Kent Hull James Kent Hull ( January 13 , 1961 – October 18 , 2011 ) was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League and United States Football League , more precisely a center for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL and Buffalo Bills of the NFL . Mississippi State University . A native of Greenwood , Mississippi Kent Hull graduated from Mississippi State University . At Mississippi State , Hull earned four football letters as the Bulldogs ' center from 1979 to 1982 before going on to star first in the USFL then in the NFL . New Jersey Generals . Hull was the starting center for the Generals from 1983 to 1985 . Buffalo Bills . As a rookie for the Buffalo Bills in 1986 , Hull immediately became their starting center , replacing Will Grant , hunched between 7 - year veteran Jim Ritcher at left offensive guard and fellow rookie Will Wolford at right guard for all 16 games , with Hall - of - Famer Jim Kelly as rookie quarterback under first - year head coach Marv Levy . In 1988 , the Bills won the AFC east division with a strong offensive line , Hull playing between Ritcher and Tim Vogler at right guard . They beat the Houston Oilers in the divisional round of the 1988 – 89 NFL playoffs , as Kelly passed for 244 yards and Thurman Thomas rushed for 75 yards in only 7 carries , but lost the AFC championship game to the Cincinnati Bengals . In 1989 , the Bills won the AFC east division title again but lost a divisional round match of the 1989 – 90 NFL playoffs to the Cleveland Browns . In 1990 , the Bills won the AFC east division again , beating the Miami Dolphins in the divisional round of the 1990 – 91 NFL playoffs , destroying the Los Angeles Raiders 51 to 3 in the AFC championship game , but barely losing to the Bill Parcells - led New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV 20 to 19 . In 1991 , the Bills won the AFC east division again , beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the 1991 – 92 NFL playoffs , the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game but losing to the Joe Gibbs - led Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI . One more year of joy and frustration occurred in 1992 , when the Bills won the AFC east division title again , beating the Houston Oilers in a wild - card game of the 1992 – 93 NFL playoffs , the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round , the Miami Dolphins in the AFC championship game , but losing to the Jimmie Johnson - led Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVII . More joys and frustrations occurred in 1993 , when the Bills won the AFC east division title again , beating the Los Angeles Raiders in the divisional round of the 1993 – 94 NFL playoffs , the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game ( rushing for 229 yards , 186 by Thomas ) , but losing to the Johnson - led Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII . The Bills ran out of gas in 1994 , finishing only with a won - lost record of 7 – 9 . But in 1995 , the Bills came back to prominence by winning the AFC east divisional title to beat the Dolphins in a wild - card game of the 1995 – 96 NFL playoffs , rushing for a ridiculous 334 yards , as Hull mauled the opposing defensive tackles Tim Bowens and Chuck Klingbeil as thoroughly as middle linebacker Bryan Cox , but they lost a divisional round game to the Steelers . In 1996 , Hull ' s final year in the NFL , the Bills made the playoffs but lost a wild - card game to the Jacksonville Jaguars . In 1997 , he was replaced by sophomore Dusty Zeigler . From 1986 to 1993 , he played next to Ritcher at left guard , forming a fine tandem in their hurry - up offense , and in the final two years with a very strong Ruben Brown . During Hull ' s eleven - year career in Buffalo , he played in 121 consecutive games from 1986 to 1993 , as the Bills enjoyed eight winning seasons and won four consecutive AFC titles . Named to the Pro Bowl three times , he was also one of the team ' s captains for his final seven years . Most notably , he was the starting center for Buffalo during their record four straight Super Bowl appearances from 1990 to 1993 , though all losses . Awards and recognition . Hull was selected to the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 , inducted into the Mississippi State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 , received the Ralph C . Wilson Distinguished Service Award in 2001 , was selected to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and was the 19th inductee to the Wall of Fame at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo in 2002 . Death . Hull died at home in Greenwood , Mississippi on October 18 , 2011 . The cause was announced as a gastrointestinal bleed stemming from chronic liver disease , a condition which he had been battling for some time . A review of his career was published in the New York Times of November 7 , 2011 .