It actually happened.
There are probably more poetic ways to start an article about an overlooked linebacker making it to his hometown NFL club just months after a tryout as an undrafted free agent, but these three words illustrate the surreality of what is now reality: it actually happened.
Former University at Buffalo linebacker Joe Andreessen has made the Buffalo Bills’ initial 53-man roster, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, marking the culmination of a fairytale journey that has seen the 24-year-old transform from an outsider with a dream to an undisputed fan favorite in just a few months.
Andreessen, for lack of a better phrase, simply shouldn’t be here; underperforming linebackers from underperforming Mid-American Conference programs who went undrafted usually don’t make the NFL’s active rosters just months after playing for them. However, the defensive lineman has never felt the low expectations placed on him as a burden; instead, he has consistently exceeded them and built a reputation throughout the summer, eventually earning a spot on the active unit.
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The Depew, NY native first made a name for himself among football fans in Western New York State as a defensive lineman for the Lancaster Legends. He recorded 118 tackles during the 2017 season, helping his school to an appearance in a NYSPHSSA Class AA football championship game. After high school, he committed to Division 1 FCS Bryant and recorded 256 total tackles, 37.5 tackles for loss and 15 pass deflections in parts of five seasons.
He returned home to UB for his sixth and final season as a collegiate player, where he started 12 games for the Bulls and was the team’s best player in both tackles (90) and tackles for loss (12). He tried out for the NFL at his youth club’s rookie minicamp in May and impressed the Bills brass, signing as a non-drafted free agent after camp concluded; this set the stage for a stellar preseason in which he totaled 24 tackles and particularly stood out in a spot start in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, when he recorded a team-high 12 tackles. In the win, he was all over the field, making a number of impressive tackles in the open field and generally looking like he belonged when (surprisingly) playing alongside and against NFL players in the starting lineup.
Andreessen’s spot on the 53-man roster is reportedly secure for now, but could change in the coming weeks as teams around the league adjust their rosters and Buffalo responds accordingly. However, no one expected Andreessen to make it this far; how far his journey will go at this point is uncertain.
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