Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills: Four-time AFC champions, four-time Super Bowl runners-up, and the heart of western New York football.
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team plays its home games at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Founded in 1959 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL), the team joined the NFL in 1970 after the AFL–NFL merger. The team's name is taken from an All-America Football Conference (AAFC) franchise from Buffalo that was named after western frontiersman Buffalo Bill. Drawing much of its fanbase from western New York and neighboring southern Ontario, the Bills are the only NFL team that plays home games in the state of New York. The franchise is owned by Terry Pegula, who purchased the Bills after the death of the original owner Ralph Wilson in 2014, and a coalition of private equity funds and investors who purchased a minority stake in the team in 2024. The Bills advanced to the AFL Championship Game three years in a row from 1964 to 1966, winning the first two—the only major professional sports championships for a team representing Buffalo. They struggled heavily in the latter years of the AFL and for much of their first two decades in the NFL, tallying only five winning seasons and three postseason berths from 1967 to 1987. They became perennial postseason contenders in the late 1980s; from 1990 to 1993, they appeared in a record four consecutive Super Bowls and lost each one. From the early 2000s to the mid-2010s, the Bills endured the longest playoff drought in the four major North American professional sports, a 17-year span that made them the last franchise in the four leagues to qualify for the postseason in the 21st century. They returned to consistent postseason contention by the late 2010s, but not the Super Bowl. Their four Super Bowl appearances are the most among NFL franchises that have not won the Super Bowl, a record they share with the Minnesota Vikings. In 2024, the Bills became one of the first NFL teams to sell part of their franchise to outside private equity investors. 20.6% of the team interest was sold at a valuation of $5.6 billion, including 10% to the American investment group Arctos Partners LP.
- Division
- AFC East
- Season Record Goal
- Improve on 12–5
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The Bills began competitive play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League led by head coach Buster Ramsey and joined the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. In the first two seasons, the Bills went 5–8–1 and 6–8 under Ramsey. The Bills won two consecutive American Football League titles in 1964 and 1965 with quarterback Jack Kemp and coach Lou Saban, but the club has yet to win a league championship since. Once the AFL–NFL merger took effect, the Bills became the second NFL team to represent the city; they followed the Buffalo All-Americans, a charter member of the league. Buffalo had been left out of the league since the All-Americans (by that point renamed the Bisons) folded in 1929; the Bills were no less than the third professional non-NFL team to compete in the city before the merger, After the Indians/Tigers of the early 1940s and an earlier team named the Bills, originally the Bisons, in the late 1940s in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). After the AFL–NFL merger, the Bills were generally mediocre in the 1970s but featured All-Pro running back O. J. Simpson. After being pushed to the brink of failure in the mid-1980s, the collapse of the United States Football League and a series of highly drafted players such as Jim Kelly (who initially played for the USFL instead of the Bills), Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and Darryl Talley allowed the Bills to rebuild into a perennial contender in the late 1980s through the mid-1990s under head coach Marv Levy, a period in which the team won four consecutive AFC Championships; the team nevertheless lost all four subsequent Super Bowls, records in both categories that still stand. The rise of the division rival New England Patriots under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, along with numerous failed attempts at rebuilding in the 2000s and 2010s, helped prevent the Bills from reaching the playoffs in seventeen consecutive seasons between 2000 and 2016, a 17-year drought that was the longest active playoff drought in all major professional sports at the time. Mike Mularkey coached the Bills in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He went 9–7 but missed the postseason in 2004 and 5–11 in 2005. He resigned from the team after the 2005 season. From 2006 to 2009, the Bills were coached by Dick Jauron. After three consecutive 7–9 seasons, Jauron was dismissed after a 3–6 start to his fourth season. Perry
In Their Own Story
The atmosphere shifted dramatically in January 2026 when the final whistle blew on an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, ending a run that saw the Bills finish 12–5. The immediate aftermath brought swift change; head coach Sean McDermott was fired on January 19, 2026. The organization looked inward for its replacement, turning to Joe Brady. Having joined the staff as quarterbacks coach in 2022 and stepping up as interim offensive coordinator in November 2023, Brady had spent the last two full seasons shaping the offense under McDermott. On January 27, 2026, he officially signed a five-year contract to become head coach. As the team prepares for this new chapter, they face a unique logistical challenge: their home games will now take place at Highmark Stadium, a new facility replacing the old stadium of the same name that is being demolished. The goal is clear—improve upon the 12–5 record and win an eighth straight season while securing another AFC East title.
Reader's Guide
The Bills play at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The team's colors are Honolulu blue, silver, and white. The standing red bison logo was introduced in 1962.
Did You Know?
- The Bills are the only NFL team that plays home games in the state of New York.
- The Bills won two consecutive AFL titles in 1964 and 1965.
- The Bills appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls from 1990 to 1993, losing each one.
- The Bills' 17-year playoff drought from 2000 to 2016 was the longest in major North American professional sports at the time.
- In 2024, the Bills became one of the first NFL teams to sell part of their franchise to outside private equity investors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Buffalo Bills in the context of Patriots history?
The Buffalo Bills serve as the Patriots' arch-rivals within the AFC East, engaging in a geographic and competitive feud that has defined Northeastern football for generations. Since their inaugural post-merger matchup in 1970, these franchises have clashed over 130 times to battle for divisional dominance.
How has the balance of power shifted between New England and Buffalo?
The rivalry features distinct eras of supremacy, starting with Buffalo's historic run of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the 1990s before New England took over during the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick dynasty. This oscillation creates a compelling narrative where both teams have repeatedly dethroned one another to claim AFC East titles.
What are the most memorable playoff moments in this rivalry?
Postseason clashes have produced legendary drama, including Buffalo's 1990 divisional round win and New England's miraculous comeback victory in the 2016 AFC Championship Game. The intensity persisted into the modern era with a critical 2020 playoff series that showcased the enduring competitiveness between the two squads.
Why is this rivalry considered so important to NFL culture?
This matchup transcends standard divisional play by representing a century-long struggle for regional pride, marked by heartbreak and glory that shapes both franchises' identities. The sheer volume of high-stakes games and legendary individual performances makes it one of the most enduring and emotionally charged feuds in professional sports history.
How extensive is the meeting history between these two teams?
The Patriots and Bills have faced off more than 130 times across regular-season and postseason contests, reflecting a frequency of play that underscores their status as inescapable adversaries. This vast record highlights how consistently both organizations have risen to relevance, ensuring the rivalry remains a staple of the NFL calendar.
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