Lions at Bills: Roster Connections

Lions QB Matt Cassel spent a portion of the 2015 season with the Bills and started in one game.

Lions LB Eric Lee spent a portion of the 2017 season on the Bills active roster and practice squad.

Lions LB Kelvin Sheppard spent the first two seasons of his career (2011-12) with the Bills.

Bills S Rafael Bush played for the Lions during the 2016 season and appeared in all 16 games with 48 total tackles (31 solo) and a career-high two interceptions.

Bills Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman served as the special teams coordinator for three seasons, including one playoff berth, from 2010-12.

Bills LB Julian Stanford spent two seasons with the Lions (2013-14) and played in 18 games over that span.

Lions LB Devon Kennard and Bills QB Matt Barkley were teammates at Southern California for four seasons from 2009-12.

Lions OL Andrew Donnal and Bills G Ike Boettger played on the same offensive line at Iowa for two seasons from 2013-14. Donnal and Bills S Micah Hyde were teammates at Iowa for three seasons from 2010-12.

Lions WR Bruce Ellington and Bills FB Patrick DiMarco played on the same offense at South Carolina during the 2010 season.

Lions DL Da'Shawn Hand, Bills WR Robert Foster and Bills CB Levi Wallace were teammates at Alabama from 2014-17 and helped the Crimson Tide claim the College Football National Championship in 2015 and 2017. The trio was also teammates with Lions DT A'Shawn Robinson for two seasons from 2014-15.

Lions LB Nicholas Grigsby and Bills CB Lafayette Pitts played on the same defense at Pittsburgh for five seasons from 2011-15. The duo also played with Bills CB Ryan Lewis for four seasons from 2012-15.

Lions DT Ricky Jean Fancois and Bills DT Kyle Williams played on the same defensive line at Louisiana State during the 2005 season.

Lions TE Levine Toilolo and Bills DE Trent Murphy were teammates at Stanford for four seasons from 2009-12.

Lions T Rick Wagner and Bills G Ryan Groy played on the same offensive line at Wisconsin for two seasons from 2010-11. In 2011, the duo paved the way for a Badger rushing attack that totaled 235.5 yards per game, which ranked eighth in the nation.

Lions K Matt Prater and Bills K StePHen Hauschka were teammates in Denver from 2010-11.

Lions QB Matt Cassel and Bills FB Patrick DiMarco played on the same offense with the Chiefs during the 2012 season.

Bills Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman and Lions Offensive Line Coach Jeff Davidson were both coordinators for the Carolina Panthers from 2007-09. Davidson was in charge of the offense while Crossman headed up special teams.

Lions CB DeShawn Shead, Lions TE Luke Willson and Bills K Stephen Hauschka were teammates with the Seahawks for four seasons from 2013-16.

Lions QB Matt Cassel and Bills G Vladimir Ducasse played on the same offense with the Vikings during the 2014 season.

Lions DT Ricky Jean Francois and Redskins DE Trent Murphy played on the same defensive line with the Redskins for two seasons from 2015-16.

Lions LB Christian Jones, Bills T Jordan Mills and Bills G Ryan Groy were teammates during the 2014 season with the Bears.

Lions LB Christian Jones teamed up with Bills G Vladimir Ducasse and Bills WR Deonte Thompson during the 2015 season with the Bears.

Lions K Matt Prater and Bills S Rafael Bush were teammates with the Broncos during the 2011 season.

Lions TE Kelvin Sheppard, Bills TE Logan Thomas, Bills P Matt Darr and Bills DT Jordan Phillips were teammates with the Dolphins during the 2015 season.

Bills Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll spent multiple seasons with other Lions coaches on the New England Patriots coaching staff from 2000-06 and 2013-16. Lions Head Coach Matt Patricia was a member of the staff from 2004-17, Offensive Line Coach Jeff Davidson overlapped from 2000-04, Quarterbacks Coach George Godsey was in New England from 2011-13, and WCF Minority Coaching Assistantship/Defense Billy Yates played on the offensive line from 2004-08.

Lions TE Levine Toilolo and Bills FB Patrick DiMarco were teammates with the Falcons for four seasons from 2013- 16. The duo helped an Atlanta offense that ranked first in the NFL in points per game with 33.8 in 2016 and appeared in Super Bowl LI.

Bills Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier and Lions Tight Ends Coach Chris White were both members of the Vikings coaching staff from 2009-12. Frazier was defensive coordinator and went on to serve as head coach while White was an assistant on special teams.

Lions T Rick Wagner and Bills WR Deonte Thompson were teammates with the Ravens during the 2013 season

Lions Defensive Backs Coach Brian Stewart was on the Philadelphia coaching staff with Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott and Bills Quarterbacks Coach David Culley in 2009.

Lions G Kenny Wiggins and Bills T/G Jeremiah Sirles played on the same offensive line with the Chargers during the 2014 season.

Bills Wide Receivers Coach Terry Robiskie and Lions Offensive Line Coach Jeff Davidson were both members of the Browns coaching staff from 2005-06.