What do you think Ralph Wilson would think of these Bills?

[JP51]

Ralph is cheap! LOL... I get it and he might have been... but honestly over time the old guy grew on me... he loved this team and this city.. he left a significant portion of his wealth here in trusts... he would love to see what we are doing here... he may not have financed it.. but I am sure he is happy someone else is now paying the bills... pun intended... 

[JP51]

16 hours ago, Billsfed1 said:

Hypothetically speaking…if Ralph was a younger man and sold off the franchise to the Pegula’s, and was alive today to see the evolution of the organization in that time span, what do you suppose he would think?

 

Personally, I think he’d be pleased with the ownership group.  Not just what they’ve given us on the field, but all the off the field contributions to community as well.

 

The team has enjoyed some pretty good success under Terry and Kim, and now we’ve got the new stadium to ensure longevity.

 

All that’s missing at this point is the one thing Ralph tried to bring home and fell just a tad short, that elusive Lombardi.

 

All things considered, i’d imagine he’d be pretty proud with these Bills.

 

 

I agree.... I think he was a fan... and he would have loved the success... and doesnt care how Pegula spends his money... lol 

[SoCal Deek]

Geeez….lots of Ralph hate on here. I think people need to remember that there wouldn’t be a Buffalo Bills (at least not in Buffalo) if it wasn’t for that man. And as I’ve said so many time, without the Bills, Buffalo would be Cedar Rapids. 

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, SoCal Deek said:

Geeez….lots of Ralph hate on here. I think people need to remember that there wouldn’t be a Buffalo Bills (at least not in Buffalo) if it wasn’t for that man. And as I’ve said so many time, without the Bills, Buffalo would be Cedar Rapids. 

 

Ralph had his faults, but he is/was and always will be the biggest Buffalo Bill of them all. Like you said the Buffalo Bills exist because of Ralph Wilson.

[bmur66]

Need more runners

[nuklz2594]

probably thinking...more things change the more they remain the same

[Snowbowl]

I think he would be extremely happy for Buffalo and cheering them on all the way. Say what you want to about Ralph but he was a good man and we all should be thankful he was the owner of the Bills and kept them here. 

[Kirby Jackson]

1 minute ago, Snowbowl said:

I think he would be extremely happy for Buffalo and cheering them on all the way. Say what you want to about Ralph but he was a good man and we all should be thankful he was the owner of the Bills and kept them here. 

Ralph (and team) negotiated a lease that would make it impossible for the Bills to leave Buffalo. Toronto was never an option and that’s because of Ralph’s efforts. He would be thrilled that the team is doing so well (his wife is still there every week). Well beyond that though, he’d be ecstatic that the new stadium is being built and the Bills will be in WNY long after that last lease. He got his wish. 

[HOUSE]

Ralph would offer James Cook 25 more dollars per week

Only because he was pressured 

[Gugny]

He wouldn’t care that we still haven’t won a Super Bowl. 

[PrimeTime101]

Straight forward? He would be pissed that the rosters we have had over the last 5 years has not made it to the SB.

[Wacka]

La Salle Park, near the Peace Bridge is now Ralph C Wilson Park. His foundation is contributing most of the $ for the $110 million  rehabilitation of the park. Last year a pedestrian bridge, that was shipped down the Erie Canal  was installed over the 190.  The southern portion off the park is expected to open in Spring 2026 and the northern portion in 2027.  

 

The foundation is the major funder of the Buffalo Hospice  located in Cheektowaga (located behind what was the old  Como Mall) , which I am grateful for the care at home they gave my mom and  support to me when I was taking care of her at the end.

[Doc Brown]

Ralph for the record was absolutely cheap.  I think he gave his daughter on his death bed his favorite watch for a 15% discount.  The cash to cap nonsense was ridiculous.  We wouldn’t have Allen, Beane, McDermott, or a new stadium.  

We’d have Frank Reich as coach trying to tudor Kenny Pickett and we’d have a 7,000 sign Aaron Rodgers thread going.
 

 

[SF Bills Fan]

51 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

Ralph for the record was absolutely cheap.  I think he gave his daughter on his death bed his favorite watch for a 15% discount.  The cash to cap nonsense was ridiculous.  We wouldn’t have Allen, Beane, McDermott, or a new stadium.  

We’d have Frank Reich as coach trying to tudor Kenny Pickett and we’d have a 7,000 sign Aaron Rodgers thread going.
 

 

Ha! Sadly, this might not be inaccurate. 

[LABILLBACKER]

He'd replace Allen with Rob Johnson. 

[Doc Brown]

7 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Ralph (and team) negotiated a lease that would make it impossible for the Bills to leave Buffalo. Toronto was never an option and that’s because of Ralph’s efforts. He would be thrilled that the team is doing so well (his wife is still there every week). Well beyond that though, he’d be ecstatic that the new stadium is being built and the Bills will be in WNY long after that last lease. He got his wish. 

He reached a point pry after seeing the impact of Art Modell leaving that he wanted his sole legacy to be keeping the Bills from leaving.  He just played it close to the vest while still threatening to move the team every time he wanted public money.  The $400m relocation fee was his "final act" in trying to convince Buffalo that all he cared about was the city and the Bills staying in Buffalo imo.  Even with that lease the Bills could've paid the $28.4m loophole in 2020 to get out of the lease and some owner like Bon Jovi could've easily moved the team to Toronto.  

[Kirby Jackson]

35 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

He reached a point pry after seeing the impact of Art Modell leaving that he wanted his sole legacy to be keeping the Bills from leaving.  He just played it close to the vest while still threatening to move the team every time he wanted public money.  The $400m relocation fee was his "final act" in trying to convince Buffalo that all he cared about was the city and the Bills staying in Buffalo imo.  Even with that lease the Bills could've paid the $28.4m loophole in 2020 to get out of the lease and some owner like Bon Jovi could've easily moved the team to Toronto.  

It wasn’t that simple though because the transaction was years earlier. I don’t remember all of the specifics but knew it pretty well at the time. I had some contacts that were heavily involved (and that’s an understatement). Basically, a sale wouldn’t have been approved to someone who planned to relocate the team. From what I recall, the $400M wasn’t really an option because of some other language in the deal. The team could not be relocated until 2020 or whatever and the league would not allow an owner to operate in a lame duck situation. That’s why some potential buyers pulled out after getting more details that weren’t public. Ralph, Littman and crew put all of this in place with NY. The reporting back then was filled with 1/2 truths and fear mongering. I posted a bunch on it at the time of the sale and the info that I was getting was from those involved. Lol, back then, things didn’t stay as quiet on the inside. 

[Doc]

On 6/25/2025 at 10:56 PM, Draconator said:

Yours truly

 

Is that a Steinberger?

 

8 hours ago, HOUSE said:

Ralph would offer James Cook 25 more dollars per week

Only because he was pressured 

 

And a ride in his Taurus.

[Draconator]

16 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Is that a Steinberger?

Hohner B2A Steinberger copy. 

[Doc]

3 minutes ago, Draconator said:

Hohner B2A Steinberger copy. 

 

Did it have a TransTrem?