Thompson, who was not brought back by the Panthers for an 11th season, officially signed with the Buffalo Bills on Monday. The 31-year-old veteran spoke with reporters shortly following the announcement, and explained how he found himself in Orchard Park, N.Y.

On Tuesday, the team announced that they had signed linebacker Shaq Thompson, a player very familiar with McDermott and Beane. Thompson, 31, entered the league as a first-round pick of the Panthers in 2015. At that time, McDermott served as Carolina’s defensive coordinator while Beane was assistant general manager of the franchise.

After spending his first 10 NFL seasons with the Panthers, LB Shaq Thompson has now found a new home up north.