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 East Division of the American Football Conference.[1] Founded in 1959 by Ralph Wilson, they were a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) and joined the NFL in 1970 following the AFL–NFL merger.[2][3][4][5] The Bills' name is derived from an All-America Football Conference franchise from Buffalo that was in turn named after western frontiersman Buffalo Bill.[6][7] Since 1973 they have played their home games at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.[1]
In their time in the AFL from 1960 to 1969, the Bills reached the AFL Championship three consecutive times from 1964 to 1966, winning twice in 1964 and 1965. They did not return to the postseason until 1974 nor win a division title until 1980.
The Bills won the AFC East in 1988 under third-year coach Marv Levy to reach their third postseason in the 1980s. They lost in the AFC Championship (their first championship appearance in AFC history), but it would be the first of six consecutive playoff appearances. In the 1990 season, they won the AFC Championship to reach their first Super Bowl. They lost in Super Bowl XXV. They reached the next three Super Bowls with victories in the AFC Championship. They became the first team (and as of 2024, only team) to reach the Super Bowl four straight times. They made the playoffs four more times from 1995 to 1999, but they did not reach the playoffs from 2000 to 2016. In 2017, they returned to the postseason under new head coach Sean McDermott. They won their first division title in over 25 years in 2020, where they returned to the AFC Championship.
In 64 seasons of the franchise, the Bills have reached the playoffs 23 times.
- ^ a b c "Buffalo Bills". National Football League. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Other football leagues of the past". ESPN. December 12, 2008. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Team Facts". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ Carter, Bob. "Rozelle made NFL what it is today". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Important Dates in Bills History: Oct. 28, 1959. Buffalo granted AFL franchise". Buffalo Bills. October 28, 2016. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
- ^ "Important dates in Bills history: How the Bills got their name". Buffalo Bills. November 30, 2015. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- ^ "Important Dates in Bills History: Nov. 30, 1959. Bills team name adopted". Buffalo Bills. November 29, 2016. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2024.