If These Walls Could Talk: Buffalo Bills: Stories from the Buffalo Bills Sideline, Locker Room, and Press Box

by Scott Pitoniak, Scott Pitoniak

A behind-the-scenes perspective on Buffalo Bills history from longtime broadcaster John Murphy

As the longtime play-by-play voice of the Buffalo Bills, John Murphy knows what it means to live and breathe Bills football. In If These Walls Could Buffalo Bills , Murphy opens up about his life and career in Buffalo and provides insight into the team's inner sanctum as only he can, from Jim Kelly to Josh Allen and beyond.

Featuring conversations with players and coaches past and present as well as off-the-wall anecdotes only Murphy can tell, this indispensable volume is your ticket to Bills history.

304 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2023

About the author

Scott Pitoniak is considered the most decorated sports writer in Rochester media history. He has received over 100 national and regional journalism honors and has been inducted into the Frontier Field Walk of Fame (1999), the Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications Hall of Fame (200), and the Rome Sports Hall of Fame (2009). He served as a torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Pitoniak graduated from Syracuse University in 1977. He currently has a column in the Rochester Business Journal and does blogging and occasional on-air work for WROC-TV 8. He previously wrote for the Democrat and Chronicle.

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really felt like Murph was talking to me recounting his many experiences with the Buffalo Bills. Highly recommend this read to a fellow member of Bills mafia, outside this fanbase, I am unsure if someone would enjoy this book as much as I did. Only downside of this book is I felt that there was too much jumping around time periods. I struggled to read this book chapters at a time due to the jumping. Found it much more enjoyable reading it one chapter at a time.

[Lucas Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris.

[Court · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not gonna lie— I actually finished this on 12/31 and could have counted it toward my 2025 reading goal, but I wanted to save it to share today. Today, the last regular season game (week 18). Today, the last home game at Highmark/The Ralph/Rich Stadium EVER. And I’m admittedly a little sad.

This book was one I asked for for Christmas and my parents came through. It’s filled with stories that are perfect for Bills fans (or just lovers of football and maybe even just people who love Buffalo). Most were ones I hadn’t heard; and I truly devoured this. It’s a keeper for my shelf of Bills books.

So today, we say goodbye to our old home and await the 2026 season for our new home across the way. Many memories yet to come! And, of course…. GO BILLS! 🦬💙♥️

[Evan Linza · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard for me to not rate this 5 stars. I love the Bills and Murph. I miss his play-by-play calls (nothing again Chris Brown. Murph was just the voice of my childhood). As someone who started watching during the drought era bills in 2004-05 of all years as a kid, I learned a lot about the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even 2000s Bills. I thought I knew a lot but Murph is a well of knowledge.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a diehard Bills fan this was a solid but not amazing read. Very easy to read but not a ton that blew my mind. Simply written with some basic typos.

[Shelly Fabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for Bills fans. Note, the book does not read in date order. At times, I had to think about the what year was referenced.

Finishing this book after the 1/17/26 play-off game against the Broncos was tough. Reading about bad ref calls throughout the years after just living another, harsh.

Then, Sean McDermott was fired today…I have no words…😞

In the end, once a Bills fans, always a Bills fan for life, no matter what! 🦬💵🏈🙌😍

“ Where else would you rather be than right here right now?”

“The only way you can succeed is to be yourself.”

“You laugh, lest you cry.”

“Bills fans are among the most knowledgeable and passionate in all sports. You can’t BS them, and if you try to, you lose credibility.”

“Let’s just get rid of replay because this stuff still happens. They can’t get it right.”

“One of the problems with modern sports and maybe modern society for that matter is that we want instantaneous results. We don’t allow people ample time to develop and make mistakes and learn from them.”

“trust the process”

“There is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”

“Any time you spend feeling sorry for yourself,” he harped, “is time you’re taking away from truly trying to get better.”

[Joshua Dix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the content, and overall writing, I think it would be hard to give Murph's book anything over a three. It was a quick and entertaining read for the most part. I especially liked Murph's look back on Van Miller, and his fondness for his mentor. That said, the book is more about Murphy's personal relationships with former players, NFL insiders, and other broadcasters. Its not necessarily a "fly on the wall" look into happenings within the Buffalo Bills. Good read for any Bills' fan, but the book meanders and repeats itself quite a bit.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great account of Buffalo Bills history and I enjoyed reading in John Murphy's voice. Easy read with entertaining stories ranging from early days to now.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

If These Walls Could Talk is a peek behind the curtain and a deeper look into the real-life relationships between the author and various members of the Buffalo Bills roster - both past and present - and staff. There are many instances in the book where we get to see how the players and staff are behind closed doors, when they're not in front of press cameras or on the field of play. I do have to admit that the book wasn't what I was expecting... From the title, I had assumed it would be more of an analysis of how every piece of a football team works in the various situations they have to be in (press box, locker room, sideline, etc.) rather than being a compilation of anecdotes from one person's point of view, but it was still an interesting read and a fascinating deeper look.

Thank you to Scott Pitoniak and Triumph Books for the copy of If These Walls Could Talk! It was a great read to see the inner workings of how the team and the people who work with them interact.