Buffalo Bills facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Buffalo Bills
Current season
Logo Wordmark Uniforms
Basic info
Established	October 28, 1959; 65 years ago (1959-10-28)
Stadium	Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Headquartered	ADPRO Sports Training Center, Orchard Park, New York
Colors	Royal blue, red, white, navy blue
Fight song	"Shout" "Mr. Brightside" (4th quarter)
Mascot	Billy Buffalo
Personnel
Owner(s)	Terry Pegula Arctos Partners LP Estate of Kim Pegula Carter, McGrady, Altidore et al.
President	Terry Pegula
General manager	Brandon Beane
Head coach	Sean McDermott
Nicknames
The Electric Company (offense, 1972–1977)
Team history
Buffalo Bills (1960–present)
Home fields
War Memorial Stadium (1960–1972) Highmark Stadium (1973–present)
League / conference affiliations
American Football League (1960–1969) Eastern Division (1960–1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970–present) AFC East (1970–present)
Championships
League championships: 2 AFL championships (pre-1970 AFL–NFL merger) (2) 1964, 1965
Conference championships: 4 AFC: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
Division championships: 15 AFL Eastern: 1964, 1965, 1966 AFC East: 1980, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Playoff appearances (24)
AFL: 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 NFL: 1974, 1980, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Owner(s)
Ralph Wilson (1959–2014) Terry & Kim Pegula (2014–present)

The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team located in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills play in the National Football League (NFL). They are part of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team plays its home games at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. A new stadium is being built and will be ready in 2026.

The Bills started in 1959 as a founding member of the American Football League (AFL). They joined the NFL in 1970 after the AFL–NFL merger. The team's name comes from an earlier Buffalo football team. That team was named after the famous western frontiersman Buffalo Bill. The Bills get many fans from western New York and nearby southern Ontario. They are the only NFL team that plays home games in New York state.

Terry Pegula owns the team. He bought the Bills after the first owner, Ralph Wilson, passed away in 2014. In 2024, other investors also bought a small part of the team.

The Bills played in the AFL Championship Game three times in a row from 1964 to 1966. They won the first two championships. These are the only major sports championships won by a team from Buffalo. The team had a tough time in the later AFL years and for much of their first 20 years in the NFL. From 1967 to 1987, they had only five winning seasons.

However, the Bills became very strong from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. They made history by playing in four Super Bowls in a row from 1990 to 1993. Even though they lost all four games, this is still a record. From the early 2000s to the mid-2010s, the Bills had the longest playoff drought in major North American sports, lasting 17 years. They were the last team in the four major leagues to reach the playoffs in the 21st century.

The Bills started making the playoffs regularly again in the late 2010s. However, they have not returned to the Super Bowl since their four straight appearances. The Bills and the Minnesota Vikings have the most Super Bowl appearances (four) without winning one. In December 2024, the Bills were one of the first NFL teams to sell a part of their team to outside investors. About 20.6% of the team was sold.

Team History

The Bills started playing in 1960 as a founding member of the American Football League. Their first head coach was Buster Ramsey. They joined the NFL in 1970 as part of the AFL–NFL merger. In their first two seasons, the Bills had records of 5 wins, 8 losses, 1 tie, and 6 wins, 8 losses.

The Bills won two AFL titles in 1964 and 1965. Quarterback Jack Kemp and coach Lou Saban led them to these wins. The team has not won a league championship since then.

Running back O. J. Simpson was a key player for the Bills in the 1970s. He set an NFL rushing record in 1973.

After the AFL–NFL merger, the Bills became the second NFL team to represent Buffalo. An earlier team, the Buffalo All-Americans, had played in the league until 1929. The Bills were the third professional non-NFL team to play in the city before the merger.

In the 1970s, the Bills were generally average, but they had a great running back named O. J. Simpson. In the mid-1980s, the team struggled. But then, new talented players like Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, and Darryl Talley joined the team. This helped the Bills become a top team from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. Under head coach Marv Levy, they won four AFC Championships in a row. This is still a record. However, they lost all four Super Bowls they played in during this time.

The New England Patriots became very strong in the 2000s and 2010s with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. This, along with the Bills' own struggles, kept them out of the playoffs for 17 seasons, from 2000 to 2016. This was the longest playoff drought in major professional sports at the time.

Mike Mularkey coached the Bills in 2004 and 2005. He had a 9-7 record in 2004 but missed the playoffs. He resigned after the 2005 season. From 2006 to 2009, Dick Jauron was the coach. He was fired after a slow start to his fourth season. Chan Gailey coached from 2010 to 2012, with Ryan Fitzpatrick as quarterback. Gailey was fired after three last-place finishes.

Doug Marrone became head coach before the 2013 season. The Bills went 6-10 in 2013 and improved to 9-7 in 2014. Marrone stepped down after that season. On October 8, 2014, Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula became the new owners of the Bills. They were the second ownership group after founder Ralph Wilson. In December 2024, a part of the team was sold to a group of investors.

Before the 2015 season, Rex Ryan became the head coach. The team had records of 8-8 in 2015 and 7-9 in 2016. Ryan was fired with one game left in the 2016 season.

Sean McDermott's Coaching Era (2017–Present)

Under head coach Sean McDermott, the Bills ended their long playoff drought. They have made the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons. The team drafted quarterback Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL draft. In the 2020 season, the Bills won their first division title and playoff games since 1995. This was helped by Tom Brady leaving the AFC East. The Bills also developed strong players like Allen, Stefon Diggs, Matt Milano, and Tre'Davious White.

In 2020, the Bills reached the AFC Championship for the first time since 1993. However, they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-24. The Bills won the AFC East again in 2021 with an 11-6 record. They beat the Patriots 47-17 in the Wild Card Round. Then, they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 42-36 in overtime in a very exciting game.

In 2022, the Bills won the AFC East with a 13-3 record. A game against the Bengals was stopped due to a serious medical event with player Damar Hamlin. He later recovered and returned to play. The team beat the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card Round 34-31. They then lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10 in the Divisional Round.

In 2023, the Bills won the AFC East for the fourth season in a row. They defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-17 in the Wild Card Round. They then lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in the Divisional Round. In the 2024 season, the Bills finished with a 13-4 record and won another AFC East title. After winning against the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs, the Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship. The Bills have plans to build a new stadium to be ready by 2026.

Team Logos and Uniforms

Bills logo, 1962–1973

For their first two seasons, the Bills wore uniforms similar to the Detroit Lions. The team's first colors were Honolulu blue, silver, and white. The helmets were silver with no stripes or logos, only player numbers.

In 1962, a red standing bison became the team's logo and was placed on a white helmet. The team colors also changed to red, white, and blue. The Bills started wearing blue jerseys with red and white shoulder stripes. The helmets were white with a red stripe down the middle. In 1964, the jerseys changed again. They had a unique stripe pattern on the sleeves. By 1965, red and blue stripes were added to the helmets.

In 1973, the Bills introduced blue pants to wear with their white jerseys. This was the last year for the standing buffalo helmet. The blue pants were worn until 1985. The face mask on the helmet was blue from 1974 to 1986, then it changed to white.

The standing bison logo was replaced in 1974 by a blue charging bison with a red stripe. This new logo, designed by Stevens Wright, is still the main logo used by the team today.

Quarterback Jim Kelly's 1994 jersey on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 1984, the helmet color changed from white to red. This was mainly to help quarterback Joe Ferguson tell his teammates apart from other teams with white helmets.

In 2002, the Bills changed their uniforms. A darker blue became the main jersey color, and nickel gray was added. Both blue and white jerseys had red side panels. The helmet stayed red with multiple stripes. A new logo was considered, but fans preferred the running bison logo, so it stayed.

In 2005, the Bills brought back the standing bison helmet and uniform from the mid-1960s as a throwback. The Bills usually wore all-blue at home and all-white on the road. They stopped wearing blue-on-white after 2006.

For the 2011 season, the Bills introduced a new uniform design. It was an updated version of their 1975–83 look. This included returning to white helmets with the "charging buffalo" logo. They also went back to royal blue instead of navy.

On November 12, 2015, the Bills and the New York Jets were the first teams to wear special "Color Rush" uniforms. Buffalo wore an all-red uniform for the first time. On April 1, 2021, the team announced they would wear white face masks. On December 22, 2024, the team wore a new combination: their red Color Rush jersey with white pants.

On July 22, 2025, the Bills brought back the 1984–2010 red "charging buffalo" helmet as an alternate. They plan to wear it with their primary blue uniforms. The Bills also brought back the "standing buffalo" throwback design for two home games to celebrate the final season of the original Highmark Stadium.

Team Rivalries

The Bills have rivalries with their three AFC East opponents: the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets. They also have rivalries with the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Divisional Rivals

Miami Dolphins Rivalry

Bills kicker Dan Carpenter attempts a kick against the Dolphins in 2014.

This is often seen as Buffalo's most famous rivalry. Both the Bills and Dolphins started in the American Football League. The Dolphins began playing in 1966, while the Bills were one of the original teams. The rivalry became well-known when the Dolphins won 20 games in a row against the Bills in the 1970s. This was an NFL record.

Things changed in the 1980s and 1990s with the rise of Bills quarterback Jim Kelly. Kelly and Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino had a great rivalry. The Bills became very strong in the 1990s. The rivalry became less intense after Kelly and Marino retired. However, Miami is still a strong rival for the Bills. The Dolphins lead the overall series 62-60-1 as of 2024. But the Bills have won more playoff games against them, with a 4-1 record. This includes a win in the 1992 AFC Championship Game.

New England Patriots Rivalry

Bills RB C. J. Spiller running against the Patriots in 2013.

The rivalry with the New England Patriots started when both teams were original AFL teams. But it became famous when New England quarterback Tom Brady arrived in 2001. Before the 2000s, the teams were very competitive. However, Brady's arrival led to the Patriots dominating the AFC East for two decades. Because of this, New England became Buffalo's most disliked rival.

Since Brady left in 2020, the Bills have had an 8-3 advantage. They won consecutive AFC East titles from 2020 to 2024. In 2021, the Bills won 47-17 against the Patriots in their first playoff game in 59 years. The Bills scored a touchdown on every offensive drive in that game, which is a unique NFL record. Overall, the Patriots lead the series 79-51-1 as of 2024.

Many players have played for both teams, including Drew Bledsoe, Doug Flutie, and Stephon Gilmore.

New York Jets Rivalry

Bills' running back Joe Cribbs (center) running the ball against the Jets in the 1981 AFC Wild Card game.

The Bills and Jets were both original AFL teams. Both teams represent New York, even though the Jets have played their home games in New Jersey since 1984. This rivalry shows the differences between New York City and Western New York. Historically, it has not been as intense as the Bills' rivalries with the Dolphins and Patriots.

The Bills-Jets rivalry has often featured tough games and both teams being average. But there have been some competitive moments. The rivalry became more intense when former Jets head coach Rex Ryan coached the Bills for two seasons. It also became notable with the friendly rivalry between Bills quarterback Josh Allen and former Jets quarterback Sam Darnold. Buffalo leads the series 71-58 as of 2024, including a playoff win in 1981.

Conference Rivals

Kansas City Chiefs Rivalry

The Kansas City Chiefs are another original AFL team. They have a long history against the Bills, even though they have never been in the same division. Buffalo currently leads the series 30-26-1. They have played seven playoff games, including four AFL/AFC Championship Games. Kansas City won the 1966 AFL Championship Game. They also won the 2020 and 2024 AFC Championship Games. Buffalo defeated Kansas City in the 1993 AFC Championship Game. After each of these championship wins, the Chiefs or Bills went on to lose the Super Bowl.

After a quiet period, a rivalry grew between Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. This rivalry is compared to famous ones like Jim Kelly vs. Dan Marino. Since 2019, there have been four important playoff games between the Bills and Chiefs. The 2021 Divisional Round game is considered one of the greatest playoff games ever. In the 2023 Divisional Round, the Bills lost to the Chiefs 24-27. In the 2024 AFC Championship Game, the Bills lost 32-29. In the four playoff games between Allen and Mahomes, Mahomes leads 4-0.

Jacksonville Jaguars Rivalry

A new rivalry started between the Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars. This happened after former Bills head coach Doug Marrone joined Jacksonville. The first game between Marrone's Jaguars and the Bills was in London in 2015. The Jaguars won 34-31. A very important game was a tough, low-scoring Wild Card game in 2017. The Jaguars won 10-3. This game was special because it was the Bills' first playoff appearance in 17 seasons.

The Bills and Jaguars have played three more times since that 2017 game. The series is currently tied at 10-10.

Tennessee Titans Rivalry

The Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers) have a long history with the Bills. Both teams were original AFL clubs and rivals in that league's East Division. Games were intense in the 1990s, with quarterback Warren Moon leading the Oilers against Jim Kelly's Bills.

Both teams struggled for a while but have been strong playoff teams since 2017. Memorable playoff moments include "The Comeback" in 1992. The Bills, led by Frank Reich, came back from a 35-3 deficit to win 41-38 against the Oilers. Another famous game was the "Music City Miracle" in 1999. The Titans scored on a controversial kickoff return to beat the Bills 22-16. The Music City Miracle was Buffalo's last playoff appearance until 2017. The Titans currently lead the series 30-21.

Famous Players

Retired Jersey Numbers

The Buffalo Bills have retired three numbers in their history: No. 12 for Jim Kelly, No. 34 for Thurman Thomas, and No. 78 for Bruce Smith. Other numbers are used less often or not at all.

Numbers Used Less Often:

• 83 Andre Reed, WR, 1985–1999 (Only Lee Evans III wore No. 83 with special permission)

The number 31 was once meant to represent the "spirit of the team" and was rarely used. It was not reissued until 1990. Number 32 was not used for a long time after O. J. Simpson played. The team owner, Ralph Wilson, did not want it used. It was put back into use in 2019.

Number 15 was rarely used after Jack Kemp retired. It was last worn in 2024. Other numbers like 44 (Elbert Dubenion) and 66 (Billy Shaw) were also rarely given out. Number 1 has also been used rarely. Wide receiver Curtis Samuel currently wears number 1.

Number 95 has not been reissued since Kyle Williams retired in 2019.

Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Distinguished Service Award Winners

Wall of Fame Members

Quarterback Jim Kelly was the first Bills player to have his number retired.

Hall of Fame WR Andre Reed.

Hall of Fame RB O. J. Simpson.

Defensive end Bruce Smith holds the NFL record for quarterback sacks.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Members

50th Anniversary Team

Silver Anniversary Team

On April 27, 1984, the Bills announced their Silver Anniversary team to celebrate 25 years.

Coaching Staff

Head Coaches

The Bills have had 20 head coaches in their history.

Current Staff

Current Roster

Radio and Television Coverage

Map of radio affiliates. One affiliate in Wyoming is not shown.

The Buffalo Bills Radio Network is based at WGR AM 550 in Buffalo. Its sister station, WWKB AM 1520, also broadcasts all home games. Chris Brown is the team's play-by-play announcer. He took over from John Murphy in 2022. Former Bills center Eric Wood is the color analyst.

Since 2018, the team has partnered with Nexstar Media Group. This group broadcasts Bills preseason games across its stations in the region. As of 2020, WIVB-TV is the main station for this network. It includes stations in Erie, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Elmira, and Binghamton. Steve Tasker provides color commentary for these games. The play-by-play position is shared by Andrew Catalon and Rob Stone. Preseason games have been broadcast in high definition since 2008.

Since the 2016 season, most team-related shows, like studio programs and the coach's show, are on MSG Western New York. This is a joint venture between MSG and the team owners. Preseason games still air on regular TV. If regular season games are on ESPN, a local Buffalo station will also broadcast the game.

Training Camp Locations

• 1960–1962, Roycroft Inn, East Aurora, New York
• 1963–1967, Camelot Hotel, Blasdell, New York
• 1968–1980, Niagara University, Lewiston, New York
• 1981–1999, State University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, New York
• 2000–present, St. John Fisher University, Pittsford, New York

Mascots, Cheerleaders, and Band

The Bills' official mascot is Billy Buffalo. He is an eight-foot-tall, blue bison who wears a jersey with "BB" on it.

The Bills do not have cheerleaders. They used to have a cheerleading squad called the Buffalo Jills from 1967 to 1985. From 1986 to 2013, the Jills operated on their own. The Jills stopped performing before the 2014 season due to legal issues. In March 2022, a settlement was reached where the Bills agreed to pay the Jills $3.5 million.

The Bills are one of six NFL teams with an official marching band or drumline. Since late 2013, this has been the Stampede Drumline, also known as Downbeat Percussion.

The Bills have several theme songs. The most popular is a version of "Shout" by Scott Kemper. It has been the Bills' official song since 1987. You can hear it at every home game after a score and when the Bills win. The Bills' unofficial fight song, "Go Bills," was written by coach Marv Levy in the mid-1990s. In 2024, Bills offensive players started singing along to "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers as a hype song. The Bills were undefeated at home in 2024 after this song was introduced.

Team Supporters

The "Bills Backers" is the official fan group of the Buffalo Bills. It has over 200 chapters around the world. Another well-known group is the "Bills Mafia." This group started on Twitter in 2010. By 2017, "Bills Mafia" became the unofficial name for the entire community of Bills fans. Players who join the Bills often talk about joining the Bills Mafia.

Bills fans are known for wearing Zubaz zebra-printed sportswear. When Zubaz opened its first store, it chose Western New York. The "wing hat," shaped like a spicy chicken wing, is also popular. It came from the Anchor Bar, which is said to have invented the modern chicken wing. Another hat associated with Bills fans is the water buffalo hat. This hat became popular with the Water Buffalo Club 716, a group of over 2,000 Bills fans.

Bills Mafia members are also known for jumping off high places, like cars, onto folding tables during pregame parties. This is done in the style of professional wrestlers.

Bills fans are also known for supporting charities. They often help charities run by players from other teams. After the Bills made the playoffs in 2017, fans donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities of Cincinnati Bengals players Andy Dalton and Tyler Boyd. This was a thank you for the Bengals' win that helped the Bills. In 2020, after a great game by quarterback Josh Allen, fans donated almost $700,000 to the Oishei Children's Hospital. Allen supports this organization. After a 2024 game, Bills fans raised $18,000 for Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's charity.

The Bills are a favorite team of ESPN announcer Chris Berman. He often uses the phrase, "No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills!" Berman gave the speech when Bills owner Ralph Wilson was put into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Bills were also the favorite team of late NBC political commentator Tim Russert. He often talked about the Bills on his show. CNN's Wolf Blitzer and CBS Evening News anchor Jeff Glor are also Bills fans.

Other notable Bills fans include Ken "Pinto Ron" Johnson, known for his tailgate parties. John Lang is an Elvis impersonator who uses a large guitar as a billboard. Marc Miller became famous for a wrestling-style interview before Super Bowl XXVII. Ezra Castro, known as "Pancho Billa," was a fan who wore a large sombrero and mask. He was invited to announce a Bills draft pick in 2018. Castro passed away in 2019.

See also

In Spanish: Buffalo Bills para niños

• List of American Football League players
• Major North American professional sports teams