As much as relations between Canada and the United States have been strained over testy trade and tariff talks involving U.S. president Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Buffalo Bills are showing how much they care about the Great White North.
In advance of the team’s home opener on Thursday night, the Bills sent two former stars to Niagara Falls in an effort to strengthen the team’s connection to Canada — by making a “cross-border completion.”
Retired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick — who is now a studio analyst — and wide receiver Stevie Johnson ventured to Niagara Falls on Wednesday morning for a little cross-border diplomacy.
The pair set out on two separate boats on the Niagara River near the falls, positioned on either side of the Canada-U.S. border.
With Fitzpatrick on the U.S. side and Johnson on the Canadian, the former QB wound up and delivered a well-thrown pass roughly 30-40 yards, right into the hands of his receiver.
The crowds of fans on both boats applauded the feat, which was hailed as something that “has never been done before.”
“We’re doing something special and it has never been done before,” Johnson said in the clip posted on Wednesday evening. “But we’re used to doing things that have never been done before.
“This is a cross-border connection — Fitz to Stevie.”
After the initial grab, Fitzpatrick implored Johnson to throw the ball back and he obliged. Fitzpatrick then drew even more cheers as he made a one-handed grab, which Johnson then mimicked when the ball was returned.
The former teammates tossed the ball back and forth a few times before docking and taking some photos with fans.
“Just like that,” Johnson said to close the video. “Go Bills, go Buffalo.”
Are the Bills playing O Canada before their game?
Fitzpatrick is in for town as a member of Amazon Prime Video’s coverage, with the Bills home opener taking place on Thursday Night Football against the visiting Detroit Lions. The game will mark the first regular-season contest at the brand-new Highmark Field in Orchard Park, NY.
While the opening of a new $2.2-billion stadium is a noteworthy event on its own, the team also will be making a different type of history.
The Bills announced last week that The Barenaked Ladies will perform the Canadian national anthem prior to the game, marking the first time in franchise history that O Canada has been performed ahead of the opener.
“For the first time in Highmark Stadium history, we will celebrate the American and Canadian anthems during pregame,” the team posted on all of its social media feeds.
“We can’t wait to have Bills fan Auliʻi Cravalho and the Barenaked Ladies at our home opener!”
Cravalho is the lead voice actress from Disney’s animated Moana films and is a native of Hawaii.
The Barenaked Ladies are Canadian music legends, having won eight Juno Awards, earned two Grammy Award nominations and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2018.