Joe Andreessen, just like many kids, dreamed of playing in the NFL. Now he gets to live out that dream playing for his hometown team, the Buffalo Bills.
On Saturday Aug. 10, Andreessen will have the opportunity to play in his first preseason game against the Chicago Bears and play with the Bills logo on his helmet.
"Yeah, it's been quite the experience to say the least," Andreessen said. "Kind of coming out here, and the love that Buffalo has shown me, the fans, it's been awesome, but still a lot of work to be done and you know I'm just pushing to be the best me every day."
Andreessen signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent out of the University at Buffalo after participating in the Bills 2024 rookie minicamp on a try-out basis. Andreessen participated in OTAs in the spring and when training camp started, his teammates took notice of his improvement.
"Yeah, I think just his knowledge of the scheme," veteran LB Terrel Bernard said. "You could tell he put in a lot of work over the summer after OTAs to come in and really detail what he's doing and where he's supposed to be. It's evident when he comes out here, he's doing his job. He's doing what he's supposed to do, so it's been fun to see."
Andreessen, a Depew, New York native, is not new to playing in Western New York. The rookie linebacker transferred and played his graduate season at the University at Buffalo, after five seasons at Bryant University in Rhode Island. The linebacker really made a name for himself, playing for the Lancaster High School Legends which DC Bobby Babich calls him.
"The Lancaster legend? Yeah. No, it's awesome…," Babich said. "Really cool for a guy that's in his hometown, he's going to be able to run out of that tunnel and really fulfill a dream that a lot of Western New Yorkers probably have. So I think it's really cool. I just hope Joe stays within who he is. And football's football. It doesn't matter what colors you're wearing; it doesn't matter where you're at and does all those things."
While playing at Lancaster High School, Andreessen was a stud as a two-year starter for Coach Eric Rupp. During his time in high school, he was a key force in helping his team have back-to-back sectional titles, including an appearance in the 2017 state finals.
"I think he was the type of player that, he could do anything on the field, no matter the position," Rupp said. "That senior year, he led us to a New York State Championship game. But his characteristics were, he was extremely hard working, he had a very high football IQ, and he was just relentless. No matter how big the game was, you know, Joe would always perform to the best of his abilities and rise to the occasion for us."
Andreessen did a little bit of everything while playing for the Lancaster Legends. During his senior year, he posted 118 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks while also rushing for 525 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns on offense. He recorded 103 tackles, two interceptions and three touchdowns as a junior.
He also was a two-time all-state linebacker, two-time All-Western New York linebacker, and Defensive Player of the Game in the sectional championship back-to-back years, while also wrestling and being a wrestling captain his last three years of high school and being an honor roll student, just to name a few of his accomplishments.
"He was always pushing himself in the weight room, working very hard," Rupp said. "He was also a tremendous wrestler. He was a two-time state finisher for wrestling. And I think his character. He's just a very good person. He's always going to make the right decisions and do the right thing and that will obviously translate onto the football field as well."
Being in the linebacker room, Bernard has noticed Andreessen taking everything in that he can, getting better every day. For him, this opportunity means the world and Bernard is enjoying watching how much this opportunity means to him.
"You know, just sitting and talking to him, he's telling us about how he used to come to games as a kid," Bernard said. "He's played in the stadium before in high school, and I think just him having an opportunity to be here, I think you can tell he's very grateful and appreciative, and you know, he's coming to work every single day like a pro, so he's been great to have."
Although Andreessen has played in Highmark Stadium before in high school and took the field during the Return of the Red and Blue scrimmage, in which 36,000 Bills fans were in attendance, Saturday's preseason game against the Bears will be his first time taking the field in a game for the Bills. Andreessen is taking in every moment, but knows once the ball is snapped, it's all about football.
"I can just imagine how awesome it's gonna be walking out of that tunnel, seeing all the fans there," Andreessen said. "But yeah, once the ball's on the line, I'm out there on the field, it's all business after that and hope I can show out."
"Just kind of taking everything in. I'm not trying to look too far ahead, just trying to take it one day at a time. Perform when I get the opportunities. Yeah, take the most of my opportunities is probably the biggest thing. And you know, I'm hoping to make the team and all that stuff, but you know whatever happens, happens. You know, I'm trying to put my best foot forward every day."
