Many Bills fans may remember Mike Lodish as the 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive end and nose tackle who proudly wore number 73 on the Buffalo roster. A 10th round draft choice in 1990 out of UCLA, Lodish fought through adversity and made the Bills 53-man roster, traveling to the Super Bowl as a rookie with the team.
These 22 players were all members of the four-peat AFC Championship teams that represented the Bills in Super Bowls XXV, XXVI, XXVII, and XXVIII.
He tells buffalobills.com that his favorite memory while playing for the Bills was playing for what he calls the NFL's best team in 1990.
"The biggest thing for me was making the team and considering myself a professional with the Buffalo Bills: with what type of team we had, and how good we were. Making a team of that caliber was really a great thrill."
Lodish still holds the NFL record with his six Super Bowl appearances, four with Buffalo and two more trips with the Denver Broncos (Editor's note: Patriots QB Tom Brady ties Lodish with his sixth appearance in SB XLIX). Even today, Lodish still follows the Bills and says there's nothing like the 12th man.
"I loved playing for the team, and I love the Bills," Lodish told buffalobills.com. "My career is a storybook, it's unheard of, and I can't thank everyone enough who fought to keep me on the team. I loved all five years, and I especially loved the people in Buffalo. I have never seen a fan base like that. You can't beat it."
After Lodish's successful 11-year NFL career, he immediately began broadcast and radio work in his home state of Michigan. After three years on the airwaves, Lodish became a contract advisor with the NFL Players Association. After six years representing many NFL players, Lodish went into the sales field for a production communication company. Needless to say he's been busy, and just a year ago Lodish found yet another avenue that he is passionate about - peanut brittle.
Currently, Mike is the President of Pat's Gourmet LLC., a company he started a year and a half ago in Michigan to keep his mother's legacy alive. Lodish took his mother's famous peanut brittle recipe and branded it after his career. The crunchy peanut butter candy is named "Lodish's Champion Brittle."
"I work out of my house, and we are in 30 stores locally in southeast Michigan," Lodish said. "I do all of the operations, selling, and marketing … I am a one-man show. In 14 months, I managed to put over 400 cases of peanut brittle in stores by traveling around, introducing myself, and letting owners taste the brittle."
Lodish says his mother Pat was always the true "champion" in his life, and he's happy to have found another passion after a standout NFL career.
To learn more about Pat's Gourmet and Lodish's Champion Brittle click here.
