Lamar Jackson.Photo: Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Buffalo Bills fans are extending their generosity to a Baltimore Ravens star.
During Saturday’s divisional playoff game, Ravens quarterbackLamar Jacksonwas forced to exit the game early after he was tackled and hit his head on the turf. After it was determined that Jackson had a concussion and would not be returning, the Bills tweeted out a message of support.
“Wishing @Lj_era8 a speedy recovery,” the team, which went on to win 17-3,wrote.
Taking the goodwill one step further, after finding out about Jackson’s favorite charity — theLouisville chapter of Blessings in a Backpack, which helps provide food for elementary school children in need — one Bills fan announced on Reddit that they would be making a donation to the charity in Jackson’s name, and encouraged other members of the Bills Mafia to do the same.
Jackson, who went to college in Louisville, Kentucky, previouslydonated $25,000 to the organizationback in 2018.
According to one fan, in an extra special show of support, many members of the Bills Mafia aremaking $8 donationsin honor of the number Jackson wears on the field.
“Thank you, @BuffaloBills fans for donating in honor of the @Lj_era8!” the charity wrote on Twitter.
And their generosity didn’t stop there.
Fellow Ravens player Bradley Bozeman took to social media on Sunday to express his gratitude to the Bills fanbase, sharing they had also made donations tohis foundation,The Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation.
“Even though the game didn’t go as I hoped last night, waking up to countless donations from #BillsMafia is such a blessing,” he wrote. “We are so thankful to all the fans who have made such an impact this season!”
Last year, Bills fans previously made$1 million in donationson behalf of quarterback Josh Allen’s late grandmother .
In recognition of the tremendous outpouring of support, the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospitallaunched the “Patricia Allen Fund,“which will provide ongoing support to hospital patients, and also rebranded a wing of the hospital in her honor.
“I know my family is forever ingrained here, myself included,” Allensaidof fans' generosity. “I don’t ever want to leave, obviously. I want to play here for as long as I can and give back to the community and give back to the Bills Mafia here.”
Thanks to the team’s big win, the Bills are headed to the AFC Championship for the first time since 1994. They will face off against the winner of Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns.
source: people.com
