You don’t get to keep a ball that bounces into the stands at an NFL game. I learned this firsthand at a 2007 Atlanta Falcons-Tennessee Titans game when Byron Leftwich threw a ball so hard it somehow bounced off the turf and three rows up at the corner of the end zone. Stadium security warned us we could either keep the ball or our seats. We chose poorly and watched Vince Young throw three interceptions but still beat Bobby Petrino.
Clearly, one Buffalo Bills fan had a similar experience in his past before showing up at Sunday night’s showdown between the Bills and New England Patriots. When Josh Allen rolled to his right in the red zone, stared downfield and saw nothing open he ditched the ball into the stands. Said fan in a whiteout Matt Milano jersey corralled the ball and immediately tucked it under his shirt. Then he began an arduous jog up the Highmark Stadium stairs and up to the concourse.
What he didn’t know is Mike Tirico, bored with what had been a touchdown-less game to that point in the third quarter, was ready to offer play-by-play on his mad uphill dash.
“Nice catch there,” began Tirico, before dialing up the excitement. “Oh, he’s gone. Milano! Milano’s gonna go! He’s in row 10! He’s in row 15! He might get a beer!
“Milano, where you goin’ man? This is your moment. Milano at row 40! Led by [a fan dressed like Josh] Allen. He’s gonna take it the distance! Maybe it wasn’t his seat! Maybe he doesn’t want to be on TV! He’s gone.”
It was a brilliant moment of levity in a game that had been defined by fumbles and field goals to that point. And it did seem to brighten the play on the field. The Bills scored on the very next play and the Patriots responded with their first touchdown of the night on the ensuing drive.
But, more importantly, one Bills fan likely played his hand smart enough to keep a Josh Allen-thrown game ball to bring back to his tailgate. He may have missed the James Cook touchdown that followed, but if he escaped with the souvenir, he wound up with a much better prize.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Mike Tirico hilariously broke down Bills fan’s escape with Josh Allen pass
