Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions players: who played for both

Who played for both the Bills and Lions?

88 players were on both the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions rosters between 1960 and 2026, including Matt Prater, Joe Ferguson, Josh Johnson and Bill Munson. 49 of them were with the Bills first and 35 with the Lions first; 4 joined both in the same season.

Did you know?

  • Warren Rabb is the earliest on this list to complete the pair: Lions first, then the Bills from 1961.
  • C.J. Gardner-Johnson is the most recent: Lions first, then the Bills from 2026.
  • Joe Ferguson spent the most seasons across the two: 12 with the Bills and 3 with the Lions.
  • 8 of them had two or more separate spells with one of the teams, such as Quinton Jefferson.
  • Most common positions on this list: DB (14), QB (10), OL (8), TE (7).

How many can you name?

Name players who were on both the Bills and the Lions. The surname is enough. 0 / 88

All 88 players, most seasons first

Seasons on each roster (1960–2026). A gap of a season or more starts a new spell.
PlayerPosBillsLions
Matt PraterK20252014–2020
Joe FergusonQB1973–19841985–1987
Josh JohnsonQB20152019
Bill MunsonQB1978–19791968–1975
Pete MetzelaarsTE1985–19941996–1997
John KiddSPEC1984–19891998
Frank ReichQB1985–19941997–1998
Matt CasselQB20152018
Sam MartinP2022–20242013–2019
Andre RobertsWR2019–20202016
Darius SlayDB20252013–2019
Chris OldhamDB19911990
Bradford BantaTE20042001–2003
Chris SpielmanLB1996–19971988–1995
Dave WashingtonLB1972–19741978–1979
Drayton FlorenceCB2009–20112012
Reggie BushRB20162013–2014
Ron JessieWR1980–19811971–1974
Julian StanfordLB2018–20192013–2014
Kurt SchulzDB1992–19992000–2001
Logan ThomasTE2016–20182019
Mike MontlerOL1973–19761978
Nickell RobeyDB2013–20162021
Quinton JeffersonDL2020, 20242025
Al RandolphDB19741972
Daryl WorleyDB20202021
James IhedigboSS20162014–2015
Jerome FeltonFB2015–20162008–2010
Jonathan ScottT2008–20092006–2007
Kyle AllenQB2023, 20262025
Larry WatkinsRB1973–19741969
Marlin BriscoeWR1969–19711975
Rafael BushDB20182016
Ray JarvisWR19731974–1978
C.J. Gardner-JohnsonDB20262023
Dean MarloweDB2018–2020, 20222021
Donnie GreenOL1971–19761978
Jamon MeredithT2009–20102010
Jonathan WilliamsRB20162020
Kelvin SheppardMLB2011–20122018
Kyle PekoDL20192024
Larry WaltonWR19781969–1974, 1976
Mike BadgleyK20252022–2024
Sam WycheQB19761974
Scott HunterQB19741979
Shawn BrysonRB1999–20022003–2006
Ty JohnsonRB2023–20262019–2020
Willie ParkerOL1973–19791980
Benny RicardoK19761976, 1978–1979
J.D. HillWR1971–19751976–1977
John WendlingSS2007–20092010–2013
LaAdrian WaddleOL20192013–2015
Leonard BurtonOL1986–19891992, 1994
Maurice TylerDB19721976
Reggie RaglandLB20162020
Rick StromQB19941996
Russell BodineOL20182020
Ulysses NorrisTE1984–19851979–1983
Ashlee PalmerOLB20092010–2014
Crezdon ButlerCB20122015–2016
Donovan GreerDB1998–20002002
Doug JonesDB1976–19781979
Matt MurphyTE2006–20072002
Michael GainesTE20072008
Michael OlaOL20162015–2016
Rod HillDB1984–19861986
Vernon TurnerRB19901993, 1995
Bob TatarekDL1968–19721972
Daryl PorterDB1998–20001997
Eric KingCB20052010
Jacquies SmithDE20142017
Jeff HunterDL19901990–1992
Stefan CharlesDT2013–20152016
Teddy LehmanMLB20082004–2007
Craig HertwigOL19781975–1977
Dave RaynerK20112010
Don CroftDL1972, 1974–19751976
Khari LeeTE2017–20182016
Ko SimpsonFS2006–20082009
Reggie RogersDL19911987–1988
Copeland BryanDE2007–20082009
Dorin DickersonWR20122013
Eric LeeDL20172018
Gabe IkardC2015–20162015
Ricky PorterRB19871982
Warren RabbQB1961–19621960
Jerome CouplinSS20142014
Ken LeeLB19721971

From the nflverse roster files (CC BY 4.0), refreshed 2026-10-06. A season counts when the player was on the roster: from 2002 on, at least one regular-season or playoff week as active, injured reserve or inactive (practice squad alone does not count); 1960–2001 use the season rosters.

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More “played for both” lists

Buffalo Bills and…

Dolphins 116Raiders 108Chargers 106Jets 105Patriots 102Commanders 99Broncos 92Browns 91Titans 90Cardinals 89

Detroit Lions and…

Colts 117Cardinals 116Browns 111Saints 111Falcons 110Dolphins 109Rams 108Seahawks 107Commanders 10649ers 105

All team pairs

Questions

How many players have played for both the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions?

88 in the nflverse roster files from 1960 to 2026, including Matt Prater, Joe Ferguson, Josh Johnson and Bill Munson. Players whose time with one of the teams was practice squad only, or before 1960, are not counted.

Who was the first player on this list to play for both?

Warren Rabb: Detroit Lions first, then the Buffalo Bills from 1961.

Who has played for both recently?

Matt Prater, Darius Slay, Quinton Jefferson, Kyle Allen, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Mike Badgley and 1 more, with a season on one of the two rosters in 2025 or 2026.

Does a player count if the team has moved or changed its name?

Yes. Seasons count for today's franchise, the way the league keeps team history. Neither of these teams has moved since 1960.

Rosters from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). Team logos are trademarks of their respective teams (logos via TheSportsDB). Independent and not affiliated with the NFL or any team. Credits