Drafted in 1961 by the American Football League's Buffalo Bills, Billy Shaw of Georgia Tech was the prototypical "pulling guard" who despite his size held his own against Hall of Fame defensive linemen like Ernie Ladd, Earl Faison and Buck Buchanan. With the Bills, he won three straight Eastern Division titles and two American Football League championsips in 1964 and 1965. Shaw was a first-team All-American Football League selection five times (1962 through 1966) and second team All-AFL in 1968 and 1969. He played in eight American Football League All-Star Games and was named to the All-Time American Football League Team. He made the All-Decade All-pro football team of the 1960s. Shaw played his entire career in the American Football League.
He is a member of the American Football League Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.