10th Season with Bills / 17th NFL Season
The Bills organization embarked upon a new direction on December 31, 2009 by naming Buddy Nix General Manager and making him responsible for all football operations.
The Bills new GM worked diligently towards his first major decision and 20 days later announced Chan Gailey as the team’s new head coach. Though the two men have never worked previously together, their styles and approach to the game are very similar. Both believe success is accomplished by hard work, being prepared and toughness. “It’s more about fundamentals then being flashy and I think our team will reflect that philosophy.”
10th Season with Bills / 17th NFL Season
The Bills organization embarked upon a new direction on December 31, 2009 by naming Buddy Nix General Manager and making him responsible for all football operations.
The Bills new GM worked diligently towards his first major decision and 20 days later announced Chan Gailey as the team’s new head coach. Though the two men have never worked previously together, their styles and approach to the game are very similar. Both believe success is accomplished by hard work, being prepared and toughness. “It’s more about fundamentals then being flashy and I think our team will reflect that philosophy.”
Nix’s approach to building the Bills back into prominence centers around the Draft and with the first selection with Nix as GM, the team chose RB C.J. Spiller from Clemson, the player that some Draft evaluators and media felt was the best overall player. The team then drafted DT Torell Troup to play a role in the defense’s switch to the 3-4 scheme and Alex Carrington to compete at the DE position. The Draft evaluators also gave the Bills high marks for selecting a player they felt may be one of the “steals” of this year’s Draft, WR Marcus Easley. The Bills also selected OL Ed Wang, the first Chinese American in the NFL, and QB Levi Brown out of Troy.
Nix’s ability as a keen evaluator of talent also led to the Bills adding players in free agency who fit the team in key positions. LBs Andra Davis and Reggie Torbor and DE Dwan Edwards were brought in for the 3-4 scheme while veteran Cornell Green will handle the RT responsibilities.
Nix had rejoined the franchise earlier in the year as the National Scout. Prior to returning to Buffalo, he had served seven seasons with the San Diego Chargers, first as Director of Player Personnel from 2001 – 2002, where he oversaw both pro and college scouting, and then as Assistant General Manager-Director of Player Personnel from 2003 – 2007.
San Diego finished 1-15 in the year prior to Nix’s arrival and then made the playoffs four times between 2001 and 2008 while capturing the AFC West title four times between 2004 and 2008. The Chargers advanced to the AFC Championship game in 2007.
Nix’s first tenure with the Bills was as a Southeast region college scout from 1993 – 2000, where he first worked with former Bills GM John Butler before joining San Diego.
From 1984 – 1992, Nix was the head coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Prior to his nine seasons at UTC, Nix’s collegiate career included assistant positions at Louisiana State University (1981 – 1983), Auburn (1976 – 1980), Southern Mississippi (1972 – 1975), Livingston University (1970 – 1971) and Carson Newman (1969). In 1971, Livingston won the Division II National Championship while Nix was the Defensive Coordinator.
Nix’s coaching career began in 1961 as a graduate assistant at the University of Alabama, the same year the Crimson Tide finished 11-0 and defeated Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl en route to a National Championship. He later coached positions at Anniston (1962 – 1964) and Eufaula (1964 – 1967) High Schools in Alabama and Jonesboro High School (1967 – 1969) in Georgia.
Nix was born in Carbon Hill, AL and attended Talladega High School and played linebacker and fullback at Livingston University (the University’s name has since been changed to West Alabama University). He was inducted into Livingston’s Hall of Fame in 1983. Buddy and his wife, Diann, have three children, Steve (wife Sherry), Stan (wife Holi), and Stacey (husband Allen). They also have six grandchildren, Dakoda, Tyler, Ana, Hope, Tucker and Sawyer.
NIX’S NOTES AS CHARGERS ASST. GM/DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL
- Drafts from 2002-08 yielded 16 players who started at least one game for the Chargers in 2008.
- Drafts during his tenure produced eight Pro Bowlers: CB Antonio Cromartie (2008), C Nick Hardwick (2007), C Vincent Jackson (2010), K Nate Kaeding (2007, 2010), LB Shawne Merriman (2006-08), T Marcus McNeil (2007-08), S Hank Milligan (2006) and QB Philip Rivers (2007-08, 2010).
- Three of his unsigned rookie free agents – TE Antonio Gates (2005-10), G Kris Dielman (2008-10) and WR/ST Kassim Osgood (2007-08, 2010) also earned the honor to represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl.
- San Diego finished the 2008 season with 38 players on its roster drafted or signed as undrafted free agents during Nix’s tenure with the team.
- During the 2004 draft, San Diego traded QB Eli Manning to the New York Giants in exchange for QB Philip Rivers and third-round draft choice in 2004 (K Nate Kaeding) and a first-round (LB Shawne Merriman) draft choice and a fifth-round choice in 2005. Three of the players acquired in the trade went the Pro Bowl while with San Diego.
NIX’S EXPERIENCE
NFL
2010 - Buffalo Bills, General Manager
2009 - Buffalo Bills, National Scout
2003-2007 San Diego Chargers, Assistant GM-Director of Player Personnel
2001-2002 San Diego Chargers, Director of Player Personnel
1993-2000 Buffalo Bills, Area Scout
