Where Does "Bills Mafia" Come From?
"Bills Mafia" is a term you hear people use to when referring to Bills fans. The term was first used over 10 years ago when a Bills fan replied to an Adam Schefter tweet. After Del Reid, the "Godfather" of Bills Mafia, replied to the tweet he and some of his friends found themselves blocked by Schefter on Twitter.
Back in November 2010, then Buffalo Bills wide receiver, Stevie Johnson dropped what would have been a game winning touchdown. He then blamed God on Twitter. Adam Schefter, an NFL analyst, retweeted the tweet about a day after. Reid's friend started the hashtag #SchefterBreakingNews and some who used it got blocked by Schefter. Then, in April 2011, Reid used the term "Bills Mafia" to describe those who got blocked.
Now in 2023, Reid is the founder of 26 Shirts, a clothing store in Buffalo, and says he never expected to be in the role he is today. "I was waiting for a pizza to be ready on a Friday night and I just typed it in as a joke. 12 years later, here I am," he said.
Reid, who used to work at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, says he is dedicated to giving back to the community of Buffalo. "We sell limited edition t-shirts and everything you buy off of our website goes to a different family or charity. We have been able to raise over $1.6 million dollars," he said.
26 Shirts can be found at: www.26shirts.com