NFL fans are some of the most passionate fans in the world, and “Bills Mafia” may be the most intense of them all. The contingent of Buffalo Bills fans is known for their eccentric ways and has earned a reputation as some of the rowdiest fans in football.
The fan base is known for jumping through tables, braving the elements of upstate New York, and bringing unmatched energy to not only their stadium on game day but every road venue their beloved Bills play in on Sundays.
What is Bills Mafia, and where did the nickname originate? Let’s take a closer look.
The Origin Of Bills Mafia
“Bills Mafia” has become a mainstream term when describing Buffalo fans, but how did it come about?
The name was first used over a decade ago when a Bills fan named Del Reid replied to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter on Twitter. Reid is affectionately known as the “Godfather” of Bills Mafia, and he mocked Schefter for sharing “old news” since he was a day late to retweet something.
The origins of #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/SNLXRR2SD6
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2025
Shortly after, he and some of his other friends who are Bills fans found themselves blocked by Schefter on Twitter.
After a spat on Twitter, a separate group of people realized they were all blocked by Schefter as well.
Reid used the term “Bills Mafia” to describe those who got blocked, encouraging other fans to follow those accounts, and a rabid fandom was born.
The Evolution of Bills Mafia
Bills Mafia and the group’s reputation has grown over the last 10 years, with their tailgates and gameday experiences being described as something you need to see to believe.
Somewhere along the way, the element of smashing tailgate tables became a staple and rite of passage for the group. The moniker has taken on a life of its own since.
What once started as a group of outcasts on Schefter’s social media has become a wild fan base that proudly wears the Bills Mafia nickname.
The best time to be a fan is when your favorite team is winning, and right now is an excellent time to be a Bills supporter. Buffalo is one of the best teams in the AFC, with a superstar quarterback in Josh Allen and a solid supporting cast.
Having meaningful games to play only adds to the rivalries and stakes of these contests, fueling the fan base to bring the crazy passion that Bills Mafia does.
Last year’s Divisional Round game against the Kansas City Chiefs is a perfect example.
Broadcaster Adam Lefkoe recently appeared on “Up & Adams” to discuss last year’s Bills-Chiefs, and he spoke about how Bills Mafia treated Taylor Swift and the Kelces.
“I have heard from people very close [to the Kelces] that it was not a great experience in Buffalo. It was not — for all parties involved. And I’m talking about the most famous of all the parties,” Lefkoe explained. “I think that it kind of shocked the Kelce family and everyone related to the Kelce family the reception they got.
“They experienced Bills Mafia in full form,” Lefkoe said, adding that Bills Mafia “did their job” and treated the opposing fans with “complete ruthlessness.”
While Bills Mafia is known for being extremely passionate and rowdy, they have also made a difference by donating a ton of money to various causes. For example, $1.4 million was donated to John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo after Josh Allen’s grandmother passed away in 2019, and now there is a pediatric recovery wing named after her.
They have also donated to the causes of opposing players. When Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson got injured against Buffalo in the playoffs in 2021, Bills Mafia donated half a million dollars to the Louisville chapter of Blessings in a Backpack.
This is a big reason why the organization embraced Bills Mafia in recent year.
“We felt like we needed to embrace this because it had really turned into a community spirit,” said Ron Raccuia, former executive vice president of the Bills’ parent company, Pegula Sports and Entertainment. “Our players and our coaching staff have really been engaged with it, and it just became very natural.”
Why Do Bills Fans Jump Through Tables?
Bills fans started the ritual around 2015 when a video of a drunk fan falling through a table went viral. Fans started recreating the video, and a tradition was born.
Now, at Bills tailgates, it’s not uncommon to see fans jumping from their cars or buses onto a table, breaking it, and then having another cocktail to celebrate the Bills.
Buffalo is very serious about their team, and Bills Mafia has become the stuff of legend. Now, Dick’s Sporting Goods stores in Buffalo sell folding tables alongside Bills merchandise. After all, tables are part of the unofficial fan gear.
Table-slamming has become so closely linked to the Bills that ESPN has created graphics showing Bills quarterback Josh Allen jumping off a bus and onto a table during games.
The popularity of table-slamming, reckless as it may be, coincided with the emergence of the Bills Mafia. The seemingly random way in which these two elements quickly turned into traditions is part of their appeal to Bills fans.
“We started Bills Mafia before people started jumping through tables,” said Reid. Though Reid said he has never table-slammed, he said he has no issue with the practice.
“As long as people are being safe, however they want to express their fandom is fine,” he said. “People are trying to outdo themselves.”
During COVID-19, people would get together in small groups at their homes on Sundays and table-slam on their own. Bills Mafia wasn’t going to allow a small thing like a worldwide pandemic keep them from breaking tables.
“Table-slamming is about showmanship,” diehard Bills fan Ashleigh Dopp told the New York Times. “It kind of ends your tailgate.”
The Bills, as an organization, do not condone or authorize table-slamming. The team was concerned with excessive drinking and the violence of table-slamming, announcing a policy in 2018 that fans could face criminal charges, have their tickets revoked, or be ejected from the team-run parking lots for destroying folding tables.
Ravens vs. Bills Game Preview
- Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, N.Y.
- Time: 6:30 p.m ET
- Channel: CBS, Paramount+
The Bills will look to avenge their 35-10 loss to the Ravens in Week 4. The Bills Mafia will be out in full force and the stadium will be rocking.
This was the only game in which Allen neither passed nor rushed for a touchdown. Allen was sacked three times in this game, compared to a total of 11 sacks across their other 16 regular season games.
Josh Allen’s QB+ score against the Ravens was his lowest of the season, according to PFN’s QB+ metric. He recorded a QB+ score of 86.5 (B) against the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card Round.
Lamar Jackson’s QB+ score in Week 4 was his 10th-best of the season. He also posted a QB+ score of 86.5 against the Steelers in the Wild Card Round.
The Bills’ Offense+ score in Week 4 ranked 29th, while the Ravens’ Offense+ score was also the 29th best in the NFL this season. Meanwhile, the Ravens’ Defense+ score was their third-best of the season, while the Bills registered their second-worst of the season.
Since Week 9, Jackson has been exceptional on non-pressured passes, completing 75.8% of his attempts for 20 touchdowns and just one interception on 161 throws.
Over their past five games — all victories — Baltimore has scored touchdowns on 40.8% of their drives, an improvement from their already elite 33.3% rate earlier in the season.
Defensively, the Ravens have been dominant on fourth downs, with opponents going 0-for-6 in the past four games. This is a significant improvement from their previous stretch, where opponents converted 12 of 23 attempts.
On Saturday, Jan. 11, Derrick Henry made history as the first NFL player aged 30 or older to record four games in a season with at least 130 rushing yards and multiple rushing touchdowns.
Excluding the one-snap Week 18 game, Allen has been remarkably efficient on third downs, completing 13 of 16 passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions over his past two games.
The Bills have taken excellent care of the football, avoiding a turnover in six of their seven games since their Week 12 bye.
Buffalo’s red-zone defense has also shown improvement. After allowing Baltimore to score touchdowns on all four red zone trips in their Week 4 meeting, the Bills have given up just two red zone scores on six trips over their past three games (Denver went 0-for-1).
Notably, the Bills didn’t lead for a single second in their first matchup against the Ravens. This could be significant for James Cook, as his production over expectation this season is 16.4% higher when Buffalo is playing with a lead rather than from behind.
Jackson and Allen are widely expected to be the top two vote-getters in this season’s MVP race. This matchup could mark only the ninth instance in the past 45 seasons where the top two MVP vote-getters have faced each other in the playoffs.
The MVP winner’s team has emerged victorious in six of the last seven such meetings. The last runner-up to win was Drew Brees in Super Bowl 44 after the 2009 season when his New Orleans Saints defeated Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts.
Per Pro Football Network’s Playoff Predictor, with 10,000 simulations, the Ravens are an underdog and given a 47.9% chance of winning against the Bills.
