History of Buffalo Bills in Timeline
The Buffalo Bills are an NFL team located in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls area, competing in the AFC East. They play their home games at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, with a new stadium under construction set to open in 2026. They are a professional American football team.
1918: Tommy Hughitt Played for Buffalo Teams
From 1918 to 1924, Tommy Hughitt was a player-coach for the early Buffalo teams in the New York Pro Football League and NFL and was reported to wear number 1 during this time.
1924: Tommy Hughitt Played for Buffalo Teams
From 1918 to 1924, Tommy Hughitt was a player-coach for the early Buffalo teams in the New York Pro Football League and NFL and was reported to wear number 1 during this time.
1929: Buffalo Team Folded
In 1929, Buffalo had been left out of the league since the All-Americans (by that point renamed the Bisons) folded.
1959: Team Founded
In 1959, the Buffalo Bills were founded as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL).
1960: Competitive Play Began
In 1960, the Buffalo Bills began competitive play as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL).
1962: Bison logo designated
In 1962, the standing red bison was designated as the logo and took its place on a white helmet. The team's colors also changed to red, white, and blue.
1964: Jersey change
In 1964 the Buffalo Bills jerseys saw a change when the shoulder stripes were replaced by a distinctive stripe pattern on the sleeves consisting of four stripes, two thicker inner stripes and two thinner outer stripes all bordered by red piping.
1964: AFL Championship Game win
In 1964, the Buffalo Bills won the AFL Championship Game.
1964: American Football League Title Win
In 1964, the Buffalo Bills won the American Football League title.
1965: Helmet stripes
In 1965, red and blue center stripes were put on the Buffalo Bills helmets.
1965: American Football League Title Win
In 1965, the Buffalo Bills won their second consecutive American Football League title.
1966: AFL Championship Game
From 1964 to 1966, the Buffalo Bills advanced to the AFL Championship Game three years in a row.
1966: Chiefs Win 1966 AFL Championship Game
In 1966, the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFL Championship Game, determining the AFL's representative in the first Super Bowl against the NFL champion Green Bay Packers.
1966: Dolphins Join the American Football League
In 1966, the Miami Dolphins joined the American Football League as an expansion team. They are a fierce rival of the Bills.
1967: Struggled heavily in AFL and NFL
From 1967 to 1987, the Buffalo Bills struggled heavily in the latter years of the AFL and for much of their first two decades in the NFL.
1967: Establishment of the Buffalo Jills
In 1967, the Buffalo Bills cheerleading squad, named the Buffalo Jills, was established.
1969: Number 31 Issued Temporarily
In 1969, reserve running back Preston Ridlehuber wore the number 31 jersey temporarily because his number 36 jersey was damaged.
1970: Joined NFL
In 1970, the Buffalo Bills joined the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger.
1970: Joined National Football League
In 1970, the Buffalo Bills joined the National Football League (NFL).
1971: Jack Kemp Elected to U.S. House of Representatives
In 1971, Jack Kemp, former Buffalo Bills quarterback, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Western New York.
1973: Blue pants introduced
In 1973, the Buffalo Bills introduced blue pants worn with the white jerseys, the last year of the standing buffalo helmet.
1974: Face mask on helmet
From 1974 through 1986, the face mask on the Buffalo Bills helmet was blue.
1974: Charging bison logo replacement
In 1974, the standing bison logo was replaced by a blue charging one with a red slanting stripe streaming from its horn. The newer emblem, still the primary one used by the franchise, was designed by aerospace designer Stevens Wright.
1974: Retained Running Bison logo
In 2002, the Buffalo Bills retained the running bison logo, helmet logo adopted in 1974.
1975: New Uniform Design Unveiled
For the 2011 season, the Buffalo Bills unveiled a new uniform design, an updated rendition of the 1975–83 design, which included a return to the white helmets with charging buffalo logo, and a return to royal blue instead of navy.
1979: Ed Rutkowski Serves as County Executive
From 1979, Ed Rutkowski, former backup quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, served as county executive of Erie County.
1981: Bills Playoff Win in 1981
In 1981, the Buffalo Bills had a playoff win against the New York Jets.
1982: Introduction of the Whammy Weenie
In 1982, a local grocery store introduced the Whammy Weenie as a promotional item, a maraca-like hot dog-shaped device, for Buffalo Bills fans to shake at the team's opponents.
April 27, 1984: Silver Anniversary Team Announced
On April 27, 1984, the Buffalo Bills announced the Silver Anniversary team to commemorate its 25th anniversary.
1984: John Murphy Color Commentator
From 1984 to 2003, John Murphy was the color commentator for most years before becoming the play-by-play announcer.
1984: Wore White at Home
In 1984, the Buffalo Bills sporadically wore white at home, including all eight home games, but stopped doing so beginning in 1987.
1984: Jets Move to New Jersey
In 1984, the New York Jets moved their home games to East Rutherford, New Jersey.
1984: Helmet color change
In 1984, the helmet's shell color was changed from white to red, primarily to help Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson distinguish them more readily from three of their division rivals at that time.
1985: Blue pants remained
In 1985, the Buffalo Bills blue pants remained through this year.
1985: End of the Buffalo Jills as an Official Team Organization
In 1985, the Buffalo Jills ceased to be an official organization directly managed by the Buffalo Bills.
1986: Face mask on helmet
From 1974 through 1986, the face mask on the Buffalo Bills helmet was blue.
1986: Jills Operate as Independent Organization
From 1986, the Buffalo Jills operated as an independent organization sponsored by various companies.
1986: Wore White at Home
On November 6, 2011, against the New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills wore white at home for the first time since 1986.
1987: Struggled heavily in AFL and NFL
From 1967 to 1987, the Buffalo Bills struggled heavily in the latter years of the AFL and for much of their first two decades in the NFL.
1987: "Shout" Becomes Official Promotional Song
From 1987, a variation of the Isley Brothers hit "Shout," recorded by Scott Kemper, served as the Buffalo Bills' official promotional song through the 1990s.
1987: End of Ed Rutkowski's time as County Executive
In 1987, Ed Rutkowski's time as Erie County executive ended.
1987: Stopped wearing white at home
The Buffalo Bills sporadically wore white at home in the 1980s, including all eight home games in 1984, but stopped doing so beginning in 1987.
1990: Super Bowl Appearance
Between 1990 and 1993, the Buffalo Bills appeared in a record four consecutive Super Bowls.
1990: Number 31 Reissued to James Williams
In 1990, first-round draft choice James Williams wore the number 31 for his first two seasons before it was returned to general circulation.
1992: Bills Win 1992 AFC Championship Game Against Dolphins
In 1992, the Buffalo Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game.
1992: The Comeback
In 1992, the Frank Reich-led Buffalo Bills overcame a 35-3 deficit to stun the Houston Oilers 41-38 in a game known as "The Comeback."
1993: Super Bowl Appearance
Between 1990 and 1993, the Buffalo Bills appeared in a record four consecutive Super Bowls.
1993: Bills Win 1993 AFC Championship Game
In 1993, the Buffalo Bills defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game to advance to their fourth straight Super Bowl appearance.
1993: AFC Championship Appearance
In the 2020 season, the Buffalo Bills reached the AFC Championship for the first time since the 1993 season, but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
1993: Patriots silver helmets
Since 1993, the New England Patriots have worn silver helmets.
1994: Pinto Ron's Streak Begins
In 1994, Ken "Pinto Ron" Johnson began his streak of attending every Buffalo Bills home and away game.
1995: Division Championship and Playoff Wins
The Buffalo Bills earned its first division championship and playoff wins since 1995 during the 2020 season.
1996: Jack Kemp Nominated for Vice President
In 1996, Jack Kemp, former Buffalo Bills quarterback, served as the Republican Party nominee for Vice President of the United States under Bob Dole.
1996: Jacksonville hands Buffalo its first playoff loss
Prior to 2017, Jacksonville handed Buffalo its first playoff loss in Bills Stadium in 1996.
1999: The Music City Miracle
In 1999, the Tennessee Titans scored on a near-last-minute kickoff return with a controversial lateral pass ruling to beat the Buffalo Bills 22-16 in a game known as the "Music City Miracle."
2000: Playoff Drought Start
Beginning in 2000, the Bills faced a 17-year playoff drought.
2002: Uniform Changes
In 2002, the Buffalo Bills' uniforms went through radical changes including a darker shade of blue was introduced as the primary jersey color, and nickel gray was introduced as an accent color.
2002: Mike Hollis Wore Number 1 in 2002
Prior to Emmanuel Sanders in 2021, it had been 19 years since number 1 had been worn in the regular season, when kicker Mike Hollis wore it in 2002.
2003: John Murphy Announcer
From 2003 to 2022, John Murphy was the play-by-play announcer.
2004: Missed postseason
In 2004, Mike Mularkey coached the Bills to a 9–7 record but missed the postseason.
2005: Resigned from the team
In 2005, Mike Mularkey coached the Bills to a 5–11 record. He resigned from the team following the season.
2005: Throwback Uniform Revival
In 2005, the Buffalo Bills revived the standing bison helmet and uniform of the mid-1960s as a throwback uniform.
2006: Stopped wearing blue-on-white
After 2006, the Buffalo Bills stopped wearing the blue-on-white combination.
2007: Stopped wearing white-on-blue
After 2007, the Buffalo Bills stopped wearing the white-on-blue combination.
2008: Renewed Interest in Bills-Chiefs Series
From 2008 to 2017, the Bills and Chiefs met in nine out of ten years, renewing interest in the series.
2008: Preseason Games Broadcast in High Definition
Since 2008, the Buffalo Bills' preseason games have been broadcast in high definition.
2009: Jauron dismissed
In 2009, Dick Jauron was dismissed after a 3–6 start to his fourth season as Bills coach.
2009: Berman Gives Induction Speech
In 2009, ESPN announcer Chris Berman gave the induction speech for Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson when Wilson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
2010: Beginning of "Bills Mafia"
In 2010, the "Bills Mafia" was organized via Twitter by Del Reid, Leslie Wille, and Breyon Harris.
November 6, 2011: Wore White at Home
On November 6, 2011, against the New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills wore white at home for the first time since 1986.
2011: New Uniform Design Unveiled
For the 2011 season, the Buffalo Bills unveiled a new uniform design, an updated rendition of the 1975–83 design, which included a return to the white helmets with charging buffalo logo, and a return to royal blue instead of navy.
April 3, 2012: New Nike Uniform Unveiled
On April 3, 2012, the Buffalo Bills' uniform received minor alterations as part of the league's new uniform contract with Nike. The new Nike uniform was unveiled on this day.
2012: Gailey fired
In 2012, Chan Gailey was fired after three consecutive last place finishes in the AFC East.
2012: WBBZ-TV Held the Rights
In 2012, WBBZ-TV held the broadcast rights to cable games.
2013: WBBZ-TV Held the Rights
In 2013, WBBZ-TV held the broadcast rights to cable games.
2013: Jills Operated as Independent Organization
In 2013, the Buffalo Jills operated as an independent organization sponsored by various companies.
2013: Doug Marrone hired
In the 2013 season, Doug Marrone was hired to be the Bills' head coach. The Bills went 6-10 that season.
2013: Stampede Drumline Serves
Since the last game of the 2013 season, the Stampede Drumline, known outside of Buffalo as Downbeat Percussion, has been the official marching band or drumline for the Bills.
October 8, 2014: Pegulas approved to acquire the Bills
On October 8, 2014, Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula received unanimous approval to acquire the Bills during the NFL owners' meetings.
2014: Doug Marrone Hired by Jacksonville Jaguars
After the 2014 season, Doug Marrone, who had quit the Buffalo Bills, was hired as a coaching assistant for the Jacksonville Jaguars and eventually rose to become the Jaguars' head coach.
2014: WKBW-TV Obtains Broadcast Rights
From 2014, WKBW-TV held the broadcast rights to Buffalo Bills games shown on cable, in accordance with the league's television policies.
2014: Terry Pegula Purchased the Bills
In 2014, Terry Pegula purchased the Buffalo Bills after the death of the original owner Ralph Wilson.
2014: William Fichtner Does Commercial
In 2014, actor William Fichtner did a commercial for the Buffalo Bills.
2014: Jills Suspend Operations
Prior to the 2014 season, the Buffalo Jills suspended operations due to legal actions.
November 12, 2015: Color Rush Uniform Initiative
On November 12, 2015, the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets became the first two teams to participate in the NFL's Color Rush uniform initiative, with Buffalo wearing an all-red combination for the first time in team history.
2015: Rex Ryan Hired as Head Coach
In 2015, Rex Ryan, former Jets' head coach, was hired as the next head coach of the Buffalo Bills. The team went 8-8 that season.
2015: William Fichtner Narrates ESPN 30 for 30 Documentary
In 2015, William Fichtner narrated the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on the Buffalo Bills' four Super Bowl appearances, titled "Four Falls of Buffalo".
2015: Jaguars Win London Game Against Bills
In 2015, the Doug Marrone-led Jacksonville Jaguars won 34-31 against the Buffalo Bills in a London game.
2016: Rex Ryan Dismissed
In 2016, Rex Ryan was dismissed with one game remaining in the season, and Anthony Lynn finished the season as interim coach for the Buffalo Bills. The team went 7-9 that season.
2016: Relocation of Team Programming to MSG Western New York
In 2016, team-related programming for the Buffalo Bills, including studio shows and the coach's show, was moved to MSG Western New York as part of a new rights deal.
2016: Playoff Drought End
In 2016, the Buffalo Bills' 17-year playoff drought ended.
December 29, 2017: Bills Uniforms at 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
On December 29, 2017, the United States men's national junior ice hockey team wore Buffalo Bills-inspired uniforms in their outdoor game against Team Canada at Highmark Stadium during the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
2017: "Bills Mafia" Grows to Represent Broader Community
By 2017, the phrase "Bills Mafia" had grown to unofficially represent the broad community surrounding and encompassing the Buffalo Bills team as a whole.
2017: Renewed Interest in Bills-Chiefs Series
From 2008 to 2017, the Bills and Chiefs met in nine out of ten years, renewing interest in the series.
2017: Castro Diagnosed with Spinal Tumor
In 2017, Ezra Castro (Pancho Billa) was diagnosed with a spinal tumor that had metastasized.
2017: WKBW-TV Continues to Hold Broadcast Rights
In 2017, WKBW-TV continued to hold the broadcast rights to Buffalo Bills games shown on cable, in accordance with the league's television policies, until the end of the season.
2017: Jaguars Defeat Bills in Wild Card Game
In 2017, the Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Buffalo Bills 10-3 in a low-scoring Wild Card game, marking the first Bills playoff appearance in 17 seasons.
2017: Return to Playoff Contention Since 2017
Since 2017, the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers) have returned to consistent playoff contention, resulting in several high-profile games.
2018: Castro Invited to NFL Draft
In 2018, Ezra Castro, also known as "Pancho Billa", was invited on stage during the NFL draft to read one of the Buffalo Bills' selections.
2018: Agreement with Nexstar Media Group
In 2018, the Buffalo Bills signed an agreement with Nexstar Media Group to broadcast Bills preseason games across their network of stations in the region.
2018: Bills Win "Rematch" Game Against Jaguars
In 2018, the Buffalo Bills won 24-21 in a "rematch" game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Trash talk from former Jaguars players such as Jalen Ramsey resulted in a brawl between the teams.
May 14, 2019: Death of Ezra Castro
Ezra Castro, also known as "Pancho Billa", a prominent Buffalo Bills fan, died on May 14, 2019.
2019: Number 32 Reissued in 2019
In 2019, number 32 was placed back into circulation after O. J. Simpson, with Senorise Perry wearing the number that year.
2019: Jets return to green helmets
In 2019, the New York Jets switched back to green-colored helmets, after playing 20 years with white ones.
2019: Allen-Mahomes Rivalry Emerges
Since 2019, a rivalry between Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes developed, particularly in the post-season.
2019: Number 95 Not Reissued After Kyle Williams' Retirement
Since the retirement of Kyle Williams in 2019, number 95 has not been reissued.
2020: WIVB-TV Becomes Flagship Station
In 2020, WIVB-TV became the flagship station for the Buffalo Bills' preseason game broadcasts, part of the Nexstar Media Group network.
2020: 2020 AFC Championship Game
In 2020, a high-profile post-season matchup occurred between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in the Championship Game.
2020: Fans Donate to Oishei Children's Hospital
In 2020, after a win over the Seattle Seahawks and news of Josh Allen's grandmother's passing, Buffalo Bills fans donated nearly $700,000 to the Oishei Children's Hospital.
2020: Bills File to Trademark "Bills Mafia" Name
In 2020, the Buffalo Bills organization filed to trademark the name "Bills Mafia."
2020: Socks Changed
In 2020, the striped socks for the Buffalo Bills' Color Rush uniforms were replaced with red socks without stripes.
2020: AFC Championship Appearance
In the 2020 season, the Buffalo Bills reached the AFC Championship for the first time since the 1993 season, but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
April 1, 2021: Team Announces White Face Masks
On April 1, 2021, the Buffalo Bills announced that they would wear white face masks during the upcoming season and beyond.
2021: Hosiery Usage Reduced
By 2021, the Buffalo Bills gradually reduced the usage of striped socks and began wearing either all-white or all-blue hosiery without stripes in most games.
2021: Emmanuel Sanders Wore Number 1 in 2021
In 2021, Emmanuel Sanders wore number 1 in a one-year stint with the Buffalo Bills.
2021: 2021 Divisional Round Game
In 2021, a high-profile post-season matchup occurred between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional round game, considered one of the greatest playoff games of all time but was also controversial due to the league's overtime rules.
2021: Jaguars Upset Bills
In 2021, the 15.5-point favorite Buffalo Bills lost 9-6 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in what was the seventh largest upset at the time in NFL history.
2021: Bills Dominate Patriots in Playoffs
In 2021, the Buffalo Bills dominated the New England Patriots in a 47-17 victory, which was the two teams' first playoff match-up in 59 years, and is the only "perfect offensive game" in NFL history.
2021: Formation of Water Buffalo Club 716
In 2021, the Water Buffalo Club 716, a community of over 2,000 Buffalo Bills supporters from around the world, was founded by Therese Forton-Barnes.
2021: AFC East Win
In the 2021 season, the Buffalo Bills won the AFC East with a 11–6 record, defeating the Patriots in the Wild Card Round before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.
March 3, 2022: Settlement Reached with the Buffalo Jills
On March 3, 2022, the Buffalo Bills reached a settlement with the Buffalo Jills, agreeing to pay $3.5 million, while Cumulus Media paid $4 million in stock options while admitting no wrongdoing.
2022: John Murphy Announcer
From 2003 to 2022, John Murphy was the play-by-play announcer.
2022: Kim Pegula brain injury
In 2022, Kim Pegula was incapacitated by a vascular brain injury, and a portion of her stake in the team was transferred to her stepdaughter Laura.
2022: Won AFC East and Hamlin's injury
In the 2022 season, the Buffalo Bills won the AFC East with a 13–3 record; a game against the Bengals was cancelled due to Damar Hamlin's medical episode.
2023: 2023 Bills Lost to Chiefs
In 2023, the Buffalo Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 24–27 in a divisional round game as Bills kicker Tyler Bass missed the game-tying field goal attempt wide right, a play that evoked memories of Scott Norwood missing the game-winning field goal attempt in Super Bowl XXV.
2023: AFC East Win
In the 2023 season, the Buffalo Bills won the AFC East for the fourth consecutive season.
2023: Connor J. McGovern Wears Number 66
Since 2023, Connor J. McGovern wears the number 66 of Billy Shaw.
October 15, 2024: Marquez Valdes-Scantling Released on October 15, 2024
Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling last wore number 15 in 2024 before being released on October 15, 2024.
December 2024: Partial sale of team stake
In December 2024, a 20% stake in the Buffalo Bills team was sold to a coalition of private equity investors and former Toronto athletes Jozy Altidore, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.
December 22, 2024: Bills Debut New Uniform Combination
On December 22, 2024, the Buffalo Bills debuted a brand new uniform combination consisting of their red Color Rush uniform and white pants.
2024: Bills-Jets Series Lead in 2024
As of 2024, the Buffalo Bills lead the series against the New York Jets with a record of 71-58.
2024: Bills-Dolphins Rivalry Status in 2024
As of 2024, the Miami Dolphins lead the overall series against the Buffalo Bills 62-60-1, but Buffalo has the advantage in the playoffs at 4-1. Recently, the teams have often competed for the division title since Tua Tagovailoa became Miami's quarterback, despite Buffalo's 13-2 record over the Dolphins under Josh Allen.
2024: Patriots lead the series as of 2024
As of 2024, the Patriots lead the series 79–51–1, but trail the Bills by a 48–47–1 margin without Brady on the field.
2024: Rasul Douglas Wore Number 31 Through 2024 Season
Cornerback Rasul Douglas most recently wore the number 31 through the 2024 season.
2024: Bills Fans Support Tua Tagovailoa's Charity
Following a 2024 game between the Bills and Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills fans helped raise $18,000 for Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's charity, The Tua Foundation, after Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during the game.
2024: Minority stake purchased by investors
In 2024, a coalition of private equity funds and investors purchased a minority stake in the Buffalo Bills team.
2024: Bills Adopt "Mr. Brightside" as Hype Song
In 2024, the Buffalo Bills offensive players began a tradition of singing along to "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers as a hype song, usually in the fourth quarter, and remained undefeated at home after its introduction.
2024: Bills Win Against Jaguars on Monday Night Football
In 2024, the Buffalo Bills won 47-10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football.
2024: Chiefs Win 2024 AFC Championship Game
In 2024, the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC Championship Game and advanced to their fifth Super Bowl appearance in six years.
2024: Won another AFC East title
In the 2024 season, the Buffalo Bills finished with a 13–4 record and won another AFC East title.
January 2025: Nicholas Morrow Waived in January 2025
Linebacker Nicholas Morrow most recently wore number 32 until he was waived in January 2025.
2026: New stadium planned
In 2024, the Buffalo Bills announced plans to build a new stadium to replace Highmark Stadium to be ready by 2026.
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