Josh Allen first noticed the donations pouring into John R. Oishei Children's Hospital on Sunday night, hours after leading the Bills to a 44-34 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
At that point, Bills fans had contributed $5,000 in memory of Patricia Allen. The Bills quarterback saw the total and thought it was an incredible amount donated in his late grandmother's honor.
The number had surpassed $300,000 by the time he met with the media on Wednesday.
"Words can't really describe how I feel, how my family feels," Allen said. "Every time I call my parents and let them know the new number, they just start bawling all over again. To know that people care and that so much good is coming out of a tough situation, it means the world to myself, it means the world to my family.
"It just shows how this Bills community and this Buffalo community rally around each other. That's what they've been known for and that's what they're still known for. … Everybody who supported and donated, I can't thank them enough. I mean, it's overwhelming, for sure. But so much good is coming out of, like I said, a tough situation that you can't help but smile at it. It's unbelievable."
Allen learned of his grandmother's unexpected passing on Saturday, but only a small group of coaches and teammates had been made aware by the time he took the field against a Seattle. He was firm in his decision to play, a choice he said was made with the woman he calls "Grammy" in mind.
Patricia Allen, Josh said, was a kind-hearted woman beloved for her cooking and her love for family. She was also a fervent supporter of the Bills and her grandson.
"All I kept telling myself was she would want me to play and she would want me to play how I usually play, the fun that I have out there and the sense of pride that I have when I put on that uniform and I represent the Buffalo Bills and, on my back, represent my family," Allen said. "That's all I could tell myself was I'm doing this for her, and I knew she was with me on the field."
Allen tied his career high with 415 pass yards and accounted for four touchdowns. He became the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to have two games in the same season with 400-plus pass yards, three-plus pass touchdowns, no interceptions, and a rating of at least 130.
He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season Wednesday.
Scroll through to see the best photos from Buffalo's practice as they prepare for Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Harrison Phillips (99). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) and Gabriel Davis (13). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Norman (29). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Siran Neal (33) and Dean Marlowe (31). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Norman (29). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Daryl Williams (75) and Bryan Cox Jr (51). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) celebrates with Isaiah McKenzie and Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) sneaks in from the sidelines to steal the ball from Dean Marlowe (31). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Levi Wallace (39). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jordan Poyer (21). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Christian Wade (45). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). And Matt Barkley (5). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dane Jackson (30). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Ty Nsekhe (77) and Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jon Feliciano (76). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Heath Farwell and special teams. Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) sneaks in from the sidelines to steal the ball from Dean Marlowe (31). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Offensive line. Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Reid Ferguson (69). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Norman (29). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Deon Lacey (40). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Quinton Jefferson (90) and Justin Zimmer (61). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jordan Devey (68). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Zack Moss (20). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tyler Bass (2). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tyler Kroft (81). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dawson Knox (88) and Tyler Kroft (81). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Reid Ferguson (69) snaps to Corey Bojorquez (9) and Tyler Bass (2). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Zack Moss (20). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Mitch Morse (60). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jordan Poyer (21) and Levi Wallace (39). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14), Kelly Skipper and Devin Singletary (26). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) and Davis Webb (7). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Ryan Bates (71), Devin Singletary (26), Mitch Morse (60). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Gabriel Davis (13). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Cole Beasley (11). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Norman (29). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) and Matt Barkley (5). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Andre Roberts (18). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (19). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jordan Poyer (21). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dane Jackson (30). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Norman (29). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17), Isaiah McKenzie (19) and Matt Barkley (5). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17) and Ken Dorsey. Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jordan Poyer (21). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Micah Hyde (23). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dion Dawkins (73) and Jon Feliciano (76). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Mario Addison (97). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Ty Nsekhe (77). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
A.J. Klein (54). Buffalo Bills Week 10 practice, November 11, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
"To go out there and play for her and do it in her honor while my family was all together watching, I don't think it could have been a better tribute," he said. "She was a huge Bills fan. I called my family right after the game and just started bawling, and they were crying too.
"[My parents] said, 'She's got the best seat in the house,' her and Papa do. It was pretty surreal. It was a special moment for myself and my family."
Stefon Diggs said Allen's composure and selflessness were par for the course from the quarterback.
"I've dealt with loss," Diggs said. "I felt for him after the game because people didn't know about it. Not too many people knew about it. He's one of the guys that we call our leaders. He leads us. In a moment like that, damn sure he probably wasn't in the best place, but he put his best foot forward on game day. You've got to respect that as a man, as a teammate, as a brother."
As for Bills Mafia, Diggs said the donations were further proof that the Buffalo fanbase is one of a kind. The receiver has become more and more aware of the relationship between the team and its fans despite not yet having been able to play in front of them.
Allen, on the other hand, knows as well as anyone what it's like to play in front of a full crowd inside Bills Stadium. He intends to keep doing so for a long time.
"I know my family is forever ingrained here, myself included," he said. "I don't ever want to leave, obviously. I want to play here for as long as I can and give back to the community and give back to the Bills Mafia here."
