By Sophia Sargent
NEFJ Staff
FOXBOROUGH – Even though the holidays are right around the corner, the Patriots aren’t on vacation quite yet.
With a 4:30PM game in Buffalo on Sunday, it’s a prime opportunity to show the world they haven’t quit on the 2024 season and most importantly, their head coach.
While the Bills will be an extremely difficult challenge, there’s also the whole other element that road teams need to deal with when heading up to Orchard Park: Bills Mafia.
The feral, passionate fan base of the Bills has developed quite the reputation with the wild tailgates, flaming tables and even some ahem ‘toys’ that have made an appearance on the field over the years.
Some veterans have experienced this chaos, but the rookies will quickly learn more than what they see on social media come Sunday.
Here’s what a few vets had to say about their experiences playing as a road team in one of the true hostile atmospheres that still exists in the league:
Mike Onwenu – “It’s pretty lively especially during this time of the year towards the end of the season and depending on what time the game is as well. But, the fans are usually loud and they’ll usually let you hear it.”
Brendan Schooler – “Very hostile. So once you get there, a lot of the fans aren’t saying nice things to you. You got fans giving you the bird on the way in, and throwing snowballs at the bus and whatnot. So it’s very hostile, but It’s one of those environments that kind of hypes you up a little bit, just because it’s so hostile. Everybody wants to see you lose. So you’re kind of more on edge, ready to go rock and roll. It’s an awesome place to play. Like, I love that the fans are like that, it just makes everything a little bit more intense, which is always a good thing. When we were rolling in there last year, we saw some guys jumping on the tables, from the hoods of cars. So, you kind of see that, and you’re like all right these guys know how to party. You see the Instagram videos and stuff of them just doing outlandish things and out there with their shirts off. You see a couple years ago where they had this heavy snow storm come in and fans were out there shoveling the snow. You just see the commitment of their fans and it’s awesome. It’s a great atmosphere to play in, so all of those other things kind of add up to make the Bills the Bills.”
Deatrich Wise – “High energy. They all tell me that I’m ‘number one’ as I’m driving. They just let me know that I’m number one. I appreciate that. And a lot of stuff is always thrown on the field. In the past, wild stuff. Very crazy. I’ve never actually got the chance to see them jump off and land on the table.
Davon Godchaux then stepped in to share, “They threw some wild stuff on the field. How do they get that wild stuff in the game?” Wise responded with “that’s even wilder.”
Hunter Henry – “It’s very similar to the South and the SEC a little bit. There’s bad blood for sure, so they take a lot of pride in their team and you got to give them credit, man. Very passionate fan base that brings a lot of juice and energy to the city.”
Even though some players know what to expect this weekend, Christian Gonzalez and Drake Maye will be heading into the lion’s den for the first time. Gonzalez was of course injured during the Bills game last year, so he’s looking forward to his first taste of the experience up close. As for Maye, he’s ready for whatever he sees and hears.
“I’m excited for the atmosphere,” he said. “I heard the atmosphere is great. I’ve seen it on TV. They throw snowballs and all that. I’m excited for it, and it seems like a college environment. So, I’m excited.”
“Yeah you know first off I’ve heard about the atmosphere, and what a cool place to play,” Maye added.
After three hours in 11-degree weather and being flipped off 400 times while on the bus heading into the stadium, we’ll see just how much Maye and his teammates actually enjoy their time in Buffalo.
But, credit where it’s due. The Bills Mafia is still able to create one of the last true home field advantages in the NFL and could make life miserable for New England.