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Who is Joe Andreessen? 5 things to know about the Bills' breakout UDFA LB

Here are five things you need to know about Buffalo Bills breakout linebacker Joe Andreessen.

Kyle Silagyi

Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Joe Andreessen placed himself firmly on the radar of all Buffalo Bills fans with his breakout performance in the team’s recent preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, frequently flashing and making several impactful plays in a game in which he was a surprise starter. He finished the contest with a team-leading 12 tackles; though he entered the game as an extreme long shot for Buffalo’s 53-man roster, he exited as a player many fans would now be heartbroken to see released come late August.

So who is Andreessen? Fans have become lightly acquainted with him throughout the offseason (and, more accurately, the last two days), but we’ve compiled five things you should know about the new fan-favorite as he continues his ascent toward the Bills’ active roster.

The Lancaster Legend

Joe Andreessen
Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports

Andreessen is a local product; a native of Depew, NY (a village just to the east of Buffalo), the linebacker is an alumnus of Lancaster High School, where he twice earned All-State honors. He tallied 118 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks in his 2017 senior season, a year in which the Legends made it to the NYSPHSSA football Class AA Championship (losing to Troy). He was named a NUC All-American that year and earned Western New York High School Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Living up to the nickname of his school, Andreessen was a bit of a legend in his senior campaign, becoming a featured offensive player amidst a slew of injuries. He saw significant time at running back, averaging an impressive 7.3 yards per carry as he rushed for 459 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Bills fans shouldn’t be necessarily surprised by his recent breakout, as he’s seemingly been able to ‘do it all’ for a while.

Related: 'Fearless' Joe Andreessen impresses Bills' teammates on both sides of ball

Wrestling Background

Joe Andreessen
Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott has long been outspoken in his passion for amateur wrestling. A former wrestler himself, the sideline boss has long preached the importance of the sport and the value of the traits it breeds within its competitors, feeling as though there’s a natural crossover between the physical and mental attributes necessary for success in wrestling and football. His adoration of amateur wrestling is a major part of the reason why the Bills signed Olympic gold medalist freestyle wrestler Gable Steveson in the offseason despite the 24-year-old never playing football at any level.

With this in mind, it’s not necessarily surprising that Andreessen has an amateur wrestling background. The defender, per the Bryant University website, was on the varsity wrestling team from seventh grade onwards; he won 161 matches throughout his wrestling career, captaining the team in his final three seasons and helping the team win a Class AA state title as a senior.

Small School Standout

Joe Andreessen
Mike Cardew via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Western New York is not necessarily a high school football hotbed, so Andreessen’s regional excellence was not noticed by a bevy of power-five programs. He committed to Bryant University out of high school, enrolling in the small Rhode Island school of roughly 3,750 students. 

Andreessen played parts of five seasons for the Bulldogs, who played in the FCS-level Northeast Conference throughout the majority of his tenure in Providence. He recorded 256 total tackles, 37.5 tackles for loss, and 15 pass deflections throughout his career, earning All-NEC Team nods on several occasions before being named an AP second-team All-American after his 2022 season.

Related: Bills HC says it was 'fun to watch' hometown UDFA LB shine in preseason win

A Homecoming

Buffalo Bulls
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Andreessen transferred home for his sixth and final season of collegiate eligibility, enrolling at the University at Buffalo ahead of the 2023 campaign. He started 12 games for the Bulls at linebacker and, per the program's website, led the team in both tackles (90) and tackles for loss (12). It seemed a storybook end for Andreessen’s football career—he was able to come home and produce for his hometown FBS program after a successful career at the FCS level. 

It now seems that his legend was just taking root.

Realizing a Boyhood Dream

Joe Andreessen
Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Andreessen expectedly went unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft—undersized linebackers from underperforming Mid-American Conference programs generally aren’t highly coveted by NFL franchises regardless of their production. Undeterred by the adversity, the defender accepted an invite to the Bills’ 2024 rookie minicamp, where he made an impact on the club’s brass; he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of his tryout, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The 24-year-old made his NFL debut for his boyhood club in Buffalo’s 2024 preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, tallying four tackles. This set the stage for him to start in place of middle linebacker Terrel Bernard (who was held out due to general injury concerns at linebacker) in the team’s Week 2 preseason clash, where he, again, broke out to the tune of 12 tackles. He’s still not a lock for the 53-man roster, but he’s much better positioned now than he was at the start of the preseason.

All Bills fans now know the name ‘Joe Andreessen.’ He’ll look to continue his burgeoning legend and secure his spot on the active roster with a strong outing in the team’s preseason finale this Saturday against the Carolina Panthers.

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Kyle Silagyi
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