Once again, Bills Mafia has created a positive out of a negative.
Over the last few days, the Bills fan community has come together to raise over $60,000 (at the time of writing) for Breakthrough T1D, a non-profit organization devoted to Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy and a charity that Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has supported in the past.
Buffalo eliminated the Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs on Sunday night, in part thanks to a couple of misplays – including a brutal drop – by Andrews. In the aftermath of the game, Andrews was the victim of online hate and vitriol for what Ravens fans (and bettors) perceived as a game-losing play.
In response, Bills fan Nicholas Howard launched a GoFundMe to raise money for Breakthrough T1D.
‘As many of you know Ravens TE wasn’t able to catch the the game-tying 2-point conversion and upset Ravens fans,’ Howard wrote in the fundraiser description. ‘On top of that the TE has been receiving death threats and nasty comments after his performance last night. We want Bills Mafia to donate to Mark’s charity for [type 1] diabetes. Let’s reach a goal of at least 5k.’
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As of Wednesday morning, the GoFundMe has raised over $63,000.
It received enough attention for the Ravens to respond from their official account on social media site X.
‘Shout out to Bills Mafia for showing support to our guy Mark Andrews and donating to the [Breakthrough T1D]organization,’ they post reads.
Breakthrough T1D also thanked Bills fans in a statement sent to ESPN.
‘Breakthrough T1D greatly appreciates the generosity of the Buffalo Bills community and the many fans who were compelled to donate after Sunday’s game,’ it said. ‘These donations will support research and advocacy on behalf of the 1.6 million Americans who, like Mark Andrews, live with type 1 diabetes.’
According to the Ravens’ website, the decision to make Breakthrough T1D the charity of choice for Bills Mafia’s generosity was a great one.
‘The organization is near and dear to Andrews, who was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes at 9 years old and still deals with it every day,’ wrote Ravens Editorial Director Ryan Mink. ‘He checks his blood-sugar levels between each offensive series.
‘Andrews has been outspoken in his advocacy around the issue and served as a Breakthrough T1D youth ambassador.’
This fundraiser is only the latest example of Bills Mafia’s outpouring of charitable support.
In 2018, Bills fans donated over $100,000 Andy Dalton’s charity, the AJD Foundation, after the quarterback led the Bengals to a Week 17 win (coincidentally, over the Ravens) that helped the Bills clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 1999.