Buffalo Bills fans are rather notorious for their sense of humor. In recent years, they have also become known for their charitable spirit. Both of those things were on display this week in the wake of the team’s overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Bills fell victim to several controversial penalties, including one pass interference call in overtime that was the subject of extensive scrutiny. Undeterred, Bills fans began donating money to Visually Impaired Advancement, a non-profit organization that aids those suffering from vision loss. Many of the donations came in $17 increments, a reference to Josh Allen’s jersey number, and were made in honor of NFL referees.
Thank you, #BillsMafia members, for donating $17!
While we recognize that NFL referees are not visually impaired, $17 makes an impact on VIA to help individuals who are visually impaired. If you would like to donate to VIA, go to https://t.co/YzjDkTzPaH.#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/uCCT1pDBgb— VIA: Visually Impaired Advancement (@viawny) December 14, 2021
Bills fans had donated over $40,000 to the charity as of Wednesday evening, according to Abby Fridmann of WIVB News 4.
This marks the latest in a series of high-profile charity drives by Bills fans. When then-Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton helped put the Bills in the playoffs in the final week of the 2017 season, his charity was showered with cash from Bills fans. They also raised a huge sum of money in honor of Allen’s grandmother, and even helped Lamar Jackson’s favorite charity after the Ravens quarterback was injured in a playoff loss to Buffalo.
