When it comes to nicknames in sports, there are a plethora of reasons why organizations choose a specific moniker to attach to their club. In some cases, there are historical ties to the city the organization is housed in. Others go out of the box to stand out from opposing clubs.
In terms of the Bills, they have a famous figure from the Wild West to thank for the origin of their name.
When NFL fans think of the Buffalo club, the immediate thought is of the logo and mascot, which are bison. However, the team is not actually named after the powerful beast that roams the plains.
Here is more on what a Buffalo Bill actually is and the origin of the name.
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What is a Buffalo Bill?
The logo and mascot may indicate that a Buffalo Bill is a bison, but that’s not where the nickname of the team stems from.
Instead, the Bills are named after “Buffalo Bill” Cody, an individual that had heavy influence in American history.
Who was ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody?
“Buffalo Bill” Cody is a figure from the American Old West. Born in Iowa in 1846 as William F. Cody, he gained his infamous nickname during his time as a hunter, providing bison meat for railroad workers in the Great Plains.
Cody began as a cattle herder before moving on to work as a driver on a wagon train. His adventures then led him to fur trapping and gold mining before joining the Pony Express in 1860. Cody also served as an American scout who fought for the Union in the Civil War, and he served for the U.S. Army in the Indian Wars.
With all of his endeavors, Cody then took that inspiration and made a career in show business. He first began onstage in 1872 when he was 26 years old, starring in a drama called “Scouts of the Prairie” alongside “Texas Jack” Omohundro. He then created his own troupe, called the Buffalo Bill Combination, which featured himself, “Texas Jack” and “Wild Bill” Hickock.
The show continued on until 1882, when “Buffalo Bill” created another show called “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West”. This outdoor spectacle featured real-life cowboys and cowgirls who were recruited from ranches in the West. He also used live cattle, buffalo, elk and other animals as a part of the show, mixing entertainment with education about the Wild West.
Cody went on to tour in England, even performing in front of Queen Victoria herself in 1887. He would later return to Europe to tour the entire continent.
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How did the Bills get their name?
According to the Bills’ website, the team got its nickname as a result of a fan contest that predated the current Buffalo organization.
Before the Bills, there were multiple iterations of football teams in Buffalo. That includes the Buffalo Bills, an All-America Football Conference team that eventually folded when the entire league went under in 1949. A fan contest was held to name the team, and the entry by one James F. Dyson proved to be the winner. He compared the team to “a band of ‘Buffalo Bills'” and the nickname stuck until the team went under.
When Ralph C. Wilson purchased a football team in 1959, he chose Buffalo as its home. In addition, he elected to bring back the same name for the team that played in the AAFC, hence the creation of today’s Buffalo Bills.
However, the NFL team got its start in 1959 when Ralph C. Wilson purchased the team.
What is the Bills’ mascot?
The Bills mascot is Billy Buffalo. He joined the team in 2000 to be an integral part of the Bills experience.
According to the team, he stands at 7-foot-2, his favorite food is wings (with blue cheese, of course) and his favorite song is “The Shout Song.”
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