would offer a sly homage to the cover of “Green Eggs and Ham.” Each would be created by a different Buffalo-adjacent artist, with proceeds going to a different family in need, beginning with a Bills fan whose daughter had eye cancer.
In a private parking lot across the street from Highmark, 65-year-old Ken Johnson is soberly dressed and soberly comported. “My costume is a hat,” says the gray-bearded Johnson, better known to the Bills Mafia as Pinto Ron because he grills on the hood of his 1980 Ford Pinto wagon and 25 years ago was misidentified as “Ron” in anAt Hammer’s Lot, there’s no drinking from Wiffle ball bats or funnels. Bowling balls, though, get the O.K.
Parked next to Pinto Ron, operating out of an off-white 2002 Dodge Ram van, his pal Pizza Pete is making pies inside of a filing cabinet, jerk chicken inside of a rusted mailbox, Italian wedding soup inside of a watering can inside of a wheelbarrow, and pulled pork in the oil pan of a Buick Regal. By now a crowd has gathered around Pinto Ron, hundreds of Bills and Vikings fans jockeying for position around the Pinto where—90 minutes before kickoff, by longstanding custom—he will be doused in ketchup and mustard, dozens of squeeze bottles aimed at him as if he were facing a fast-food firing squad.
And besides, Bills Mafia has so much more to offer than spectacles on social media. “We had been taking on this image of table-crashing, this negative image of stupid Buffalo things,” says Pinto Ron. “Then the charity stuff took over. Now it overshadows the table-crashing.” After Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson was concussed against Buffalo last season, the Bills Mafia donated another half a million dollars to Jackson’s favorite charity, Blessings in a Backpack, which provides food for children when they’re not in school. “Bills Mafia showed amazing generosity by helping so many kids in need,” the QB said. But the truth is: Almost any worthy cause might benefit.
SteveRushin Thank You for this SteveRushin. Bengals fan here, didn’t know anything about Bills fans beyond table crashing until the horror of Damar’s incident. Then I saw the incredible response of BillsMafia . I’m so impressed. You all bring tears to my eyes. ❤️
BillsQBwatch SteveRushin I have one, and only problem with this, SI... Wegmans is a ROCHESTER based Grocery chain... other than that, well done.
SteveRushin DelReid LOVE IT!!! 🫶🏼
26shirts SteveRushin DelReid this is so nice!!!
SteveRushin ....hey, i know him!!!! CaptainBuffalo GoBills