Video: Bills Fan Erupts in Flames as Pre-Game Tradition Goes Wrong
An unidentified man went up in flames before Sunday's game when a Bills Mafia pre-game tradition went awry.
Before the game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Bills Mafia tradition in which members are body-slammed onto a folding table took a horrifying turn as several fans went up in flames.
Bills fans are known for their diverse and sometimes extreme pre-game rituals, but Sunday’s took tailgating even further as the Bills Mafia attempted to meld their body slams with John Cena’s signature stunt of jumping over a burning table.
The most widely circulated clip of the event involves a gentleman in a Detroit Lions sweater who is seen being body-slammed from the back of the truck onto the table. For a moment the fire appears to be extinguished, but as the man rises he is engulfed in flames. He runs into the crowd of onlookers, one of whom tackles the burning man to the ground and tries to put out the flames.
The man in the clip has not been identified, nor is his condition known.
Buffalo Bills fan gets slammed through a fire table and his ass catches on fire #nfl #nflplayoffs #nfltwitter #billsmafia #buffalo #bills #KCvsBUF pic.twitter.com/KewXwhs93u
— Bay Area Super fans (@ScumbagPolite) January 21, 2024
The clips have gone viral, with the unfortunate Lions fan drawing much ire due to his choice of jerseys. However, Bills fans setting themselves on fire isn’t new. A similar, though less circulated, video made news in 2016 during a spate of extreme behavior from Bills Mafia members. The clip shows a Bills fan jumping onto a burning table twice in a row.
Another video, reportedly also from Sunday, shows two Bills fans jumping from the bed of a pickup onto a burning table before becoming entirely engulfed in flames. After extinguishing themselves on the ground, they rose to hearty congratulations from their comrades.
Bills fan jumps through a table on fire and catches fire himself!! OMG!!! ???????????????????????? recorded by me. #billsmafia #buffalobills #billsvschiefs #billsfan #crazyfan #memeoftheday @BuffaloBills @NFL pic.twitter.com/Hpz1f4Iche
— Vincent Lopez (@Headshot_Vinny) January 21, 2024
After 2016’s fiery incident, the Bills organization released a statement urging fans to prioritize safety. "Act responsibly both inside and outside the stadium, and if you see something, say something," the organization requested.