Buffalo Bill's QB Kyle Orton goes out on top
"I just have been going at it for 10 years and it's just a family decision and I've decided to get home and be a dad and call it a day," Orton said in a statement.
Orton leaves a $5.4 million base salary on the table for 2015, according to OverTheCap.com. He also would have been the favorite to start for the Bills next season because Manuel fell out of favor in Buffalo.
A journeyman quarterback is a term used for an American Football (typically NFL) quarterback who plays for several teams over a career. Such a player is typically signed to year-by-year contracts, and may be signed by a team to fill in for an injured starter. Chris Chandler holds the record for starting a game for eight different NFL teams.
Kyle Orton played for four teams during his 10 year NFL career. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round out of Purdue University in 2005, Kyle was a member of the 2006 team that lost to the Indianapolis Colts, 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI. Orton was the third string QB behind starter, Rex Grossman and backup, Brian Griese.
Having started only 13 games from 2011-2013 with Kansas City, Denver and Dallas, it was a miracle for Kyle to start 12 games for the Bills in 2014. While his record as a starter of 7-5 doesn't jump off the page, Kyle did inject some life into the Buffalo offense. A disappointing 26-24 loss to the Oakland Raiders in Week 16, eliminated the Bills from playoff contention.
The 2013 season for the Dallas Cowboys ended with Kyle Orton unable to convert a two point completion to WR Dez Bryant. Many Dallas fans forget that Kyle had completed 30 of 46 passes for 358 yards with two TD's to cut the Phildelphia lead to 24-22. Orton was playing in place of the injured QB Tony Romo. Last season's frustrations are just a memory after the satisfying one year stay in Buffalo.
Frank Schwab,Yahoo:
Even though Kyle Orton was never a special quarterback during his time with the Bears, Broncos, Chiefs, Cowboys and Bills, he probably gave Buffalo its best chance next year to snap a playoff drought that dates back to the 1999 season.
Orton told the Bills' site that nothing will change his mind, so the Bills need to figure out their next move at quarterback.
10 years in the NFL is a long career. The final game for Kyle Orton snapped the 16 home game winning streak of the New England Patriots. It also stopped the 35 home game regular season streak against AFC opponents. The last loss at Gillette Stadium to a conference foe was November 30, 2008 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The last stop on the train for Kyle leaves a good feeling in the hearts of Bills' diehards in Western New York. The Bills are over .500 for the first time in a decade with a 9-7 record. It is always a good time to move while the arrow is pointing up.
Kyle Orton stopped to grab his wallet around 9:00. Said he was going to a meeting, would talk later. Never came back. pic.twitter.com/8ImJP9ZvOg
— Prescott Rossi (@PrescottRossi) December 29, 2014
After completing 59.5% of his passes for 18, 037 yards, 101 TD's and 69 interceptions in a decade in the NFL, I wish Kyle good luck with fatherhood.
Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire.
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