What was the one play that made you fall in love with the Buffalo Bills?

[PrimeTime101]

here is one

 

[Augie]

One play didn’t create the mess that is me, but I sure did love Don Beebe running down Leon Lett!  I loved that fighting spirit! NEVER GIVE UP! 

[PrimeTime101]

1 minute ago, Augie said:

One play didn’t create the mess that is me, but I sure did love Don Beebe running down Leon Lett!  I loved that fighting spirit! NEVER GIVE UP! 

yes! Yes! YES!

[Freddie's Dead]

I hate to say it, but as a young man, the double murderer (allegedly) completing the 1973 season against the Jests at Shea by topping 2003 rushing yards in a single season locked me in.  Much to my shame, I bought into Maris'ing Dickerson with an asterisk, as if that practice hadn't done enough damage already.  Sorry, gotta be honest.  He who shall not be mentioned made me a Bills fan.

Edited February 27, 2023 by Freddie's Dead

[Dopey]

2 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

I hate to say it, but as a young man, the double murderer (allegedly) completing the 1973 season against the Jests at Shea by topping 2003 rushing yards in a single season locked me in.  Much to my shame, I bought into Maris'ing Dickerson with an asterisk, as if that practice hadn't done enough damage already.  Sorry, gotta be honest.  He who shall not be mentioned made me a Bills fan.

That’s the memory that comes to mind for me. I also remember crying as a kid when he was traded to SF. 

[whorlnut]

I don’t know if it was one play in particular, but I was an 11 year old kid growing up in south central pa, right in the middle of the Steelers, eagles, and redskins triangle. I didn’t succumb to liking one of those teams, but when the bills beat the raiders 51-3 in the afc title game to go to their first super bowl, I was hooked. 

[PrimeTime101]

6 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

I hate to say it, but as a young man, the double murderer (allegedly) completing the 1973 season against the Jests at Shea by topping 2003 rushing yards in a single season locked me in.  Much to my shame, I bought into Maris'ing Dickerson with an asterisk, as if that practice hadn't done enough damage already.  Sorry, gotta be honest.  He who shall not be mentioned made me a Bills fan.

nothing to be sorry about. I was just 4 yrs old In 73. Another big one for me was James Loften catch for 74 yards. Made me go... "wow" just like now with many of JA throws

[I'm Spartacus]

Mike Stratton's hit on Keith Lincoln in the 60s. "Shot heard around the world".

[NoHuddleKelly12]

I was already a die hard fan before this…but will never forget how this Houston comeback clinching kick made me feel

[ShakAttack]

Apparently it was Scott Norwood “wide right”.

 

i was too young to understand football, but somehow I was able to understand and process the importance of that last drive, and getting into position for the game winning FG, it was supposed to be the first last second sports win I had experienced in my life, it was supposed to be an exhilarating moment…… and then he missed. Instead, it was utter heartbreak.

 

I started crying uncontrollably. I wasn’t sure why. I called my uncle for support. Then I see them get back to the SB again and again and again.  
 

by #3 and #4 , the Bills had become the laughingstock of the NFL at my elementary school.

 

and at that point I was a lifer, wanting nothing more than see the Bills win ONE Super Bowl to shut everyone up once and for all.

 

Still where I’m at today… and until I die.

 

In fact, if the Bills ever did win that SB, I often  wonder if I’d care as much afterward, because that’s what it has always been all about for me. 

[Pete]

57 minutes ago, PrimeTime101 said:

here is one

 

When my parents got together- being a Bills fan is in my DNA! 

[US Egg]

…..not that I remember this play, but Bills newspaper pics in the mid ‘60’s were an impetus towards my fandom.

Edited February 28, 2023 by I am the egg man

[Riverboat Ritchie]

Hard to choose one but this is one I remember really well

 

 

[Beast]

Rosey Leaks hauling in a short Joe Ferguson pass in and bowling into the endzone on September 7, 1980.

[WhoTom]

2 hours ago, Freddie's Dead said:

I hate to say it, but as a young man, the double murderer (allegedly) completing the 1973 season against the Jests at Shea by topping 2003 rushing yards in a single season locked me in.

 

I was just at the age where I was starting to pay attention to football, and that's my first vivid memory of a particular play. I was already a fan of the team and the player, but that moment was huge.

 

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

 

[MJS]

This is one of the earliest plays I remember as a kid. This was probably the first season of football that I can really remember being old enough to get interested in the Bills and football:

 

 

Flutie mania was a lot of fun. And Eric Moulds was my first favorite player. Loved seeing him play.

[Chicharito]

No one play. I’m from the 716 so it’s in my DNA!

[BillsShredder83]

2 hours ago, I'm Spartacus said:

Mike Stratton's hit on Keith Lincoln in the 60s. "Shot heard around the world".

obv a lot younger, and im sure that call has been made a bunch, but "shot heard round the world" will always make me think of game 1 (or 2?, whichever was sabres 1st W of series) Sabres v Stars Stanley Cup game winner. Jason Wooley overtime, it couldnt be more etched in my brain where i was

[Marcus Aurelius]

The ONE Play?

When my father inseminated my mother and gave birth to me.

[Peace Frog]

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

1 hour ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

The ONE Play?

When my father inseminated my mother and gave birth to me.

touchdown!

[seattlebillsfan]

Curtis Brown off right tackle to go up 21-10 over the Steelers on the way to a 9-3 record in week 12 of the 1980 season. Pittsburgh was the defending Super Bowl champion and it felt like a changing of the guard to this then-6th grader, watching with my dad in Rochester. I still remember, 43 years later, him leaping up and signaling “touchdown” as Brown surged through the Steel Curtain to score…

[Jay_Fixit]

Probably something in 1988 when I became a fan.

[sullim4]

Nobody else fell in love with the Bills after this "play"?

 

[Jauronimo]

Theres no single play but one standout was this run by Antowain Smith which I saw at my first ever live Bills game.  Go to the 1:17 mark if not directed automatically.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Jauronimo

[ExiledInIllinois]

November 22, 1981... 13 years old, listening on the stereo/radio in basement:

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6XJNNLuwNMw

 

 

5 hours ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

The ONE Play?

When my father inseminated my mother and gave birth to me.

Yeah... But the best part was left on the bed. 😆 🤣 😉 😜 

[BillsFanForever19]

I think that's kind of an odd question. I mean, maybe there are *some* people that became a fan of the team because of a single play. But I think most of us are fans because they were the local team, the team they were raised on, or simply liking players or play style.

 

I think a better question would be what's your favorite Bills plays and/or what made you a fan? I don't think you're going to find many posters on this board that will point to a play being the thing that made them love this team.

Edited February 28, 2023 by BillsFanForever19

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Difficult to pick just one...

Macbeth.

Rent.

A Streetcar Named Desire.

[NewEra]

The moment Joe Cribbs picked me up a 7 year old me, put me on his shoulders and walked around signing autographs for 30 minutes while at Fredonia training camp 

That’s the play that had me hooked for life. 

[PrimeTime101]

you know guys, I did this post to remind us.. we are still a decent team. We are still pulling many of these plays now just as much as the crazy plays we grew to love in our youth

 

nice chill post

[LewPort71]

No  specific play, but "Lookie, Lookie, there goes Cookie"  is a factor for me.

Also getting to meet Ernie Warlick in person made quite the impression on me 

Edited February 28, 2023 by LewPort71

[mabden]

For me it was three plays.  I happened onto the Van Miller Saturday afternoon show, he had the head coach on (can't remember who) and they were reviewing the previous Sunday's game.  Van played three clips;

 

OJ to the right for 4 yards,

OJ to the left for 4 yards,

OJ up the middle for 2 yards and a first down. 

 

I have been following the Bills ever since.

[BRH]

There is no one play.

 

I was born to this.

9 hours ago, seattlebillsfan said:

Curtis Brown off right tackle to go up 21-10 over the Steelers on the way to a 9-3 record in week 12 of the 1980 season. Pittsburgh was the defending Super Bowl champion and it felt like a changing of the guard to this then-6th grader, watching with my dad in Rochester. I still remember, 43 years later, him leaping up and signaling “touchdown” as Brown surged through the Steel Curtain to score…

 

Curtis Brown top shelf where momma hides the cookies!

 

Wait... wrong dude

[TampaBillsJunkie]

It was OJ running (and not from the law) Every kid in my neighborhood wanted to be the juice when carrying the ball.

[BruceVilanch]

Not one play, the comeback in its entirety.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

I remember bruce absolutely crushing boomer - on a late whistle for a penalty.  Thats one of my earliest football memories i still have and i loved bruce because of it.  

[blacklabel]

I was a little kid and I recall seeing Don Beebe getting dumped on his head against the Browns. I dunno why that one stuck with me, but it always has. 

 

When I was little I picked my favorite teams based on uniform. First I liked the orange and black of the Bengals but then Joe Montana to John Taylor in SB24 bummed me out cause I wanted the "tiger guys" to win. 

 

After that I switched to the silver and black Raiders. Happened to be the same year they faced the Bills in the AFC Championship. By halftime I had retired my Raiders shirt and fully embraced the Bills. I think I always knew I was a Bills fan but as a little kid I wanted to go against the grain and have "my own team" because I knew all of the fam were Bills fans. But then it was just too awesome not to jump on the bandwagon when they decimated da Raidahs that one January day. 

[Ponch]

This was the first game my dad took me to. I was 11 and we sat behind the end zone that saw the winning field goal, by Nick Mike-Mayer in Oooooooverrrrrtiiiiime! (Ooops Wrong sport)  Up to that point, I was watching Roger Staubach and Danny White lead the Cowboys on CBS in our basement every Sunday … I got rid of my Cowboys helmet after that. Ever since, I couldn’t help but love the Bills even through those 2-14 seasons.

Bills Shade Rams, 10-7, In Overtime - The Washington Post.pdf

[Gregg]

I can't really narrow it down to one play. I became a fan in the 70's and the Bills were mostly terrible that decade. The first truly great moment would be the 80 opener and the 17-7 win over Miami. For a play that season I would say Nick Mike-Mayer kicking a game winning field goal in OT that gave the Bills a 10-7 win over the Rams at Rich Stadium and clinched a playoff spot that season. Other notable plays the hail mary to Roland Hooks that beat the Pats in the 81 season 20-17. Also, later that year in the WC game at Shea Stadium, Bill Simpson's INT at the goal line with seconds left preserving a 31-27 win over the Jets.