Big Three Still Form Heart and Soul for Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. —  Buffalo veterans Bruce Smith, Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas won’t play forever. Or will they?

Buffalo’s last links to its Super Bowl teams of the early 1990s will see their first action of the season Friday night in Washington. After being held out of last week’s exhibition opener, they’re ready to go. Again.

Reed and Smith are starting their 15th seasons and Thomas is starting his 12th.

Buffalo’s superstars don’t know how to quit. Perhaps they don’t know when to quit either.

Their teammates--veterans and rookies--say that’s OK.

“To see Bruce Smith in practice getting down and dirty, it makes you work hard,” veteran safety Kurt Schulz said. “You see Thurman Thomas on the Stairmaster; Andre Reed always comes to camp in great shape. That really lifts the whole team.”

Don’t expect to see much of them in preseason, however.

“I’m not going to play very much,” Smith said Thursday. “In fact, very little. But it’s going to give me a chance to get some work in a lot earlier than in past years.”

Smith, who turned 36 in June, was named to the Pro Bowl squad for the 11th time after recording 74 tackles and 10 sacks last season. He’s been plagued in other preseasons by ailments ranging from aching joints to contractual woes. Last year he came to camp following elbow and knee surgery.

Not this year.

“It’s been a very positive camp, mentally and physically,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to going out and getting my timing down and being able to do some things with my teammates.”

Thomas, 33, had eight straight seasons of 1,000 yards or more rushing, beginning with his second year in the league in 1989.

Ninth in rushing in NFL history with 11,786 yards, Thomas trails only Emmitt Smith among active backs now that Thomas’ old college teammate, Barry Sanders, has retired.

After rushing for 643 yards in 1997, Thomas accepted a reduced role last year, reluctantly at first. But the lighter load is likely to prolong his career.

“I like my role,” Thomas said. “I’m feeling good after ball games and not all beat up to where I’m not practicing well until Thursday.”

Thomas says he’s not pondering retirement, despite Sanders’ recent surprise exit.

“I’ve always been on winning football teams; he’s always been on losing football teams,” Thomas said. “It’s easier for me to stay here and not think about retirement.”

Reed, 35, the most prolific receiver in Bills history, got a contract extension just after training camp started.

“He was at a team meeting before he came to his first practice, and he spotted something I was doing and already he was teaching me,” said Peerless Price, the Bills’ second-round draft choice from national champion Tennessee.