Former Buffalo Bill Eric Molds was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday night. Molds was drafted by the Bills in the first round (24th overall) in the 1996 NFL Draft.
“It was something I never really thought about because I was just having fun playing the game, and it makes it more special because I’m from Mississippi, so a lot of people who aren’t from the state don’t realize the severity, but I does because I’m from here and I grew up here, so it was extra special for me,” Molds said via WLOX.
Before beginning his NFL career with the Bills, the wide receiver played three seasons at Mississippi State where he caught 117 passes for 2,022 yards. His speed, size and confident hands made him a standout for the Bills.
The South Mississippi native played 10 of his 12 NFL seasons for the Bills. After his time in Buffalo, he went on to play for the Houston Texans for one season and then finished his career with the Tennessee Titans in 2007.
In his first year as a member of the Bills, Molds was named to the 1996 NFL All-Rookie Team. His career began to take off from there as he earned Pro Bowl honors three times during his time in the NFL in 1998, 2000, and 2002. His numbers from these three seasons exemplify why he earned these honors and the celebrity recognition. .
Molds had a career-high 1,368 receiving yards in 1998, and he notched more career-high numbers in 2002 with 100 receptions and 10 touchdowns. During his entire NFL career, he caught 764 passes for 9,995 yards and 475 of the 764 catches he made resulted in a first down.
Since the end of his time in the NFL, Molds has moved to Charlotte where he works with athletes from high school to NFL players at his own training facility. Although he no longer competes on the field, football has remained a part of his life to keep him close to the game he loves.
“When you look at all the great athletes that are from Mississippi, it just makes you so proud, man,” Molds told Mississippi Today. “There’s about 300 people in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and now I’m going to be a part of that.”
