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Buffalo running back O.J. Simpson rushes for a then-NFL-record 250 yards in the Bills' 31-13 win at New England

The 1973 Buffalo Bills season was the 14th season for the team and their 4th season in the National Football League (NFL).

The 1973 Buffalo Bills season was the 14th season for the team and their 4th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Bills finished in 2nd place in the AFC East division and finished the 1973 NFL season with a record of 9–5, the team's first winning record since 1966.

Head coach Lou Saban began the second season of his second tenure with the Bills. Saban had previously led the team to the 1964 and 1965 AFL championships. This was the first season that the team played in Rich Stadium (which changed names over a decade later) after thirteen years playing at War Memorial Stadium ("The Rockpile").

The Bills were returning from 1–13 and 4–9–1 records in 1971 and 1972, respectively.

Historical Significance

The 1973 Buffalo Bills season was the 14th season for the team and their 4th season in the National Football League (NFL).

Key People

O.J. Simpson

football player and actor

American football player and actor

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Events Before

  1. International Book Year begins

    International Book Year begins

  2. LA Lakers defeat the Atlanta Hawks 134-90 for their 33rd straight win, the longest winning streak in major professional

    LA Lakers defeat the Atlanta Hawks 134-90 for their 33rd straight win, the longest winning streak in major professional sports

  3. Bernice Gera wins an anti-discrimination case against the National Baseball Congress, filed on March 15, 1971, allowing

    Bernice Gera wins an anti-discrimination case against the National Baseball Congress, filed on March 15, 1971, allowing her to umpire

  4. Bloody Sunday: 27 unarmed civilians are shot (14 are killed) by the British Army during a civil rights march in Derry, N

    Bloody Sunday: 27 unarmed civilians are shot (14 are killed) by the British Army during a civil rights march in Derry, Northern Ireland; the highest death toll from a single shooting incident during 'The Troubles'

  5. Bob Douglas is the first African American elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame

    The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, honors players who have shown exceptional skill at basketball, all-time great coaches, referees, and other major…

Events After

  1. Ernie DiGregorio of Buffalo hands out 25 assists in the Braves' 120-119 win over Portland, establishing an NBA single-ga

    Ernie DiGregorio of Buffalo hands out 25 assists in the Braves' 120-119 win over Portland, establishing an NBA single-game record for assists by a rookie

  2. Lee MacPhail takes over as AL president, succeeding Joe Cronin

    Lee MacPhail takes over as AL president, succeeding Joe Cronin

  3. Science fiction TV series "The Six Million Dollar Man" premieres on ABC, starring Lee Majors

    The Six Million Dollar Man is an American science fiction and action television series, running from 1973 to 1978, about a former astronaut, USAF Colonel Steve Austin, portrayed by Lee Majors.

  4. Barbra Streisand's first #1 hit, "The Way We Were"

    The Way We Were is the fifteenth studio album recorded by American singer Barbra Streisand.

  5. Mel Brooks' western spoof film "Blazing Saddles," starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder, premieres at the Pickwick Dri

    Mel Brooks' western spoof film "Blazing Saddles," starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder, premieres at the Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank, California; patrons watch from horseback rather than cars

More from the 1970s

death

Erroll Garner dies

Erroll Garner dies

birth

Chai Jing is born

Chai Jing, Chinese journalist and environmental activist, known for chinese journalist and environmental activist, was born on 1976-01-01. Chai Jing is a Chinese journalist.

Charles "Chub" Feeney becomes the President of Major League Baseball's National League

Charles Stoneham "Chub" Feeney (August 31, 1921 – January 10, 1994) was an Irish-American front office executive in Major League Baseball.

Cigarette advertisements are banned from broadcast media in the US

Cigarette advertisements are banned from broadcast media in the US

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 16, 1973?
The 1973 Buffalo Bills season was the 14th season for the team and their 4th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Bills finished in 2nd place in the AFC East division and finished the 1973 NFL season with a record of 9–5, the team's first winning record since 1966. Head coach Lou Saban began the second season of his second tenure with the Bills.
Why is Buffalo running back O.J. Simpson rushes for a then-NFL-record 250 yards in t... significant?
The 1973 Buffalo Bills season was the 14th season for the team and their 4th season in the National Football League (NFL).
Who was involved in Buffalo running back O.J. Simpson rushes for a then-NFL-record 250 yards in t...?
Key figures include O.J. Simpson (football player and actor).

Explore More

September 16 in HistoryYear 1973