Orchard Park, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen went viral on Sunday when he corrected a New York reporter who asked what his two wins over the Jets and Giants proved to New York fans: “(There’s just) one New York team,” said Allen, who smiled and winked at the reporter.

This was next level presser game from Josh Allen. It’s something for the #Bills to be 2-0 but it’s a whole other thing for #BillsMafia to have a QB1 who embraces and puts on for the city like Allen has done. In a lot of ways, that alone is enough. pic.twitter.com/vPyvA5qLt6 — Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) September 16, 2019

The implication the 22-year-old passer was making was that both the Jets and Giants play in East Rutherford, N.J. Bills fans often claim their team as the only true “New York” NFL franchise because of that technicality.

On Monday I tweeted out the video of Allen’s comments about New York and a fan tweeted back saying that the quote reminded him of a former Bills signal caller, who had a similar line back in 1986 on The David Letterman Show.

So I looked it up.

Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly said the same thing 33 years ago when fans in Letterman’s New York City studio started to cheer for the Jets during Kelly’s interview.

“Hey, the Buffalo Bills are the only New York team,” Kelly joked.

All laughing aside, the gestures of both Kelly and Allen, two adopted sons of Western New York that have no hometown connection to the 716, endeared themselves to diehard Buffalo sports fans with their words and actions.

Fans are hoping Allen can someday turn into the quality of quarterback that Kelly was in the ’80s and ’90s. He led the Bills to four straight Super Bowls and is far and away the most beloved Bills player in franchise history.

Kelly has been living in the hearts of Bills fans - and living in Buffalo as well - for more than three decades. Allen was just drafted last season and he’s already become a fan favorite and is universally adored by Bills Mafia.

Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll grew up in Western New York and went to St. Francis high school before his NFL travels took him to all over the country. He’s coaches in New York, New England, Miami, Cleveland, and Alabama, among others. But he holds Buffalo dear to his heart and has spoken about what it means to get a chance to coach in his hometown.

So knowing that Daboll would have his finger on the pulse of Buffalo sports fans more than almost anybody who’s ever been a member of the Bills organization, I asked him Monday if Allen’s affection for Buffalo is real.

“Yeah, he’s a Buffalo guy,” Daboll said. “He’s tough, works hard, had his teammates’ back - like a lot of Buffalo people around here.”

Daboll welled up a bit when he delivered those lines. He knows what it means and it seemed like knowing it’s happening with Allen, a lot like it did with Kelly more than 20 years ago, is meaningful. Especially because Daboll gets to be a part of it.

It’s easy to wonder if the “Buffalove” is real from Allen, who grew up in California and didn’t know much about the city before he arrived. Daboll said it’s who the quarterback is that makes him part of the city.

I believe Daboll, who was a Bills fan long before he ever coached here.

“Our fans are great. Obviously I was one of them growing up,” Daboll said. “Bills Mafia always comes out in full force.”

Daboll grew up in Western New York and, probably more than most, understands what this team and the players mean to the fans in the community. His eyes got a little misty as he answered. Much respect for that, coming from another Buffalo-born guy. — Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) September 16, 2019

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