For Buffalo Bills fans, there is just one thing we want to see: the Bills win a Super Bowl before we die. For a city that’s seemingly sports-cursed, that remains a tall order. Notwithstanding, the Bills have the most loyal, feverish fan base in the entire NFL, and perhaps all of sports. The question remains: why? Why do fans love this team so much despite years of heartache? That’s what the upcoming Tubi docuseries Just One Before I Die is going to show us… and be prepared. This showcase of what it means to be “Bills Mafia” is going to make you laugh, cry, and instill newfound respect (and/or pride in) the folks of Western New York.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the brain trust behind the series: executive producers (life-long Bills fan and actor) Chad Michael Murray and (NFL Hall of Famer and Buffalo Bills legend) Andre Reed, and Just One Before I Die showrunners/directors Addison Henderson and Kevin Polwy. So, what does it mean to be Bills Mafia?
Just One Before I Die: Being a Buffalo Bills fan
“You can’t tell the story without going to the fans’ mouths,” Chad Michael Murray tells us. “That’s what’s so unique about the story. There’s so many people from all walks of life, everywhere. To see the fans come out and do their thing every Sunday… it’s a blessing, it’s an honor, and think that this documentary just tells their story.”
Andre Reed joked he’d like to tailgate with one particular fan who had “no filter,” a trait common to Bills Mafia. Another prevailing theme, though, is just how much the Buffalo Bills truly mean to their fans. It’s not just a team, It’s an integral part of Bills’ fans’ lives, their personas. Just One Before I Die also shows how fans draw inspiration from the team, even in their darkest and most emotional lows.
An emotional connection like no other
“We wanted to make this a character study from the beginning,” said Polowy. “We wanted to get at the heart of what drive people into such obsessive qualities when it comes to sports fandom.” It was important to highlight the fandom at a deeper level than what people see perhaps on television or at a tailgate party. “It was really important for us [in making Just One Before I Die] to find stories that were not out there… that showed the power of sports to be so much more than a game to people.” They found that especially with one fan in particular battling late-stage cancer.
Make no mistake: the emotional attachment Bills Mafia has with the Buffalo Bills is very real. The stories you’ll see drive that fact home, and you’ll be changed for it. One thing about Bills Mafia on full display in the series is the sense of community that spans not only western New York, but the fandom globally. (Even all the way to Japan!)
“I hope that if anything people get a sense for what Buffalo really is. It’s a hard-working, blue-collar, shirt-off-your back, will do anything for each other community, “ Murray emphasized. “I think that the world itself can learn from that. Let’s all take care of each other. Let’s all lift each other up. Spread light, love and positivity. That’s what you’re going to get out of the doc.”
He’s not wrong in any way. As Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen told us: be good, do good, God bless, and go Bills.
Just One Before I Die premiers on Tubi today, Wednesday, October 21.
Reviews