After two years away, the Bills will be back in Rochester this summer. Bills Training Camp presented by Connors & Ferris will take place at St. John Fisher College in 2022 after the team and college agreed to terms on a one-year deal.
With the league dropping the NFL protocols, Bills general manager Brandon Beane wanted to get back to St. John Fisher because of the bonding that takes place between his team when they're away.
"We've always enjoyed the set-up there and Sean and I both are strong believers in the camaraderie that you get and the bond you can build," Beane shared. "Guys aren't feeling the pressure to get home or anything like that, and that's important. Obviously, we're getting ready on the field but the trust that you build up with your teammates and coaches and staff is just as important, especially when you hit the rough patches, which every team hits at some point during the season."
Another important factor in moving camp back to Rochester was the fact that fans can attend practices.
"We'll also be able to have fans this year," Beane said. "It doesn't really work at Orchard Park, and we missed that the last two years as well. So, it gives our fans a chance to be up close and watch us get started in camp. We're very excited that they'll be able to come watch us practice."
After spending 2020 and 2021 in Orchard Park because of the pandemic, Beane thinks going back to St. John Fisher will be an easy transition.
"There's a lot of familiarity there and we know the set-up pretty well," Beane added. "A lot of our staff have been there for years, even before Sean and I got here. It should be pretty seamless. St. John Fisher does a great job of working with us to accommodate what we need to be efficient at camp.
"It'll be a chance for us to, after two years away, kind of go back and get that that true away training camp feeling."
This will be Buffalo's 21st training camp at St. John Fisher College.
Dates and times for practices will be announced later this spring.
