Getty Josh Norman forces a fumble against the Las Vegas Raiders.
He’s been in Buffalo for less than a year, but Buffalo Bills cornerback Josh Norman has already fallen in love with the city and it’s shown over the course of the past week.
From starting an initiative to benefit small businesses in Buffalo that were hurt by the coronavirus pandemic to ranting and raving about how great the city is, Norman has shown his love for his new home this week.
“This place is truly a hidden gem and the reason why I say that is because like the springtime and the summer it is perfect weather,” Norman said during a video conference call earlier this week. “I’m going to get to the people, but just in general it is perfect. Then, when you sit back and look at all the beautiful trees and the coloration of it all. You think this is such a beautiful creation. Then you go into town and see people and meet people. They are like ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ It’s not a conversation where nobody is saying anything, they actually inquire about you. And it’s so easy to get around and move.”
Most Bills players come to understand what the city of Buffalo is, compared to what it is perceived to be on the outside. Josh Allen has raved about it several times this season after Bills fans showed him support when he lost his grandma before their Week 9 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
“[Buffalo] is truly a special place and I know my family is forever engraved here, myself included, and I don’t ever want to leave obviously,” Allen said earlier this year. “I want to play here for as long as I can and give back to the community and give back to Bills Mafia.”
Allen had lost his grandma just hours before the game, but played anyway and threw for 415 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-34 victory, one of their biggest of the season. To show their appreciation, Bills fans started donating to Oishei Children’s Hospital in honor of Allen’s grandma. Donations surpassed the $700,000 mark earlier this week.
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The Buffalo Business Blitz
Earlier this week, Norman announced the beginning of his Buffalo Business Blitz, which is an initiative to help small businesses in the Buffalo area who were affected by the coronavirus pandemic. To kick off the initiative, Norman donated $25,000 of his own money and called on others in the area to donate as well.
The initiative has a goal of raising $1 million for small businesses in Western New York but since arriving in Buffalo, Norman has always wanted to give back to his new home and community.
“He wants to be involved, he wants to be a part of this community, not just live in it however long he’s here and then leave and never think about Buffalo again,” Bills safety Micah Hyde said during a video conference call earlier this week. “He wants to be a part of it. That’s J-No and that’s why we love him.”
Throughout his career, Norman has been known for being one of the toughest corners in the league. He’s had spats with some of the top receivers in the NFL during his time with the Carolina Panthers and in Washington. But over the past few years, Norman believes that he’s become a different type of person and he’s found something inside of himself that has caused him to want to give back to his community and the people that have surrounded him.
“It’s one of those things where I know what my purpose is in life and I know what it is I have to give to others and to people,” Norman said. “If I’ve went through this life and I’ve had a Hall of Fame career and you think of me just in that, then I failed you. If I haven’t done something to have a Hall of Fame career in my philanthropy, then I don’t want to be known as anything.”
One of the Weirdest Seasons In His Career
In nine years, Norman has played in 115 games and he’s started 94 of them but he has never had a season like he is having this year. He’s been in and out of the lineup multiple times and has only played in four games overall.
He played three weeks straight from Weeks 4 to 6 but didn’t play Weeks 7 through 9 due to a hamstring injury. Then, when he was set to return against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, he tested positive for coronavirus and was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
He also missed the first three weeks of the season with a hamstring issue.
“It’s just been very very strange all around,” Norman said. “Probably one of the weirdest ones yet, I think for everybody really though, but for myself I’ve never had injuries like this. This year is the only year really where I’ve been out due to injury this much. Then going through the covid process, it’s just been one thing after another.”
Norman returned to the field this past Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers but only played in one defensive snap as the Bills held the Chargers to just 17 points and earned their eighth victory of the season.
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