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Zach Benson, a 20-year-old forward for the Buffalo Sabres, has gained cult hero status due to his impressive and aggressive play during the playoffs. The article draws a parallel between him and a potential player for the Buffalo Bills.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 1: Zach Benson #6 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden on May 1, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Zach Benson is a 20-year-old terrifically talented, ultra-pesky, super-skilled Buffalo Sabres forward who has ascended to cult hero status with dazzling, bordering-on-dirty play throughout the regular season and particularly during the teamâs first-round defeat of the Boston Bruins.
It got me thinking.
Who is Zach Benson on the Buffalo Bills?
After the teamâs series-clinching win over the Bruins, I sent this tweet, in search of a Benson nickname:
By the time I started writing this article, it had 82 replies with spectacular suggestions such as River Rat, Scrappy Doo, Benny the Butcher, Bennis the Menace, and Carnie.
I first thought to myself â OK, thereâs no one like Benson on the Bills⊠mostly because the NFL hardly allows Benson-style play in its game. The question I originally wanted to pose was more centered around identifying the young player on the rise who you recognize is not necessarily the best player on the Bills yet someone you would not trade under any circumstances, which is precisely how I feel about Benson and his status on the Sabres.
Then it dawned on me â the Bills DO have a Benson-esque character, but he hasnât played a snap for the team just yet.
CJ Gardner-Johnson.
Over the years, weâve seen him repeatedly get under opponentsâ skin.
In his second season, as a member of the New Orleans Saints, Gardner-Johnson was punched multiple times by receiver that for the wideout. Those two teams met in the playoffs that January, and in that contest, Chicago receiver got into it with Gardner-Johnson, which resulted in two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the Saintsâ win.
Zach Benson is a talented 20-year-old forward for the Buffalo Sabres known for his aggressive and skillful play, which has made him a fan favorite during the playoffs.
Zach Benson played a crucial role in the Sabres' first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins, showcasing his skills and contributing to the team's overall performance.
The article suggests a comparison between Zach Benson's impact on the Sabres and a potential player for the Buffalo Bills, highlighting the significance of standout players in both teams.
Zach Benson's combination of dazzling skills, aggressive playstyle, and ability to perform under pressure has contributed to his cult hero status among fans.
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The following season, Gardner-Johnson famously flexed on Tom Brady after the quarterback fumbled late in the third quarter.
And like Benson, Garder-Johnsonâs value doesnât solely come from his innate ability to annoy the opposition.
In the fourth quarter of that game, with New Orleans leading 9-0, Gardner-Johnson undercut a Brady pass for an interception that sealed the Saintsâ victory.
As a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, Gardner-Johnson was leading the NFL with six interceptions in early December before he was placed on IR with a lacerated kidney.
A torn pectoral muscle in September of 2023 limited his time with the Lions to just three games, yet he did have two pass breakups in the Lionsâ surprise win against the Chiefs inside Arrowhead Stadium to begin the regular season that year.
He followed with another six-interception season in 2024 on the Super Bowl winning Eagles.
The ironic part of this comparison, pertaining to my original âBenson has reached untradeable status,â take is that Gardner-Johnson has been traded twice in six seasons. Heâs been on the Eagles two separate times and spent his 2025 on the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears. In the Windy City, Gardner-Johnson hauled in two picks along with four pass breakups and set a career-high in sacks with three.
The Bills will be his seventh team in eight seasons.
But thereâs really no need to ask â who is the Billsâ Zach Benson?
And only time will tell if Gardner-Johnson becomes as invaluable to the Billsâ as Benson has become to the Sabres.