Bills GM Doug Whaley confirmed at the team's season-ending press conference that they would present veteran punter Brian Moorman with an offer for a contract extension. Apparently Whaley and the front office work fast as Moorman re-signed with the club on Friday.
The team's longest-tenured punter was at One Bills Drive to sign on the dotted line as he had no interest in going anywhere else in the league even though he was set to become a free agent in mid-March.
"No, I didn't want to and that was something we talked about at the end of the season," Moorman told Buffalobills.com. "Just being able to continue my career here and eventually finish my career here that's been my goal all along to finish a Buffalo Bill and I'm thrilled to be here."
Moorman and his wife Amber have set deep roots in Buffalo both on and off the field with their PUNT Foundation, and that too played a factor.
"Community, organization, coaches everything," Moorman said. "Obviously we have our foundation here which benefits children with cancer and it's been home for us. The way the community has treated us especially since we've been back, we have friends here and it's like having a second family here. We're just thrilled to be here and have the opportunity to be back next season."
Moorman re-joined the Bills for his second stint with the franchise on Oct. 6th this past fall after the team released the punter that replaced him in 2012 in Shawn Powell. In Week 17 at New England, Moorman appeared in his 190th game as a Bill – the fifth-most games played in team history – and most by a punter. The Pittsburg State product holds franchise records in punts inside the 20 (259) and total punts (923) and ranks second in gross punting (43.7).
"What coach Marrone and coach Crossman are both doing and moving forward with their plans and what we spoke about after the season got me excited and I'm ready to get going already here in the offseason and it's just January. I'm looking forward to what we can accomplish on the field next season."
Moorman will turn 38 before next season, but still showed he's a more than capable NFL punter. In his 11 games as Bills punter this past season Moorman did an admirable job. He forced 17 fair catches, put 10 punts out of bounds and four others were downed. All told just over half of his punts (31-61) were not returnable.
If projected over a 16-game season Moorman's fair catches would've totaled 28 on the year, which would've ranked second in the NFL.
"Age is just a number," he said. "I feel good and I still go out and do all the things I did when I was younger. As long as I can keep going, I love the game and being a Buffalo Bill. As long as they'll have me I'll be here."
Moorman is just grateful that the fit with Buffalo that worked for the better part of the last 13 years will continue to be a fruitful partnership in 2014.
"I still pinch myself driving around town and driving by the stadium," said Moorman. "I'm blessed and it's been a great opportunity and I'm very thankful for that. They knew how happy I was to be back and it's just where I wanted to be. I didn't want to wait any longer and see if another team had interest because this was the team I wanted to be part of, and I'm looking forward to being part of the first time we get in the playoffs next year."
