CHEEKTOWAGA (WBEN) - As has become tradition in Cheektowaga after a huge road Bills game, win or lose, players and coaches can expect fans to greet them at the airport.
Here's the crowd that greeted the #Bills upon their arrival as AFC East champions for the first time in 25 years. #Billsmafia pic.twitter.com/9hgqsheQly
— Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) December 20, 2020
"I just can't thank the fans enough for what they've done this year," said Head Coach Sean McDermott. "Their support when they couldn't be here, to meeting us at the airport, to coming to the game like they did this past week and then again this week, we've felt their support even though they couldn't be in the stadium, and I think that's been big for us as a team."
With this Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs being the most important Bills game in 27 years, NFTA police are preparing for a ton of people, especially if the Bills pull out the victory.
George Gast serves as the chief of NFTA Transit Police, and he noted that they'll be working with a number of law enforcement agencies Sunday night, including the Amherst Police Department, the Cheektowaga Police Department, the Depew Police Department, as well as New York State Police and the Erie County County Sheriff's Office.
"It's not that we're expecting trouble - Bills fans are normally pretty happy and, win or lose, they support the Bills, as we all do, but we need that type of presence to provide for the safety of the fans and of the players and staff from the Bills," said Gast.
The Cheektowaga Police Department confirmed that they would be providing assistance Sunday night or early Monday morning, but a spokesperson, as well as Gast, are hoping the crowd doesn't get too big, and they're even advising people to stay home.
"Think twice about it - the best view is probably going to be on your television," said Gast. "It's going to be cold, and it's going to be crowded in a confined spot, so you might want to think twice about coming out.
Gast noted they haven't had any prior incidents when fans congregated at the airport, citing the game against the Denver Broncos in which the Bills clinched the division as a positive example. However, Gast said the potential for things to head south is always there when that many people gather in one spot.
"Basically what your dealing with here is Bills fans, and trying to limit the number of people that would show up to something like this is extremely problematic," Gast continued. "They're extremely devoted fans, and I think another problem this year, which kind of creates an additional layer of concern, is the fact that is that the fans have not had an opportunity to have a real close contact with the team."
