The Buffalo Bills are coming back to St. John Fisher College in Pittsford for training camp this year. That announcement was made Saturday by the Bills and the college.
The team, which was always a popular draw for fans around the Rochester area, did not have training camps at Fisher in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bills did their practice sessions in Orchard Park during the last two years.
The team and the college announced Saturday this is a one-year deal and dates and times for practices will be announced later this spring.
With the league dropping the NFL protocols, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said that he wanted to get back to St. John Fisher because of the bonding that takes place between his team when they're away.
"We've always enjoyed the set-up there and Sean and I both are strong believers in the camaraderie that you get and the bond you can build," Beane said. "Guys aren't feeling the pressure to get home or anything like that, and that's important. Obviously, we're getting ready on the field but the trust that you build up with your teammates and coaches and staff is just as important, especially when you hit the rough patches, which every team hits at some point during the season."
Another important factor according to the Bills’ GM in moving camp back to Rochester was the fact that fans can attend practices.
"We'll also be able to have fans this year," Beane said. "It doesn't really work at Orchard Park, and we missed that the last two years as well. So, it gives our fans a chance to be up close and watch us get started in camp. We're very excited that they'll be able to come watch us practice."
Beane thinks going back to St. John Fisher will be an easy transition.
"There's a lot of familiarity there and we know the set-up pretty well," Beane added. "A lot of our staff have been there for years, even before Sean and I got here. It should be pretty seamless. St. John Fisher does a great job of working with us to accommodate what we need to be efficient at camp."
"It'll be a chance for us to, after two years away, kind of go back and get that that true away training camp feeling," said Beane.
St. John Fisher President Gerard Rooney said that, “We are so pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with the Buffalo Bills organization and we are looking forward to welcoming the team back to our campus this summer for Training Camp. This is a wonderful opportunity not only for our campus and our students, but also for the Rochester community and the thousands of Bills fans from around the region to see the team up close ahead of the season.”
This will be Buffalo's 21st training camp at St. John Fisher College.
