S Donte Whitner (Buffalo Bills)

[OregonBuckeye]

Donte is listed as a breakout star.

SI.com - Photo Gallery - NFL Breakout Stars for 2007

[Buckskin86]

Published: September 15, 2007 11:12 pm

BILLS: Ready or not, Whitner?s a leader

By Jay Skurski
skurskij@gnnewspaper.com

ORCHARD PARK ? There?s no choice in the matter for Donte Whitner.

On a Buffalo Bills roster besieged by injuries and inexperience, the second-year safety has been forced into a leadership role. And that?s completely fine by him.

?I?m going to make the best out of this,? Whitner said. ?Even though we lost some guys, I have faith in the guys coming in.?

Those guys would be safety Jim Leonhard and cornerback Ashton Youboty, both of whom will make their second career starts today against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That means other than cornerback Terrence McGee, Whitner is the senior member of the Bills? secondary.

Whitner, who hits with an extra ?pop? most players don?t have, noticed a difference from his rookie season last Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

?Last year I was where I was supposed to be maybe 85 percent of the time. With this game (against the Broncos), I just felt a lot more comfortable knowing things before the snap. I felt like I played pretty well, but we have to come out with the win,? he said.

Whitner finished with nine tackles against the Broncos, including one for a loss. That total was tied for third on the team, behind Leonhard and rookie linebacker Paul Posluszny.

As the eighth overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, it?s clear the Bills have high expectations for the Ohio State product. Perhaps that?s why defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said ?yes and no? when asked if he thought Whitner performed well in the season opener.

?Yes since he played hard,? Fewell said. ?I thought he laid it on the line. As the same time, there?s still some things that we feel like he?s got to do better.?

Niagara Gazette - BILLS: Ready or not, Whitner?s a leader

[Buckskin86]

Whitner switching positions: With free safety Jim Leonhard out for the Dallas game, the Bills are making an interesting move in the secondary. Strong safety Donte Whitner will move over to free and newcomer Bryan Scott, a five-year NFL veteran, will start at strong.

"Luckily with Bryan, he has some experience," Jauron said of Scott, who has played with Atlanta, New Orleans and Tennessee. "He's not a rookie so it will make it a little bit easier. Donte's role will change a little; he'll be doing some multiple things."

Democrat & Chronicle: Bills

Whitner?s work at free safety was precipitated by the strained calf injury suffered by Jim Leonhard in the fourth quarter of the Jets game.

Leonhard is out this week, so fifthyear veteran Bryan Scott, signed by the Bills three days after the season opener, joins the starting lineup. Scott started for Atlanta at free safety in 2005 and at strong safety in 2004.

?My role is changing this week,? Whitner said. ?I?ll be playing some free safety this week because Jim went out with the calf, and the coaches feel like Bryan is more suitable at strong safety.?

There will be plenty of pressure on the safeties on Monday. Dallas? offense, averaging 38 points per game, has both an elite deep threat in Terrell Owens and an elite tight end in Jason Witten.

?He?s more than going to be able to fill that role,? Leonhard said of Scott. ?It?s a great opportunity for him to get a chance to play out in space and show his athleticism.?

?I know there?s not a free safety in the league who?s going to hit as hard as he is,? Greer said.

The Buffalo News: Sports: Bills: Monday not fun day for Dallas

[korchiki]

I think this move was more to just get a sure tackler out there who can run with guys than anything else...hopefully this move works out with our depleted Defense...

[Buckskin86]

Jerry Sullivan: Leading role fits Whitner just fine
By Jerry Sullivan
Updated: 10/08/07 8:13 AM

Donte Whitner was 20 when the Bills made him the eighth overall pick of the 2006 draft. That was a young age for any player to step into the NFL, but especially so for a guy who had grown accustomed to being a leader throughout his football life.

Whitner looked around the defense as a rookie and saw veteran leaders, powerful personalities whose voices resonated in the locker room. London Fletcher, Takeo Spikes and Troy Vincent were still here. The talented strong safety knew his place. He waited his turn.

A year later, all those older players were gone. Suddenly, it seemed the entire defense was composed of kids looking to find their way. It was not a coincidence. Under Marv Levy and Dick Jauron, the Bills have made a clear effort to rebuild the defense through the draft with young, smart, eager players who will grow together as a unit.

Now it was OK for a kid to lead. Maybe the Bills weren?t close to a Super Bowl, but there was no reason they couldn?t be close as men. So Whitner decided to bring his teammates together off the field. A bunch of players have begun gathering at his Hamburg home to socialize, watch film, play cards ? to bond as a team.

?It?s all of it,? Whitner said. ?It?s getting to know your teammate as more than just a football player. We?re more than just football players. If you feel a certain way about a person and you go to war with that person, you?re going to play even harder, because you have a personal bond off the field.? Whitner says it started with the defensive backs, but he?s determined to get everyone involved. Jabari Greer had the guys over one night to show off his cooking skills. But Whitner said his house will be the primary meeting place.

?Actually, I?m in the process of getting my whole basement done,? Whitner said. ?I?ll put a nice bar down there, a nice pool table, all that stuff.?

Whitner, who will play some free safety because of injuries to the secondary, wouldn?t have it any other way. People inside the Bills will tell you the guy absolutely hates losing, more so than the typical athlete. It rips him up. Whitner played at Ohio State, where winning is an expectation, not an aspiration.

?It you can?t get up for this challenge, you need to go home,? Whitner said. ?It?s ?Monday Night Football,? and they?re coming to our house. The fans are ready. We?re ready. I?m sure Dallas is ready, too.?

The Buffalo News: Sports: Jerry Sullivan: Leading role fits Whitner just fine

[Buckskin86]

Published: October 31, 2007 10:04 pm

BILLS NOTEBOOK: Whitner, defense slowly gaining respect

Denney, Leonhard might return to action this week.

By Jay Skurski
Niagara Gazette

For a defensive unit that was supposed to be the team?s Achilles? heel ? especially after being besieged by injuries the first three weeks ? the opposite has been true the past month. The Bills have allowed 347, 385, 308 and 254 yards to the Jets, Cowboys, Ravens and Jets in those games, losing only the Dallas game in infamous fashion.

?There are some teams that start hot and then they tail off toward the end. There are some that start off slow and put a run together and make the playoffs,? Whitner said. ?We just want to be a team that puts that run together and makes the playoffs.?

Though the Bills still rank 30th in the league in yards allowed, they?re just 13th in points given up. According to Whitner, that shows why statistics don?t always tell the whole story.

?You might be 30th in one category, but the category that really matters the most is how many points you gave up and how many points did you score,? he said.

Tonawanda News - BILLS NOTEBOOK: Whitner, defense slowly gaining respect

[osugrad21]

DDN

Whitner wants to reward single moms

By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer

Friday, November 02, 2007
CINCINNATI ? Buffalo Bills safety Donte Whitner is a heavy hitter with a heart of gold.
The former Ohio State star is sponsoring an expenses-paid spa visit for four single mothers in the Buffalo and Cleveland areas.


"My mom was a single-parent mom," he said. "She raised five kids on her own, working three jobs. She dedicated all her time, money and effort to me and my younger siblings. I remember coming home, and she was dead tired, and she was still cooking and getting us ready for school.



Cont..

[osugrad21]

Cincy

Bills' Whitner produces on, off the field
Safety honors single moms with contest


BY SHANNON RUSSELL | SRUSSELL@ENQUIRER.COM

On the list of strange-but-true facts about Buffalo personnel, one might be surprised to learn that head coach Dick Jauron recorded his third golf hole-in-one this summer.
Or that wide receiver Lee Evans is an avid bowler who married his fianc?e, Miranda Farr, in Florida over the Bills' bye week.
Or that linebacker Josh Stamer raises competitive show dogs. Brian Moorman wears a size 10 shoe on his right foot and a size 12 on his left foot when he punts. Defensive end Aaron Schobel owns a Texas tree farm that specializes in Crape Myrtle (15 varieties) among others.

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Cont...

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Whitner proves skeptics wrong
Former OSU safety worthy of Bills' trust on draft day

Saturday, November 3, 2007 3:51 AM
By Bill Rabinowitz


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

CINCINNATI -- The Buffalo Bills surprised a lot of people when they selected Donte Whitner with the eighth pick in the 2006 draft.

The Ohio State safety had been considered a mid-first-round pick, at best, but the Bills were intent on rebuilding their defense and projected Whitner to be a cornerstone.
They have not been disappointed. He is third on the team in tackles with 53. He is the only Bills player to have played on all 465 defensive snaps.
"He's just a tremendous player to coach," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "He loves to play the game. He's a fierce competitor. He is a high-character guy. He fits our team very well and seems to be getting better every game."

Continued....

[Hubbard]

Whitner just literally knocked Chad Johnson out of the game and stadium. Being carted to an ambulance. Now I don't wish injury on any most players, but this makes me smile...

[scooter1369]

Originally Posted by Hubbard

Whitner just literally just knocked Chad Johnson out of the game and stadium. Being carted to an ambulance. Now I don't wish injury on any most players, but this makes me smile...

Damn. I was trying to not watch any games today and that made me turn on the tv. damn you Hubbard

[buckeyefool]

Originally Posted by Hubbard

Whitner just literally just knocked Chad Johnson out of the game and stadium. Being carted to an ambulance. Now I don't wish injury on any most players, but this makes me smile...

Typical Browns fan smiling when a player is strapped to a stretcher. You probably cheered when Tim Couch got hurt to.

[TGfan06]

Originally Posted by Hubbard

Whitner just literally just knocked Chad Johnson out of the game and stadium. Being carted to an ambulance. Now I don't wish injury on any most players, but this makes me smile...

Hey now... I dislike Chad too, but come on man. I hope he is ok.

That was a nasty hit. Legal, but still nasty.

[bkochmc]

Originally Posted by Hubbard

Whitner just literally just knocked Chad Johnson out of the game and stadium. Being carted to an ambulance. Now I don't wish injury on any most players, but this makes me smile...

[Hubbard]

Originally Posted by buckeyefool

Typical Browns fan smiling when a player is strapped to a stretcher. You probably cheered when Tim Couch got hurt to.

He's fine, it is probably a concussion if anything. If he wasn't moving that's one thing.

Originally Posted by TGfan06

Hey now... I dislike Chad too, but come on man. I hope he is ok.

That was a nasty hit. Legal, but still nasty.

Big hit and he couldn't take it, he really should learn to back his mouth up.