File Photo In this January 1993 file photo, Buffalo’s Frank Reich celebrates with Steve Christie after the latter booted the game-winning field goal in overtime to send the Bills to a 41-38 AFC Wild-Card playoff victory over Houston,

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following column first saw the light of day on Jan. 8, 1993, less than a week after Buffalo quarterback Frank Reich led the Bills to victory over the Houston Oilers in the AFC Wild-Card game at Rich Stadium. With the 2020 Bills clinching the AFC East title last week — the first time the franchise has done so since 1995 — it was deemed appropriate to share once more this memory from a generation ago.

ORCHARD PARK — Someday, when he thinks they’re old enough to understand, Frank Reich will probably sit down with his daughters, Lia Milan and Aviry Lynn, ages 2 and 10 months, and tell them about that magical day of Jan. 3, 1993.

That was when the Buffalo Bills made history, the day that their daddy did the unthinkable, the day their daddy was the focal point of one of the most incredible sporting events of recent times, the day their daddy showed the world what he was made of.

But Reich probably won’t spend much time telling his girls about his personal accomplishments during that improbable 41-38 overtime victory over the Houston Oilers in that AFC Wild-Card playoff game. Instead, he’ll likely regale them with the play of Andre Reed, the defensive brilliance of Phil Hansen and the heroic efforts of Steve Christie.

He’ll credit backup quarterback Gale Gilbert for boosting his morale by reminding him of that game in Miami in 1984 when he rallied the University of Maryland from a 31-0 deficit to a 42-40 victory, the biggest come-from-behind win in college history.

Reich will probably tell the girls about the timely interceptions by Henry Jones and Nate Odomes, the latter’s theft setting up Christie’s game-winning field goal, and he’ll explain how Kenny Davis, filling in for the injured Thurman Thomas, broke free on a 35-yard run that set up another touchdown.

It’s my guess that Lia Milan and Aviry Lynn will have to hear about their father’s accomplishments — 21 completions in 34 attempts, 289 yards, four touchdowns — from their friends at school or from reading it in the record books. It won’t be something they’ll learn from their dad. If ever there was an athlete without ego, it is Reich, the consummate team player.

But last Sunday, he was maybe the only man capable of pulling off the biggest comeback in the 73-year history of the NFL. He didn’t get greedy, even though his team trailed 35-3 two minutes into the third quarter. He didn’t try to do it all himself. He didn’t try to be the hero. He took what the Oilers gave him and didn’t flinch a bit.

“Sometimes the guy who has other things in his life doesn’t clutch up,” Buffalo head coach Marv Levy said. “He’s a well-rounded family man, he’s religious. There are other things which make him be able to retain equilibrium.”

Free safety Mark Kelso, one of Reich’s closest friends, had this to offer: “Frank’s a Christian. That’s the most important thing in his life. His family is number two and his job is number three. … His self-worth is not centered around performance on the football field. It allows him to go out there and perform well without feeling every play means people are either going to like you or run you out of Buffalo. He can go out there and just play and just enjoy the game and know that he has a loving family to go home to whether he plays well or doesn’t play well.”

That attitude was evident in his postgame comments. As he took the podium, he informed the media that he would like to read something before he answered questions.

“This week was a very special week for me, a very nerve-wracking week and I’ve never gone through a week like this before,” Reich said. “”There’s a song that gave me strength that I must have listened to a hundred times this week.”

He pulled out a legal-size piece of paper on which was written the lyrics from a song entitled, “In Christ Alone,” by Michael English, a Christian musician. He read the words with conviction.

In Christ alone will I glory,

Though I could pride myself

In battles won.

For I’ve been blessed beyond

Measure,

And by His strength alone I

Overcome.

Oh, I could stop and count

Successes

Like diamonds in my

Hand,

But those trophies could

Not equal

To the grace by which I

Stand.

In Christ alone

I place my trust

And I find my glory in the

Power of the cross.

In every victory let it be said

Of me

That my source of strength,

My source of hope

Is Christ alone.

After reading a few more verses, Reich folded up the paper and began answering questions about the game. The lyrics are now taped to his locker.

He’s probably saving them for Lia Milan and Aviry Lynn.