Nix was introduced at a news conference Thursday as the Bills (5-10) prepare to close their season hosting Indianapolis (14-1) on Sunday. Nix fills a void after Marv Levy stepped down as general manager following the 2007 season.
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Chief operating officer Russ Brandon, who had been filling the GM's role, was promoted to chief executive officer, reporting to Wilson.
The 70-year-old Nix had been out of football after retiring in 2008 following a stint as the San Diego Chargers assistant GM/director of player personnel.
He came out of retirement to work for Buffalo this past year after serving as the team's area scout from 1993-2000.
The Bills also considered other in-house personnel men, John Guy and Tom Modrak, for the GM position. Nix, who turned 70 on Dec. 6, impressed Wilson during a recent face-to-face meeting, and stood out above the other two candidates that were interviewed.
Before returning to the Bills, Nix served as the San Diego Chargers' assistant GM and director of player personnel and was given significant credit for the rebuilding of the team's talent base until he left the organization in 2008. He also has worked under former Bills architects John Butler and A.J. Smith, the current Chargers general manager.
Nix has 14 years of NFL experience, mostly in scouting, and previously spent 26 years coaching in the college ranks. That included a nine-year term as head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga, where he coached Bills receiver Terrell Owens during his freshman year.
He takes over what's been a dysfunctional franchise that will miss the playoffs for a 10th straight year, and closes this decade with one winning season -- a 9-7 finish in 2004. Buffalo is also in the midst of its fourth coaching search since 2001 after Dick Jauron was fired in November and replaced by defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, who has a 2-4 record as interim head coach.
Nix's first task will be choosing a head coach. As a first-time head coach, Fewell is considered a candidate, but the Bills are expected to look for someone with previous experience. Two-time Super Bowl winner Mike Shanahan interviewed for the job, but has reportedly turned down the Bills.
With Nix in place, it's uncertain whether the Bills will retain Modrak, Guy or Jim Overdorf, the team's senior vice president of football operations.
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