The Buffalo Bills will kick off the EJ Manuel era this weekend.
Coach Doug Marrone said Manuel will be the Week 1 starter when the Bills take on the New England Patriots, the team announced Wednesday morning.
Manuel takes over the starting quarterback job just over two weeks removed from minor knee surgery.
Marrone had said that Wednesday would be the pivotal day in determining whether Manuel would be ready for the opener or if the team would rely on undrafted rookie Jeff Tuel to drive the wagon.
It turns out Manuel didn't even need Wednesday's practice to convince the staff he was ready. The rookie said his injury won't be a concern when he takes the field Sunday.
"When you play, and if you're going to play, you can't think about any injuries that you have, whether it's something you had a procedure on, or a sprained finger or something like that," Manuel told the Bills' official website. "You've just got to go out there and play."
Having Manuel under center to start the season is a huge boon for a young team that has suffered several offseason setbacks.
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