Brandon Spikes buffalo bills

Buffalo Bills middle linebacker Brandon Spikes takes the field facing the New England Patriots on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.

(Elise Amendola | The Associated Press)

Foxborough, Mass. — Brandon Spikes' future is uncertain, but he couldn't be more at peace with the present.

He stands in the locker room at Gillette Stadium, where he spent the first four seasons of his NFL career. But this time, Spikes wears a Buffalo Bills hat, having just finished the last game of his one-year contract with the team, a 17-9 win over the New England Patriots that pushed the Bills to 9-7.

There's no trash talk from Spikes and no hard feelings about his former team. A year ago, maybe there would have been, but all Spikes can think about is enjoying what he has with a group of teammates he's grown to love. Spikes is asked about what his time in Buffalo has meant to him, and a smile spreads across his face from beneath his long beard.

"Honestly, I would just say I'm the happiest I've been since I've been in the NFL," Spikes says. "I will say that. I look forward to coming to work, I look forward to seeing the guys in the locker room every morning. It's been real, man. I loved every second of it. Even the grind. Even the time we was out in camp for five or six weeks. All of that, in the dorm rooms, it was great. I embraced it. They embraced me from day one. I love this place. I will definitely remember this place if I was to move on or whatever, this will be a special place for me. I'm happy again. I love the game again."

Sure, his former team is heading to the playoffs, and the Bills are going to be watching the postseason from home for the 15th straight season. But Spikes isn't caught up in that. He was looking for a change, and he got that in Buffalo. He even says he'll be rooting for New England in the postseason.

"Absolutely," Spikes says. "I wish them the best of luck, their health and everything. I'm all set with that. I'm at peace, honestly. I'm cool."

As for his future with the Bills, Spikes hasn't thought much about it. His snap count seemed to decrease a bit as the season wore on while linebackers Nigel Bradham and Preston Brown emerged as the stars of the linebacker group. But those are all issues for another day. Spikes isn't sure what the future holds, and he's OK with that.

"Honestly, I don't know," Spikes says. "When I get some time, I'll sit down with my agent and we'll go from there, but for right now, I want to celebrate with my teammates and this Bills organization. To finish up with a winning record is awesome here, and it's just something to build off of with the new ownership and stuff like that."