ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — A Sunday in Buffalo wouldn’t be a Bills gameday without the chaos (insert scream) and passion of Bills Mafia.
But this Sunday, it wasn’t about the table-smashing, or the sizzling burgers on the grill. It was about Damar Hamlin.
“It was just awful watching that — watching them do CPR on the field,” Bills fan Tammy Rauber said. “But seeing everybody come together as a community as a country really kind of lifted your spirits.”
The game brought together not just Bills fans — but Patriots fans — as the news of Hamlin’s recovery even allowed these historic divisional rivals to forget their difference and all that’s at stake.
“It's awesome to see that he's recovering,” Patriots fan Dave Pasquale said. “And he's doing well, and I think the Bills are going to be super excited to try to win one for Damar.”
It was a win not just for Damar, but the entire City of Buffalo that has experience so much loss in just the past nine months.
“I think Buffalo and New York and everybody in the United States of America needed that,” Bills fan Becky Kane said. “We've seen so much tragic news, and it's so good to hear positive energy.”
While Hamlin wasn’t physically there — even from 400 miles away — the Mafia knew he was right there with them.
“I think it's a major, major boost for our team as well as everyone in the NFL and every human being on the planet,” Bills fan Patty Young said.