ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.: Theres no Brrrrrrr in Bills Mafia.
Amid the warm orange glow of Bunsen burners lightning up the parking lots surrounding Highmark Stadium, frigid, single-digit temperatures didnt prevent Buffalo Bills fans from throwing a party in the hours before the teams wild-card playoff game against the New England Patriots on Saturday night.
This is like the Bahamas right now because theres no wind, said long-time season-ticket holder Rick Ribaulo, whos been attending Bills games since the mid-1970s. Its family, its community and its kind of a rite of passage if youre from Buffalo.
While the Bills-owned parking lots didnt open until 4:15 p.m., many of the private-owned lots were already filling up at 3 p.m. for what could become one of the teams coldest home games in franchise history.
Fans, wearing four and five layers of clothes, came prepared, unloading their vehicles with cases of beer, bratwursts, grills, kerosene heaters and anything else to take the chill off.
Some, such as Quincy McFadden, erected tents with two heat lamps which made the temperature inside feel like a balmy 60.
Ive been doing this since 2007, so I know how to heat when its cold, said McFadden, a diehard Bills fan who made the seven-hour drive from Massachusetts.
Its fun. Its family, its friends, McFadden added. And when you drive six, seven hours, theyre going to win. Thats a lock. Theyre going to win.
The coldest game in Bills history comes in at zero and with the wind-chill making the temperature feel like minus-32. It happened on Jan. 15, 1994, when the Bills defeated the then-Los Angeles Raiders 29-23 in a divisional playoff game en route to Buffalo making its fourth consecutive and most recent Super Bowl appearance.
The game Saturday was Buffalos first at home with no restrictions on capacity since a 30-27 loss to Jacksonville in a 1996 wild-card playoff, which proved to be Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kellys final game. The Bills hosted two playoff games last season, but only 7,000 fans were allowed because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Everybody talks about how the 90s was great and amazing, everybody. So you want to be a part of that, too, said Brandon Ammons. I turned 40 this year and Ive never been to a playoff game. To us, its huge, man. This is our team.
Bills players prepared to take varied approaches to dealing with the cold. Quarterback Josh Allen was going sleeveless in order to keep a better grip on the ball when hes carrying it. Defensive end Jerry Hughes said he wanted to take the field barefoot for pregame warmups.
Let your toes tickle that cold soil. Just enjoy it, Hughes said. Its going to be cold on Saturday. But, you know, with the mafia in that stadium, getting loud, its going to feel warm and its going to be fun.
Jane Tranmer and her family made the six-hour drive from the Adirondacks.
Were all here to have fun and party and the cold doesnt bother me. Thats why were from upstate New York. It doesnt matter, Tranmer said. With the excitement, youre warm.
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