The Birth of Bills Mafia: How a Divine Blunder Branded the NFL’s Most Devoted Fanbase

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 13 January 2023

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why are Buffalo Bills fans called “Bills Mafia?” It’s a story that’s become legend within Buffalo. But outside of Bills fandom, the story is less well known, even for the individuals involved with the creation of Bills Mafia themselves. Twelve years ago, Stevie Johnson dropped a potential game-winning touchdown pass in overtime, and seemingly blamed God on Twitter, in the aftermath. That moment sparked a movement among Bills fans, and inspired Bills Mafia as we know it now. So today, ESPN Daily investigates: hear Adam Schefter, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stevie Johnson, Ryan Clark, and more explain their roles in how a divine blunder branded the NFL’s most devoted fanbase, Bills Mafia. Buffalo Bills beat reporter Alaina Getzenberg and Bills Mafia co-founder Del Reid also share the other side of Bills Mafia: the force for charity, as the community rallies around Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s recovery. To help ensure you didn't miss any of our best stories from the past year, we've collected our favorite episodes of 2022 into one playlist. We think you’ll love every episode on there, so check it out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The most devoted, the most iconic fanbase in the NFL is known in Buffalo and around the world by one term.
0:10.0	Bill's Mafia.
0:12.0	Bill's Mafia, Bill's Mafia.
0:14.0	They call themselves the Bill's Mafia.
0:16.0	Bill's Mafia, that's what the fans call themselves.
0:19.0	We've learned this week that the Bill's Mafia is a very real thing.
0:23.0	I want to thank the Bill's fans, Bill's Mafia.
0:27.0	This is the great thing, like...
0:30.0	Bill's Mafia!
0:32.0	And like any self-respecting Mafia, Bill's Mafia is a family.
0:38.0	A family that's been through a lot.
0:41.0	A family that protects their own, no matter how much the universe tells them that they're no good.
0:47.0	Now Norwood tries to kick his longest ever on grass, 47 yards.
0:53.0	No good. Wide right.
0:58.0	Any universe for the record often tells them this.
1:03.0	It shows a lateral and down the sideline only crispy down there to stop the play.
1:09.0	And they're going all the way, Reward.
1:11.0	The space and going from the touchdown.
1:13.0	I said the watch for the lateral play.
1:16.0	Unbelievable. Look at this.
1:18.0	Like unbelievably often.
1:21.0	A home's in the gun, takes a snap, looks to throw, pumps once, fires towards the end zone.
	...

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