ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Long before the Buffalo Bills used a second-half surge to beat the Tennessee Titans 34-10 on Sunday, the fans at Highmark Stadium were already on their feet.
Two F-18 Super Hornet fighter planes flew over the stadium following the national anthem before the 1 p.m. start, in what was the Bills' first home game in nearly a month.
The crew used its training and timing skills for the quick route over the stadium in Orchard Park after making some practice runs over the area.
Three of the pilots, officially known as Naval Aviators, have Western New York family connections.
Captain Jason Papadopulos has in-laws here. Lt. Commander Collin Newcomb also has local relatives, and Lt. Carlee Conway is a Grand Island native. They are now based at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach.
"Again, born and raised in Grand Island, born and raised with the Ralph, so to do a flyover over the Ralph, or Highmark Stadium, as it is called now, is a dream come true. I'm looking forward to it on Sunday," Lt. Conway said Saturday, when 2 On your Side talked with the crew.
While the jets can go supersonic at over 1,000 mph, their limited speed Sunday was 300 knots, or about 345 mph.
"That's the stadium is what I grew up with," Lt. Conway said. "Been to plenty of games there growing up, especially middle school, high school, so to see it from the air is going to be really a cool perspective."