Bills fans were shut out from seeing Buffalo’s best team in three decades in person last season. Thankfully, that promises to change this fall.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on Tuesday the league expects to have full stadiums in 2021. While every NFL fan base is surely clamoring to return to venues, let’s be honest: nobody deserves this more than members of "Bills Mafia."
“As you know, we had 1.2 million fans safely attend games last year,” Goodell said. “All of us in the NFL want to see every one of our fans back. Football is simply not the same without fans, and we expect to have full stadiums in the upcoming season.”
The previous 20 years were brutal for Bills fans. They’ve seen 19 different starting quarterbacks and nine head coaches come through Orchard Park since 2000, and the names bring back nightmares: E.J. Manual, J.P. Losman, Trent Edwards, Nathan Peterman.
Last season, Buffalo finally featured an elite quarterback under center, and fans were confined to their living rooms. Seeing Josh Allen's heroics live will be a true thrill.
We’ve experienced all sorts of losses during our COVID-19 hell, including more than 500,000 American lives and millions of livelihoods. But we’ve lost experiences, too. For Bills fans, making the annual pilgrimage to Ralph Wilson Stadium — I’m sorry, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Stadium — is a sacred event.
We went an entire season without raucous tailgates, communal shots and table slamming. The Bills were great on the field, but the off-field experience was lacking. Next season promises to tie both things together. It should be the best of both worlds.
Of course, members of "Bills Mafia" know how to behave responsibly, too. The Bills were the first pro sports team in New York to host fans, attracting 6,700 onlookers for their two playoff games, and unlocking the key on how to regain some semblance of normalcy during a global pandemic. Negative tests for COVID-19 were required, social distancing measures were enforced, and concession stands were cashless. It worked.
In the weeks that followed, no outbreaks were tied to the games.
With 90% of the U.S. population expected to be at least partially vaccinated by July 24, it looks like we’re going to be in store for a normal fall. But even if we aren’t — Dr. Anthony Fauci has previously raised the possibility of wearing masks into 2022 — Bills fans have shown they can act responsibly.
The most important thing is getting back inside the stadium, and of course, manning that grill in the parking lot. This offseason, seemingly every player who’s signed with Buffalo has lauded the organization’s culture.
Just imagine how euphoric they’ll be when they spot Pinto Ron.
Last season’s 13-win effort should be the start of a long run atop the AFC for the Bills, serving as an amuse-bouche to years of winning.
"Bills Mafia" safely enjoyed the appetizer from home. Now it’s time to show up for the main course: a Super Bowl run.
