It was a dream many years within the making as longtime Payments fan flies 2K miles for first recreation – Democrat and Chronicle

This story is a part of a year-long sequence from the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle documenting the Buffalo Bills’ last season within the present Highmark Stadium. Comply with alongside this yr as we chronicle the crew’s ups and downs, fan recollections and extra.
When the Buffalo Bills took the sphere for warmups on Thursday evening, Brady Scott Hale stopped in his tracks and turned towards the tunnel like he was being summoned by an inescapable pressure.
Entranced, Hale — sporting a Josh Allen jersey and Payments Mafia hat and sporting a Payments emblem shaved into the again of his head — raised each palms as much as his face, cupping them round both facet of his mouth, and launched a loud cheer.
This can be a second he is been dreaming of since he was a younger boy.
Earlier than Thursday, the lifelong Payments fan had by no means been to Highmark Stadium and till three days prior, had by no means set foot in Buffalo both.
There are different first-timers gathered right here, too, whose eyes widened and jaws dropped after they took their first steps out of the concourse, relishing within the breathtaking discipline earlier than them.
It is the final season for anybody to have a divine expertise on this area, and attending a game at Highmark is a rite of passage for Bills fans. In only one recreation, the newcomers will be taught to rise from their seats after media timeouts as in the event that they’re readying to recite the following prayer throughout Mass. They will instinctively be part of the refrain of cheers and boos and throw their palms up with each “shout” within the Shout music like their life relies on it.
And so they’ll stroll away having had a soul-level expertise, it doesn’t matter what the Payments’ ultimate level tally on the towering scoreboards seems to be.
Hale, an Arizona native, grew up watching Payments video games in a Payments backer-type bar in Chandler, southeast of Phoenix, began by a pair from Buffalo in 1979 who served up Buffalo-style rooster wings with blue cheese.
His household has been in Arizona “longer than the Cardinals have” and are a combined bag in the case of crew loyalty. Mother is a Dallas Cowboys fan; dad would quite watch faculty soccer. The Payments have a maintain on one in all Hale’s uncles.
A few of Hale’s first soccer recollections are of the Bills’ 1991 Super Bowl against the New York Giants, which occurred to be the right indoctrination into the tumultuous world of being a Payments fan.
“There is a sure sense of pleasure and loyalty in being a Payments fan and it simply resonated with me,” Hale mentioned.
Hale’s devotion solely grew stronger when Ryan Fitzpatrick joined the crew in 2009. Hale’s older brother performed fullback for the previous Payments quarterback from seventh grade via senior yr of highschool in Gilbert, Arizona and has stored in contact over time.
It was becoming then that Fitzpatrick happened to be covering Thursday’s game towards the Miami Dolphins for Amazon. The 2 had a quick reunion at an Orchard Park brewery the evening earlier than.
“It was nice to see Ryan once more,” Hale mentioned. “He is the identical man on a regular basis. That is why everybody loves Ryan.”
For all of Hale’s private connections to the crew, he was by no means capable of make it to the hallowed floor of Highmark Stadium.
Over a few years, the 40-year-old fan could not watch most Payments video games on tv dwell until the crew made it to the playoffs, for the reason that NFL Sunday Ticket “wasn’t in a younger man’s finances.” He made do following alongside on ESPN and later via the unique voice of the Payments — John Murphy — on the Payments app.
Fortunately for him and all Payments followers, his day had come and he lastly made it to the homeland.
“I am unable to wait to expertise the tradition I have been researching and claiming to be part of my complete life and I’ve by no means even been there,” Hale mentioned.
Thursday’s recreation was nearer than anybody anticipated. The Dolphins have been the primary crew to place factors on the board, the Payments protection struggled on third down and Payments kicker Matt Prater flung a 39-yard discipline purpose try extensive left within the second quarter.
However a badly-timed Miami roughing-the-punter name and an interception by Payments linebacker Terrel Bernard within the fourth-quarter helped solidify the Bills’ 31-21 win.
By all of it, Hale’s religion within the crew by no means faltered.
“I knew in the future Buffalo could be again to good and I wished to be there for that day,” Hale mentioned.
Have a good time the ultimate season at Highmark Stadium with Farewell to The Ralph: Remembering The place We Cheered, Froze, Cried and Bonded—a 208-page souvenir capturing 5 many years of unforgettable Buffalo Payments moments, fan devotion and stadium legacy. Preorder now at https://BillsStadium.PictorialBook.com to save lots of 20%.
Emily Barnes experiences on consumer-related points for the USA TODAY Community’s New York Join Crew, however sometimes, as a licensed member of the Mafia, tries her hand at masking the Payments and their followers. Comply with her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in contact at ebarnes@gannett.com.

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