We've heard from linebacker Matt Milano and offensive lineman Daryl Williams on why they wanted to re-sign with the Bills. They simply couldn't leave with the trajectory the team is on and the positive culture in place. Offensive lineman Jon Feliciano felt similarly when he explained what is keeping him in Buffalo.
"To be honest, I didn't want to go anywhere," Feliciano said as he met with the media over Zoom from Florida on Monday. "I love the city of Buffalo and that guy behind me is kind of my guy, so it was kind of the easy decision."
The offensive line also gets their continuity back. There was hope for this last season, but after a few injuries that started with Feliciano's torn pectoral muscle, the line didn't see a pattern of consistency until the end of the season.
With health on their side and some extended contracts, Feliciano, Williams, Dion Dawkins, Mitch Morse and Cody Ford can enhance the chemistry they started to build in 2020.
"Whenever you can keep the same core group of guys around for multiple years, it helps everything gel," Feliciano said. "We will be able to just get to the point a lot easier."
One reason why Williams wanted to extend with the Bills is because of the comfortability he feels with the offensive line on and off the field.
"I think we played well together with the short time we had," Williams. "Now we have OTAs, whether it's virtual or not, and then whenever we come back we already know how we play beside each other. Now it's time to get even better in practice so whenever game time comes, we can be even better. I'm just so excited to get this year started."
Feliciano recalls what continuity felt like on his previous team and is looking forward to having that with this current group.
"Drawing back from my Oakland days, we had the same group of guys for an extended amount of time," Feliciano shared. "There's a lot to it when you know what the guy next to you is going to do. You know where his hands are going to be, you know how far you have to throw a twist off.
"There's a lot of little things and being able to be with the same group, it's huge. I'm excited to get back there and work with them because they're all dogs and they all want to work and get better."
The six-year veteran's pectoral injury last year kept him on the sidelines for the first seven weeks of the season. Not easy for a player who's known as being the juice for the offensive line, but Feliciano's silver lining was building stronger connection with Bills head coach Sean McDermott.
"The relationship I was able to get with coach this season, really when I was hurt, the way he stood by me and the conversations we had," Feliciano shared. "There was tough conversations, there were great conversations, he was just there throughout the whole thing. I believe our relationship just evolved from there and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to come back.
"Just knowing I have a guy that's in my corner, a guy that we both see the game the same way, both see winning the same way. So having that as the foundation, Big Baller Beane who's out here freaking doing wizard stuff, I got my guy Dabs (Brian Daboll) and that big goofy guy (Josh Allen) behind me. It's a good time to be in Buffalo."
Coming to Buffalo in 2019 and starting in every game he has played in with the Bills while experiencing the success of the last two seasons, Feliciano understands why the league-wide perception of the team has changed.
"I think when you have a guy like Josh Allen leading your franchise with a guy that players can trust like Beane and McDermott, honestly that's where it starts," Feliciano said. "I think that's why you see a lot of us coming back and taking less money, or whatnot. Just to be able to go to work every day and know that we're all truly going for the same goal."
Feliciano admitted he could have gone to the market and probably made a little more money, but the structure may not have been the same. To him, it's a collection of things that made it an obvious decision to stay.
"I feel lucky to be in Buffalo and to be a part of a team that a lot of people in NFL like to talk about it being a family," Feliciano said. "Here in Buffalo and the Bills organization, they really back that up."
It's the family atmosphere, the players, the continuity, the coaches, the front office, a quarterback who he calls Young Goofy and much more that is keep Feliciano in Buffalo for at least the next three seasons.
