Bills Worth $6 Billion, But They Chased Down a Fan Over One Football

Do Better, Bills!

I’ll start by saying this: I’m not a Bills fan.

But I am a fan of Bills fans, and if you know any, you know they live and die with that team.

They tailgate in blizzards, jump through folding tables, and spend a small fortune every season to support their squad.

So when one of them — a guy named Brian Kemp — caught a football in the stands during Sunday night’s game, you’d think the team would’ve let him keep it, right?

Nope.

The moment was even caught on the Sunday Night Football broadcast, and NBC’s Mike Tirico literally did play-by-play as the cameras followed Kemp sprinting up the stairs at Highmark Stadium, football in hand, looking like he’d just pulled off the heist of the century.

The guy wasn’t storming the field or doing anything crazy — he just caught a Josh Allen bullet that somehow made its way into the stands and took off, probably thinking, finally, my moment!

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Here’s the kicker: According to an interview from a TV station out in western New York, Brian’s been going to Bills games since 1999. He’s a loyal fan who likely drops close to ten grand a year between tickets, parking, and Bills gear.

And yet, the team still managed to track him down and made him return the ball.

Sure, they gave him another one in exchange, but come on. This is a franchise worth $6 billion, with a quarterback earning $55 million per year. And they’re worried about one football?

Why Does the NFL Make You Give it Back?

Because they're greedy!

However, the real reason, the NFL says, is that teams must retrieve those balls for “safety and consistency.”

Each one is apparently tracked, inflated to exact specs, and even has little chips inside for game data. So when a fan runs off with one, it could, in theory, throw off their count and equipment checks.

If a fan refuses to return the ball, they could be ejected from the stadium.

Struggling Arena Teams Let You Keep the Dang Ball

Even back when the Albany Firebirds and Albany Empire arena teams were scraping by on concession sales and local sponsors, if a football went into the stands, they’d say, “Congrats, keep it.”

Meanwhile, the Bills, one of the most valuable teams in the NFL, chased down a lifelong fan for a souvenir worth maybe a hundred bucks.

I’m not saying the guy should’ve bolted with Josh Allen’s cleats, but the organization could’ve looked pretty classy by allowing him to keep a football.

Bills Mafia prides itself on loyalty. Maybe next time, the team should return the favor.