WATCH: Sean McDermott sends wishes to Bills legend Marv Levy on his 99th birthday

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott sent a birthday wish to Pro Football Hall of Famer Marv Levy.
Sep 19, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Former Buffalo Bills head coach Marv Levy (center) is flanked by his former players Bruce Smith (left) and Jim Kelly before a game between the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Former Buffalo Bills head coach Marv Levy (center) is flanked by his former players Bruce Smith (left) and Jim Kelly before a game between the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Few figures throughout the decades-spanning history of the Buffalo Bills are as synonymous with the franchise as Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy.

The former sideline boss is the most decorated head coach in club history, constructing a 182-112 record throughout his 12 seasons at its helm. His ascent into the head coaching gig was a bit non-traditional; a recent CFL and USFL head coach after a failed stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, Levy was hired as a Bills television broadcast analyst in 1986 but replaced head coach Hank Bullough midway through that campaign, setting the stage for what would be the most successful individual head coaching stint in franchise history.

He led the team to four consecutive AFC Championship wins and Super Bowl appearances from 1990–93, establishing himself as one of the most iconic figures in not only the history of the Bills, but general Buffalo sports. The Wall of Fame member is celebrating his 99th birthday today, August 3; current Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott sent the legend well wishes in a Twitter video.

You can watch the clip below:

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McDermott ended the birthday wish with “Go Bills and Go Tribe,” a reference to their shared affiliation with the College of William & Mary; Levy coached the Tribe’s football team from 1964–1968, while McDermott is an alumnus of the school.

Though McDermott has the highest winning percentage among Buffalo head coaches (.640), he’s still 68 wins away from tying Levy’s win total. He’ll likely usurp Lou Saban as the second-winningest head coach in Bills history this year (needing only four to do so). 

Levy is, to date, the only Buffalo sideline boss to coach the team in a Super Bowl. He’s also the only Bills head coach (that we know of) who is a poet (though McDermott seems like he’d have a way with words).

On behalf of the Buffalo faithful: Happy birthday, Marv.

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Kyle Silagyi

KYLE SILAGYI