Liam Delaney of Cherry Valley, NY is the October honoree of the 2022-23 Buffalo Bills Season Ticket Member of the Month Program.
Delaney, who's originally from Belfast, Ireland, worked at a restaurant when he first moved to America, and his co-workers sparked a conversation around what American sporting events he's been to. Delaney proceeded to list off hockey and baseball, but his co-workers knew there was one sport that needed to be added to that list
"They told me I had to go to an American football game," Delaney said. "Then they took me to a Monday night game, and it was love at first sight. Now when football season ends, I'm already looking forward to the next football season."
Delaney became a Bills season ticket member back in 1992 when he lived in Fulton/Syracuse. He gave them up in 1998 because he was moving to Cherry Hill, and he didn't think he would want to make the drive to and from Buffalo for each game. The dedicated Bills fan, who now drives around four hours each way to support the Bills, picked the season tickets back up in 2010 and has been at Highmark Stadium for every home game ever since.
"Now I enjoy the drive," Delaney said. "I'm the designated driver for friends I pick up on the way to Buffalo."
Delaney has to start the drive extra early to make sure he fits in time to tailgate. His go-to location to get ready for games is the Abbott Road Veterinary Hospital parking lot, but his go-to tailgate food switches week to week.
"It's always different because we don't want it to get stale," Delaney said. "But being from Ireland originally, sometimes I'll do a big pot of Shepherd's Pie for the cold games."
While there's a handful of good memories that come to mind when thinking about his favorite one, the Bills-Baltimore playoff game on January 16, 2021 sticks out to Delaney when CB Taron Johnson had a 101-yard pick-six interception on a Lamar Jackson pass.
"It was also special because I got to share my first playoff game ever with my son (Aidan), so that will forever stick in my mind," Delaney said. "And he still brings it up to this day."
When he first became a Bills fan, Kenneth Davis was his favorite player and the first Bills jersey he ever owned. Now looking at the 2022 Bills roster, Delaney shared that while he's a fan of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, there's a defensive player who's been catching his eye in almost every game this season.
"I tend to latch on to players who sort of fly below the radar," Delaney said. "So right now, I'm a big fan of Greg Rousseau. I just see great things coming from him."
Since being in the Buffalo community for over 30 years now, Delaney has picked up that everybody in the city just wants to have a good time, especially when it comes to supporting their hometown sports teams. And as someone who's supported the Bills through all the ups and downs, Delaney finds that the loyalty of Buffalo fans is like no other.
"I think the down years make years like now even more enjoyable because you're thinking okay, it is possible," Delaney said. "We had our shot and now, we're back and rejuvenated."
"Growing up in Ireland, I was around soccer and rugby all the time," Delaney added. "But I've never, in all my years, seen loyalty towards teams like the Sabres and the Bills."
