ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Snow, wind, and freezing temperatures didn’t stop fans from packing the lots outside Highmark Stadium ahead of Sunday’s Bills vs. Bengals game. For the Bills Mafia, 30 degrees-even colder with the windchill-and steady snow isn’t a deterrent; it’s the expectation.
San Diego native Nathan Gross said the conditions are something he’s gotten used to.
“I’ve been in Syracuse for a few years now, and we’re getting used to it,” Gross said. “Now we’re just embracing it and having a great time and getting the full Bills Mafia experience here at the tailgate.”
The atmosphere made such an impression on him that he said it changed his NFL allegiance entirely.
“I am now a Bills fan,” he said. “The environment here is unbelievable… I’ve turned to the dark side.”
For many S.U. students making the early-morning drive from campus, the day started long before sunrise.
“Woke up at about 5:40 a.m. to get on the road,” Gross said.
Despite the weather and the early wake-up call, some fans said days like this are exactly what make Buffalo special. S.U. student Jacob Erlbaum said the weather only adds to the identity of Bills Mafia.
“Everyone’s having a good time. Everyone’s having fun,” Erlbaum said. “It’s cold out, it’s snowing, but no one cares. Clearly, evidently, because all these people are out here. It just shows you what a great culture they have here, a great fan base. Everyone’s just having a good time… The weather could be 80 degrees and sunny, or it could be snowing. It doesn’t make a difference.”
What draws fans back is that feeling of community.
“Everyone’s just having a good time. They’re all friendly. People are cooking, grilling, drinking,” Gross said. “You really feel part of the Bills family. It’s really a special environment.”
Even with snowfall, biting wind, and plenty of numb toes, Bills Mafia still filled the lots hours before kickoff, a reminder that in Buffalo, football doesn’t stop for the weather; it enhances it.