Not For the Faint of Heart: A Buffalo Bills Fan’s Letter to His 5-Year-Old Self | by Bobby Mullins | Oct, 2025
Like so many other things, there is a redemption story within the franchise. A modernized version of those classic uniforms and colors, as well as new owners will breathe life back into a sleepwalking franchise. The fan base that has always been there starts to wake up, grow louder and seen more by the general public. The Bills Mafia takes center stage and provides endless hours of insane, questionable entertainment. The 18-year playoff drought is ended, and playoffs start to become the norm once again. The team drafts a quarterback who seems to be the missing piece to bring the team back to its former winning ways of yesteryear. The fans and the experts were not exactly sure what to expect from this modern-day gunslinger, but 8 years in, it was most definitely the right decision.
Unfortunately, as much as you are able to enjoy the playoff wins that are now almost expected, you can’t escape the heartbreak that is coming up short of a Super Bowl Berth 4 out of the last 5 years in the playoffs thanks to the Chiefs.
During this time also you start coming to the realization you are slowly inching closer and closer to 40- and middle-aged status, you start remembering the road you have traveled in your fandom, what makes it special, and why it’s always been the Bills.
You think of the 5-year-old kid in the picture. On that day, he went to school, and the teacher had asked every kid to dress up as their favorite character. You wanted to be a Buffalo Bills player. There were few things in life that you wanted more at that time. Your mom helped you with the eye black and made sure that oversized helmet was firmly affixed to your head before leaving for school. But then, she stopped and made sure to snap a picture to capture the memory, and likely because at some point during your life, you would find the picture, and it would trigger something in you.
You will always be this kid in this picture.
*****
I have always tried my best to be the most authentic version of myself, and hopefully this story is no different. I don’t write on here as much as I used to, but I felt this was something important enough to share.
If you have goals or dreams, don’t be afraid to chase them down. One day, you will wake up, and realize you are 40 years old, and that’s a really, really long time. The good thing is, it’s never too late to try and cross something off the list, and bring back all those incredible feelings and emotions that life gives us. It’s what makes us all human. The good, the bad, all of it. It’s part of the journey and you have to embrace it.
When it was announced that this year would be the final year of the Bills playing in their current stadium (the only one I have ever known them to play home games in during my lifetime), my wife and I made the decision to try and make an attempt to get us to a game before it was too late. When the schedule came out, we took it as a sign, it had to happen no matter what. Wedding anniversary weekend, Bills. Chiefs. Our respective favorite teams. Somebody knew this had to happen. I give a lot of credit to my wife for not letting me back out of this and being the voice of reason as I no less than 17 times tried to back out of this experience for one reason or another. This weekend will certainly be one for the books, and I sure hope we send Patrick and Bozo Brother home with a loss.
Circling the wagons, forever and always. Let’s go Buffalo.
