{{Short description|American football player (born 2000)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Joe Andreessen | image = Joe-Andreessen-2025-2 (cropped).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Andreessen with the Bills in 2025 | current_team = Buffalo Bills | number = 44 | position = Linebacker | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|2|7}} | birth_place = Depew, New York, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lb = 232 | high_school = Lancaster {{nowrap|(Lancaster, New York)}} | college = {{ubl|Bryant (2018–2022)|Buffalo (2023)}} | undraftedyear = 2024 | pastteams = * Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present) | status = Active | highlights = * Associated Press FCS Second-team All-American (2022) * First-team All-Big South Conference (2022) * 2x First-team All-Northeast Conference (2020, 2021) | statleague = NFL | statseason = 2025 | statweek = | statlabel1 = Total tackles | statvalue1 = 61 | statlabel2 = Sacks | statvalue2 = | statlabel3 = Pass deflections | statvalue3 = | statlabel4 = Interceptions | statvalue4 = | statlabel5 = Forced fumbles | statvalue5 = | statlabel6 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue6 = | statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns | statvalue7 = | pfr = AndrJo02 }}
'''Joseph Andreessen''' (born February 7, 2000) is an American professional football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Bryant Bulldogs before playing his final year for the Buffalo Bulls.
==Early life and college== A native of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, Andreessen played little league football before playing for Lancaster High School,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tibbetts |first=Dom |date=2024-05-27 |title='Once a Legend, always a Legend': From Lancaster to the Buffalo Bills, Joe Andreessen living out his dream |url=https://www.wkbw.com/sports/buffalo-bills/once-a-legend-always-a-legend-from-lancaster-to-the-buffalo-bills-joe-andreessen-living-out-his-dream |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=WKBW 7 News Buffalo |language=en}}</ref> where he was noted for his work ethic and won numerous accolades, including Defensive Player of the Year in Western New York. He enrolled at Bryant University, the only school to offer him a football scholarship, before transferring to his hometown University at Buffalo as a graduate transfer.<ref name="Transfer to Buffalo">{{Cite web |last=Bronstein |first=Jonah |date=2022-12-15 |title=Lancaster alum Joe Andreessen bringing All-America experience to UB football |url=https://www.wivb.com/sports/university-at-buffalo-bulls-college-sports/lancaster-alum-joe-andreessen-bringing-all-america-experience-to-ub-football/ |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=WIVB.com}}</ref> In his final year at Bryant, Andreessen was named an All-American after setting a school record with 112 tackles, ranking eighth in the FCS in 2022, and finishing third in career tackles in Bryant Bulldogs history. He then started 12 games for Buffalo the following year, leading the Bulls in tackles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Andreessen - 2023 - Football |url=https://ubbulls.com/sports/football/roster/joe-andreessen/6986 |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=University at Buffalo |language=en}}</ref><ref name="signed by Bills" />
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 0 1/2 | weight = 240 | dash = 4.65 | ten split = 1.59 | twenty split = 2.69 | shuttle = 4.22 | cone drill = 7.21 | vertical = 38 | broad ft = 10 | broad in = 2 | bench = 32 | arm span = 30 1/2 | hand span = 9 1/8 | note = All values from Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1056587&DraftYear=2024 |title=2024 NFL Draft Scout Joe Andreessen College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=August 19, 2024}}</ref> }}
After going undrafted in the 2024 NFL draft, Andreessen was signed by his hometown Buffalo Bills on May 11, 2024, after a successful rookie minicamp tryout.<ref name="signed by Bills">{{Cite web |last=Silagyi |first=Kyle |date=2024-05-11 |title=Bills sign undrafted Buffalo native after successful rookie minicamp tryout |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-sign-joe-andreessen |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515205636/https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-sign-joe-andreessen |archive-date=May 15, 2024 |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=Buffalo Bills On SI |language=en-US}}</ref> Andressen started the second game of the preseason after Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard were sidelined due to injury and precaution, respectively. Playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers' starters and second-stringers, he had a strong performance, finishing with a team-high 12 tackles, including two tackles for loss, one of which was a fourth-down sack of Justin Fields.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sabato|first=Nick |date=2024-08-17 |title=Preseason Takeaways: Joe Andreessen enters the chat as Bills linebacker depth is tested |url=https://www.niagara-gazette.com/sports/preseason-takeaways-joe-andreessen-enters-the-chat-as-bills-linebacker-depth-is-tested/article_a275686c-5d0b-11ef-acec-f3f9ecb16f13.html |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=Niagara Gazette |language=en}}</ref> Quarterback Josh Allen nicknamed Andreessen "Buffalo Joe" following the performance, also paying homage to the latter's upbringing in Buffalo.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Megan |date=2024-08-18 |title="Buffalo Joe" Captivates Western New York |url=https://wyrk.com/joe-andreessen-buffalo-ny/ |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=106.5 WYRK |language=en}}</ref> Andreessen was named to the NFL's "All Preseason team" for his play in the preseason,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wojton |first=Nick |date=2024-08-27 |title=Bills' Joe Andreessen named to 2024 NFL 'All-Preseason team' |url=https://billswire.usatoday.com/2024/08/27/bills-joe-andreessen-all-preseason-team-2024-nfl/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Bills Wire|publisher=USA Today |language=en-US}}</ref> later making the Bills' initial 53-man roster alongside fellow UB alumnus Ja'Marcus Ingram.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-27 |title=Lancaster native 'Buffalo Joe' Andreessen makes Bills initial 53-man roster |url=https://www.wkbw.com/sports/buffalo-bills/lancaster-native-buffalo-joe-andreessen-makes-bills-53-man-roster |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=WKBW 7 News Buffalo |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bills' Joe Andreessen makes initial 53-man roster |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/bills-joe-andreessen-makes-initial-53-man-roster/ar-AA1pxkD4?ocid=BingNewsSerp |access-date=2024-08-30 |agency=Syracuse.com |publisher=MSN.com}}</ref>
Andreessen's number 44 has historically only rarely been issued to players, being reserved (but not retired) in honor of Elbert Dubenion, a key contributor during the Bills' American Football League era; the number has historically been only used in the preseason and granted to players not expected to make a regular season roster.<ref name="reduced">{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Chris|title=The untouchable numbers|url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/the-untouchable-numbers-5106039|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=BuffaloBills.com|date=June 17, 2011|access-date=June 30, 2019|archive-date=June 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620150442/https://www.buffalobills.com/news/the-untouchable-numbers-5106039|url-status=live}}</ref>
Andreessen played mostly on special teams in his rookie season, occasionally playing defensive snaps as a reserve. He received extensive playing time during a week 17 blowout win over the New York Jets, finishing as the Bills' leading tackler in the game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ventre |first=Ralph |date=2024-12-30 |title=Special day from start for Bills' leading tackler 'Buffalo Joe' Andreessen |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/joe-andreessen-special-day-from-start-for-leading-tackler-vs-jets#:~:text=Andreessen,%20a%20Lancaster%20High%20School,eight%20stops%20in%20limited%20action.&text=%E2%80%9CYou%20can't%20simulate%20game,participating%20primarily%20on%20special%20teams. |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Buffalo Bills On SI |language=en-US}}</ref>
==NFL career statistics== {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="2"| Legend |- | '''Bold''' | Career high |}
===Regular season=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Tackles ! colspan="6"| Interceptions ! colspan="5"| Fumbles |- ! GP !! GS !! Cmb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sck !! TFL !! Int !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! PD !! FF !! Fmb !! FR !! Yds !! TD |- ! 2024 !! BUF | 13 || 1 || 26 || 12 || 14 || 0.0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2025 !! BUF | 17 || 2 || '''35''' || '''14''' || '''21''' || 0.0 || '''2''' || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! colspan="2" |[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AndrJo02.htm Career] ! 30 !! 3 !! 61 !! 26 !! 35 !! 0.0 !! 3 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0.0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 |}
===Postseason=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Tackles ! colspan="6"| Interceptions ! colspan="5"| Fumbles |- ! GP !! GS !! Cmb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sck !! TFL !! Int !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! PD !! FF !! Fmb !! FR !! Yds !! TD |- ! 2024 || BUF | 3 || 0 || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! 2025 || BUF | 2 || 0 || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! colspan="2" |[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AndrJo02/gamelog/post/ Career] ! 5 !! 0 !! 4 !! 2 !! 2 !! 0.0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0.0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Twitter|JoeAndreessen}} *{{Instagram|josephandreessen}} *[https://bryantbulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/joe-andreessen/1010 Bryant Bulldogs bio] *[https://ubbulls.com/sports/football/roster/joe-andreessen/6986 Buffalo Bulls bio] *[https://www.buffalobills.com/team/players-roster/joe-andreessen/ Buffalo Bills bio]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Andreessen, Joe}} Category:2000 births Category:Living people Category:American football linebackers Category:Players of American football from Erie County, New York Category:Bryant Bulldogs football players Category:Buffalo Bulls football players Category:Buffalo Bills players Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:Bryant University alumni