Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs the ball during the AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs on January 23rd, 2022 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
William Purnell | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images
After watching their team eliminate the Buffalo Bills from the playoffs in an instant classic, Kansas City Chiefs fans decided to turn their win into a boon for their vanquished rival’s hometown.
Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo began receiving donations in increments of $13 from Chiefs fans on Tuesday. Donations topped $300,000 by Thursday, according to a Facebook post from the hospital.
The $13 donations represent the 13 seconds it took for the Chiefs offense to tie Sunday’s stunning playoff game at the end of the fourth quarter. Kansas City won 42-36 in overtime.
ESPN first reported news of the charitable donations on Wednesday.
Bills fans have a tradition of donating to charities associated with other NFL teams. Feeling inspired by them, a Facebook group called Chiefs Kingdom Memes sparked a push to give back by directing money to the Buffalo-based children’s hospital.
“I was hoping maybe 100 others would join,” Brett Fitzgerald, who runs the Facebook page, told CNBC. “This is unprecedented and every single person who donated any amount should be very proud of themselves.”
The hospital became associated with Bills quarterback Josh Allen after fans donated $1.1 million in honor of Allen’s grandmother, who died last year, ESPN wrote. Fans donated in increments of $17, Allen’s jersey number.
An instance of Bills fans’ generosity to a rival team came after Buffalo beat the Baltimore Ravens to eliminate them from the playoffs last year. Bills fans donated more than $500,000 to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s foundation, according to a Fox News report.
The Bills’ season ended on Sunday following the loss to the Chiefs. They finished the season 11-6.
The Chiefs will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday for the AFC title game and the chance to play in the Super Bowl for the third straight year.
The Chiefs and the Bills did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment. Oishei Children’s Hospital’s donation office did not immediately reply to a message requesting comment.
