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'Beyond the Playbook': Bills connect with the Texans

The Buffalo Bills visit the Houston Texans Sunday, with both teams sporting 2-1 records. As Matt Sabuda points out in WBFO's "Beyond the Playbook," some other remarkable connections exist, including an unusually close relationship between the head coaches.

"In the coaching profession you often hear coaches say that their friends, but these guys really are best friends," Sabuda said in regards to Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone and Bill O'Brien, his counterpart with the Houston Texans.

"They came up coaching together at Georgia Tech. They carpooled. They recruited together, and interestingly enough, they married two girls who were college roommates."

Among the players, former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will start at quarterback for the Texans. Current Buffalo Bill Lee Smith lives in Fitzpatrick's former home in Western New York.  Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams spent many years with the Texans and was the franchise's top draft pick in 2006.

Monday - Friday, 6 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Jay joined Buffalo Toronto Public Media in 2008 and has been local host for NPR's "Morning Edition" ever since. In June, 2022, he was named one of the co-hosts of WBFO's "Buffalo, What's Next."

A graduate of St. Mary's of the Lake School, St. Francis High School and Buffalo State College, Jay has worked most of his professional career in Buffalo. Outside of public media, he continues in longstanding roles as the public address announcer for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League and as play-by-play voice of Canisius College basketball.