If you are a diehard Buffalo Bills fan, you may know the date future Hall of Famer Jim Kelly made his regular-season debut as the team’s quarterback. It was the 1986 season opener, Sept. 7, against the New York Jets. Known as a gun-slinger, Kelly would be the linchpin in turning the team’s fortunes around, and even though the Bills lost to the Jets that day, 28-24, he showed what was in store by throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns.

Not a bad debut, right?

Keep that nugget in your pocket if you’re going to be playing trivia with your buds any time soon. You’re welcome.

If you already knew it, I’d say you are a true fan and you deserve a chicken wing or two, but here’s the question that will earn you a dozen wings and the undying respect of your trivia-playing circle: Who was the quarterback for the Bills in their last game before Kelly took over?

As the kids text these days, “IYKYK,” but I will bet many of you — even you diehards — don’t “K.”

Here’s a clue: Unlike Kelly, he was probably more surfboarder than gun-slinger. And more: He was a 10th-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1983 after starting exactly one — ONE! — game in a four-year college career at Nebraska.

Bruce Mathison was his name, and the Bills picked him up for the 1985 season to back up an aging Vince Ferragamo. When Ferragamo faltered, Mathison started the last seven games of the Bills’ season, leading them to a 1-6 record — well, that is if you can “lead” a team to a 1-6 record. He started the final game of that season — and by extension, the last game before The Savior Jim........

© Finger Lakes Times