When the Buffalo Bills selected Cardale Jones with 139th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, it meant the death of Jones' beloved No. 12.
The Buffalo Bills retired No. 12, the number of Jim Kelly, the 90s era QB who led Buffalo to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances, in 2001. It is the only number retired by the Bills.
The loss of a number and iconic nickname are small potatoes to Dale, however. The Buffalo Bills' newest No. 7 arrived at team facilities on Friday and can be seen in the video above—taken by Rochester, New York's ABC affiliate—eagerly fraternizing with Kelly. It's a glimpse into how Cardale approached the entire day:
@DugDuggie @OhioStateFB student was asking a ton of questions to the teacher today. Was very inquisitive throughout!
— Toby Motyka (@TobyMotyka) May 6, 2016
The always loquacious Jones appeared in good spirits after workouts and seems to be adjusting to life in the NFL:
Cardale on Rex letting players speak their minds: "Maybe Rex is my long lost dad. Been looking for him for 23 years" pic.twitter.com/MahcXEYbEu
— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) May 6, 2016
(Meanwhile, in Seattle, Tyvis Powell shakes his head in disgust before muttering about "ungrateful kids these days.")
Cardale would be wise to lean on the Hall of Famer going forward. Though nobody expects a rookie QB—let alone a fourth-rounder—to dominate the first week of practice, Bills head coach Rex Ryan didn't go out of his way to praise his newfound son:
#Bills HC Rex Ryan: Cardale Jones has a long way to go
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) May 6, 2016
Cardale Jones and the Buffalo Bills open their season Sunday, Sept. 11 in Baltimore against the Ravens.
