ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Bills Return of the Blue & Red practice is a tradition that allows Bills Mafia to see their team at Highmark Stadium before the regular season even begins.
Attendance at Friday night's practice broke a record with 39,224 fans! Here are some of the fans I got to meet who traveled near and far.
"BEST DAY EVER"
Before practice, 16-year-old Maylee Cross, of Rochester, and 13-year-old Joseph McBride, of Oregon, got a tour of the Bills locker room. The two teens were there with Make-A-Wish.
"This is insane, this is awesome," Cross said. "We love you, Josh."
Cross battled Hodgkin's lymphoma, and McBride battled a brain tumor. Thankfully, both teens are in remission.
"I'm almost as strong as him," McBride said in front of Joey Bosa's locker. "Best day ever."
Both teens sat in front of the microphones in the media room where the Bills give postgame press conferences. They later headed to the field to watch practice and get autographs.
"IT'S GOOD BECAUSE I HELP THE KIDS"
10-year-old Christian Ramos sat in the front row with his family, holding a sign that said, "Hey Josh, I've donated $4,900 and counting to the Patricia Allen Fund. Can I get a fist bump?"
Ramos, of Hamburg, has made bracelets, keychains, ornaments, and to sell. At first, he raised $500 for the Ten Lives Club. Then he learned about Josh Allen's Patricia Allen Fund at Oishei Children's Hospital. He's now raised close to $5,000 for the fund.
"We started crafting together, I said, 'You can either keep it or donate it,'" Christian's mom Stephanie Ramos said. "He wanted to donate it."
"It's fun when I'm bored," Christian Ramos said. "It's good, because I help the kids."
"WOW, THIS PUTS US ON THE MAP, IMPRESSIVE"
For many, this was their first time seeing the new stadium.
"I'll totally admit I never thought we needed a new stadium, but then when I came up, I said 'Wow, this puts us on the map,'" Jennifer Steiner said. "Impressive."
"It's nice to see it," Amber Reid said. "We hear a lot about it on TV, and I was sending pictures to my friends on Long Island."
