BUFFALO, N.Y. - Former Buffalo Bills special teams standout Mark Pike has passed away from his battle with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the team shared Wednesday. He was 57 years old, and recently suffered from complications related to a COVID-19 infection, followed by pneumonia.
Pike played for the Bills throughout his 13-year NFL career (1986-1998) after the team drafted him in the seventh round of the 1986 NFL draft out of Georgia Tech. The linebacker went on to play in 173 games, primarily on special teams, including the team's four AFC championship seasons from 1990-93.
For seven of the last eight years he played in Buffalo, Pike led the team in special teams tackles and remains the team's all-time leading special teams tackler with 255, which also ranks second in NFL history behind former Patriots player Larry Izzo (298).