned for his ability to dominate the game.

However, prior to the game, Ladd unintentionally gave up his physical advantage.

“When they announced the San Diego players, Ladd charged onto the field between the goal posts and pointed straight at me,” Shaw recalled. “That was all I needed to get pumped up.”

Despite Ladd having a size disadvantage of 7 inches and 40 pounds, by the end of the game, Buffalo’s 20-7 victory left Ladd looking less fierce. The Bills amassed a total of 219 rushing yards, with Gilchrist contributing 122 yards, with most of those yards following the marks left by Shaw on Ladd’s body.

“Facing the Bills meant you needed to bring your best, as Billy would fight you throughout the entire game,” recounted a former Kansas player.

City linebacker Bobby Bell is also in the Hall of Fame.

Shaw was picked in the second round of the 1961 AFL draft, making him the 11th overall selection. He had a good first season, but when Lou Saban took over as head coach of the Bills before the 1962 season, he saw that Shaw could improve significantly.

“We analyzed his game tapes after we took charge that winter,” Saban explained. “He needed more training to become a strong player. That’s why we decided to have him practice against Tom Sestak every day. He had to step up his game to compete in that setting. I told him, ‘If you want to be the best, you need to face the best.’”

Shaw and Sestak clashed every day in practice, and both players improved, leading to their selection for the AFL’s all-time team.

“Those were intense matchups,” Shaw remarked. “I like to think that I helped Tom become a better player, and he definitely contributed to my growth as well.”

Abramoski, who introduced Shaw at his Hall of Fame induction, claimed in the 1990s, just before his retirement as the Bills’ trainer, that “Billy Shaw could have played today.”

Shaw was so skilled that Tom Landry, the iconic coach of the Dallas Cowboys, believed he could have played linebacker in the NFL, despite never having played that position at Georgia Tech.

The Cowboys, who also began playing in 1960, waited until the 14th round of the 1961 NFL draft to select Shaw, which led him to sign with Buffalo instead of Dallas.

“I had never played linebacker, and I wasn’t keen on trying out a new position,” Shaw said. “I chose to sign with the Bills because they were going to play me in positions I was already familiar with.”

From 1961 to 1969, Shaw constantly rewarded the Bills for their trust in him. He fortified Buffalo’s strong offensive line, earning a place in eight AFL all-star games and being named to the pro football all-decade team of the 1960s. Most importantly, he played a vital role in leading the Bills to three consecutive AFL East Division titles and two AFL championships.

He had to wait three decades after his career ended for the Hall of Fame voters to rectify a long-overdue oversight and induct him in 1999.

“Waiting for 30 years made it incredibly special,” Shaw shared. “Representing all those who worked hard in the AFL during those obscure years makes it even more meaningful. If Ron Wolf (the former NFL executive who was instrumental in my induction) walked into my room, I wouldn’t recognize him since I don’t think I’ve ever met him, but I truly appreciate his support.”

“I did everything I could on the field, and I had no control over my induction. I have my own private thoughts about my career, and if others see it differently, that’s just how life goes. I never made a fuss over it, but since it happened, it’s a significant milestone in my life.”

Although he retired after the 1969 season and missed the chance to play for the Bills in the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, he fondly remembers his time in Buffalo and values every moment, even the frigid days at the old Rockpile.

“I came to Buffalo at 21, just married, and my first child was born there, then I left at 30,” Shaw recalled. “I spent a third of my life in Buffalo, which was the most significant period of my life. I grew as an athlete, but even more importantly, I grew as a person. Many of the traits and values of the Buffalo people are deep-rooted in my character, and I cherish that.”