Biography
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Frank Reich, was born on December 4, 1961 in Freeport, New York. Reich is a retired NFL quarterback who played for the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions. For a time, he had the distinction of having led his team to the biggest comeback victory ever in both the collegiate and professional ranks. Reich and his friend, starter Jim Kelly, formed one of the longest-tenured backup-and-starter tandems, playing together for nine years from 1986 to 1994.
Frank Reich was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round (57th overall) in the 1985 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for Reich, the Bills already had a franchise quarterback in future Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, and Reich was relegated to the backup role for several years. Reich got his first start when Kelly went down with a shoulder injury in 1989. Reich capably led the Bills to two straight victories. He rallied the Bills in the fourth quarter for a 23-20 victory over the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Rams in front of a Rich Stadium crowd of 76,231 and a Monday Night Football audience. Down 20-16, Reich took over on his own 36 with 1:17 and 3 timeouts remaining. On the first play, Reich hit Andre Reed for 6. Reed fumbled when tackled, but Kent Hull recovered, sustaining the drive. On the next 3 plays, Reich found Thomas open on short dump off passes over the middle, gaining 17, 6, and 15 yards, placing the ball on the Ram 22 yard line. Ronnie Harmon broke open and caught a Reich pass down the sidelines to the Ram 8, stepping out of bounds killing the clock with 20 seconds left. On the next play, Reich hit Reed at the 2 yard line, and with 2 Rams defenders draped on his back, he powered his way across the plane of the goal line. With 16 seconds remaining, Reed put the Bills up for good 23-20. Reich returned the following season, however, when Kelly was injured again late in the season. Reich once again stepped up and provided the Bills with two key wins, clinching them the AFC East title and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Reich's defining moment in his pro career is actually another comeback, this one often called the greatest comeback in NFL history (it is the greatest comeback in terms of deficit overcome, 32 points), in the playoffs following the 1992 season against the Houston Oilers. Reich led the Bills on a 35-3 run in the second half and overtime against the Oiler defense en route to a 41-38 victory. Reich would help the Bills defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round before once again giving the team back to Kelly, who led them into Super Bowl XXVII, where they fell to the Dallas Cowboys 52-17.
After giving the Bills one more comeback victory late in the 1993 NFL season, Frank Reich was picked from the Bills in the 1995 expansion draft to join the Carolina Panthers. Although he started several games for them, he was replaced mid-season by Kerry Collins. He was signed by the New York Jets and the Detroit Lions, and retired following the 1998 NFL season.
In the first round of the 1997 NFL Playoffs, Reich took over as quarterback for the Detroit Lions when Scott Mitchell was knocked out of the game. The score was close the entire game, with the clock winding down it was up to Reich to make a huge play. Instead, Reich dropped back and spiked the ball to stop the clock. Little did he know, it was fourth down and the ball went back to Tampa Bay. This was the one of the last times the Lions made the playoffs, and the last time Barry Sanders was seen on the field.
Frank Reich is a devout Christian and is now a motivational speaker utilizing the great comebacks as a main keynote of his speeches. He served as the second president of Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina.
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