Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen comes to the sideline to greet former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick during warm ups before the Buffalo Bills divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bills' backer Ryan Fitzpatrick tabs 'best' QB matchup greatest active NFL rivalry

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ralph Ventre | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 6:55 PM ET

Afterall, Orchard Park was where "Fitz Magic" was born.

The Buffalo Bills jumped out to a 3-0 start to the 2011 season, including back-to-back exhilarating home wins, with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick at the controls.

After the late game-winning touchdown pass to David Nelson against the Oakland Raiders, Fitzpatrick let out an ear-piercing cry that became known as the "Fitz Scream." One week later, the Bills rode "Fitz Magic" to an emotional victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots and landed a Sports Illustrated cover as a result.

Although Fitzpatrick went onto play for six more teams after his Bills' tenure ended, the Blue & Red never left his blood. It was never more apparent than when the former seventh-round draft pick showed up at the stadium, in below-freezing temperatures, to root on the Bills in what would become known as "The Perfect Game." With Buffalo scoring a touchdown in every offensive possession, their former quarterback was rooting hard from the Highmark Stadium stands without a shirt in frigid conditions. The iconic image seemingly epitomizes Bills Mafia.

If Ryan Fitzpatrick has retired, this is our final #NFL memory of him.

Shirtless at a #Bills playoff game, the one where they blew out the Patriots in the perfect offensive performance.

Via (@teeforton)

Legend. pic.twitter.com/o09NQaYrKC
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) June 2, 2022

Of course, one week after that epic win, the Bills were eliminated by the Kansas City Chiefs in the "13 seconds" disaster. Since 2020, the Bills and Chiefs have met in four playoff games and the latter has won all four. In an enigma of sorts, Buffalo has won four in a row in the regular seasons against Kansas City during that same time period.

As the Bills try to slay their demons, and the Chiefs march on with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wizard Andy Reid, Fitzpatrick sees a fierce rivalry that is alive and well.

During Wednesday's practice round at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament, the 42-year-old Fitzpatrick stopped along the course to answer a question from Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano about "the best rivalry currently in the NFL."

“You know, I played in a lot of them [rivalries],” said Fitzpatrick. “I’m going to go Bills and Chiefs right now. I think that’s the greatest NFL rivalry. You’ve got two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. They seem to meet in the playoffs every single year. The Bills gotta get one soon.”

When he says "soon," the former Ivy League field general likely means THIS season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick says Chiefs-Bills best rivalry in the NFL right now pic.twitter.com/cLSQY9jxE6
— Gilberto Manzano (@GManzano24) July 9, 2025

This past January, Fitzpatrick was the official "Legend of the Game" the last time the Bills played at Highmark Stadium. Sporting a bearded lumberjack look, he hyped up the crowd prior to Buffalo's AFC Divisional Round win over the Baltimore Ravens. Naturally, Buffalo suffered a three-point loss one week later in Kansas City.

In a recent appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, Fitzpatrick claimed "they have something really special going on in Buffalo right now" before suggesting that "I think this is our year."

When it finally happens, odds are a shirtless Fitzpatrick will be there to see it.