The NFL Today Crew Brings the Madness to Buffalo—Table-Breaking Mayhem Ensues Outside Before Chiefs-Bills Showdown
Have you ever seen an NFL pre-game show in quite this way? The crew of CBS Sports’ The NFL Today delivered one of the wildest, most Buffalo-specific pre-game shows before the Bills and Chiefs took the field in what promised to be an epic showdown.
Cue the table-smashing antics. If you know anything about Bills Mafia, Buffalo’s rabid fanbase, you’re aware of their traditions. And by “traditions,” we mean the fans breaking tables. Yep, tailgates in Buffalo often turn into displays of love for the team through—you guessed it—breaking folding tables with anything from body slams to elbow drops. But what if I told you, the typically polished The NFL Today crew got in on all the action?
A Different Kind of Pregame Show
Most NFL pre-game shows involve talking stats, game analysis, or stories of previous matchups. But as we build up to this Chiefs-Bills contest, the CBS crew took a break from all that mental work—and went all in on embracing what it means to be Bills Mafia.
Early Sunday, just outside Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium, CBS Sports’ top NFL crew appeared to have abandoned their usual suits and microphones in favor of destruction. That’s right—during a live broadcast, former NFL players and analysts became certified members of the table-smashing culture that helps define game days in Western New York.
It was Nate Burleson and Phil Simms themselves, along with CBS host James Brown, that took part in the impromptu carnage. With the Bills sitting at 4-1, this Week 6 matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs held enormous implications for AFC supremacy, and the guys were fired up not only about the game but about the crazy atmosphere outside the stadium.
The Buffalo tailgate scene is well known throughout the league for being, well, totally bizarre. Forget grilling burgers or tossing the football around, Buffalo takes tailgating to a whole new level. And if you’re ever in attendance, your pre-game warmup might involve body-slamming yourself into an innocent piece of plastic furniture. And yes, the Bills Mafia will love you for it.
The Crash Heard Around the Tailgate
Table-breaking might not be a typical routine for former NFL stars, but teamwork was key. When James Brown, usually leading the broadcast with a respectful nod to all things football, joins the party, you know things are going down.
Bills Mafia members watching at home probably couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the CBS crew participating in the tradition that earned the franchise’s fanbase its wild reputation. Trust us—it was even more epic than it sounds.
“KA-BOOM!” That’s the sound many fans heard when Nate Burleson and Phil Simms went full WWE on those poor, unsuspecting tables.
Laughs and cheers erupted from the crowd as Burleson executed the first smash—a glorious moment in Bills history. We’re talking a full-on professional table slam, leaving the table in pieces and the Bills fans in love.
Not wanting to be outdone, Simms joined the action, coming in for the next round of destruction. Fans roared even louder, hyped not only about the game ahead but about claiming a couple of new honorary members into their Mafia.
Why Smash Tables?
If you’re unfamiliar with the culture surrounding Buffalo’s NFL franchise, you’re probably wondering something: why?
Simple. The Bills Mafia is not your run-of-the-mill fan group. They are ride-or-die loyalists who’ve stood by the team through thick and thin (and let’s be honest, there’ve been some tough seasons). The actual table-smashing ritual began sometime around the year 2010 when fans started leaping off trucks or ledges to smash through folding tables, much like professional wrestlers do on live TV.
The energy and vibe of Bills fans on game day are contagious. For some, there’s no clearer way to express love for their team than to go all-out and create a massive spectacle in support of the boys in blue. For others, it’s simply one of football’s most entertaining traditions.
The Game That Sparked the Frenzy
The Chiefs-Bills matchup wasn’t just your average regular-season game. This was a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship, and both teams had Super Bowl or bust written all over them from the start of the 2021 season. Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen—arguably two of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks. The hype couldn’t have been higher.
Coming into the game, the Chiefs stood at 2-3, noticeably less dominant than in previous years. The Bills, meanwhile, arrived riding high with a 4-1 record. These two teams were sure to collide in an all-out battle for early AFC control, setting the stage for fireworks not just on the field, but off it—clearly.
- The Chiefs’ hit-or-miss play left them seeking a signature win—what better way to reignite their season than against last year’s AFC finalist?
- The Bills had a chance to cement themselves as the clear frontrunner for the AFC title with a victory in Kansas City.
With a national spotlight on the game, CBS took the opportunity to blend football commentary with fan shenanigans. Whether you were there in person or glued to the TV, you couldn’t miss what happened outside the stadium. And neither could the players. Multiple Bills players have acknowledged the table-smashing tradition is something that definitely keeps the team pumped up.
As if breaking a few tables wasn’t enough to pump everybody up, the buildup to the game featured widespread anticipation of a potential AFC Championship preview. Everyone knew this was more than just a Sunday game—it was a potential statement of power.
Breaking Into Mainstream Culture
With the NFL continuing to expand its reach on social media, table smashing has garnered mainstream attention. Buffalo fans smashing tables is now as integral to their identity as the fans themselves. Whether you’re taking aim at opposing fans or just showing off your Bills pride, people everywhere love the absurd spectacle that’s now part of Buffalo’s legacy.
In recent years, the Bills Mafia has fueled viral moments everywhere from Instagram to Twitter. Highlight reels of massive leaps resulting in crushed tables can be found across social media. You might be hard-pressed to find a more die-hard (and slightly crazy) fanbase in any sport, ready to dive head-first through a table week in and week out.
The CBS Team Embraces the Madness
Though CBS has first-rate NFL coverage every week, the station decided this Sunday required something special. They recognized that this particular game and its setting called for a special touch. If you’re in Buffalo, you break a table, plain and simple.
Nate Burleson and Phil Simms will forever be remembered as much more than former players or talking heads—they are now forever etched in the hearts of Bills fans. Dropping tables like they were WWE tag team champions, both NFL analysts added an extra spark to an already entertaining game day.
And honestly, what better way to get people psyched about a game than to join them in one of their wildest traditions? By the looks of the smiles and laughs of Burleson, Simms, and Brown on Sunday, they were just as entertained by the events as the members of the Bills Mafia.
Bigger Than Just A Football Game
The mood in Buffalo was electric the moment this game was scheduled, but mixing in table-smashing fun and the insane crowd atmosphere took it to another level. There’s a magic that happens in Western New York every time the Bills hit the field, and you never quite know what’s going to happen. What fans saw on Sunday wasn’t just a football game; it was an experience—complete with Buffalonian flair.
Who knew the NFL Today crew had the kind of spirit that could hang with one of the most dedicated fanbases in all sports? For this particular Week 6 matchup between two AFC powerhouses, it felt as though the pre-game festivities were almost as big a spectacle as the game itself!
What’s Next for the Bills and Chiefs?
The dust—or should we say table debris—has settled, and the Bills and the Chiefs will continue their respective paths deeper into the NFL schedule. Whether or not they clash again down the road remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: there’s just something magical about a good, old-fashioned table-breaking tailgate in Buffalo.
Could this showdown reappear during the AFC Playoffs? Only time will tell, but the pre-game fun certainly set an unforgettable scene—and perhaps sparked up some extra good luck for the Bills fans everywhere.
The Takeaway
Ultimately, the CBS crew didn’t produce anything close to an ordinary NFL pregame show. This wasn’t the usual drawn-out series of player stats and predictions slapped across a desk. Instead, they celebrated football—Buffalo style!
Burleson, Simms, and Brown created a lasting memory before what could possibly go down as one of the season’s most thrilling matchups. The Bills and Chiefs were set to play their hearts out, and it turns out the pre-game crew was equally willing to put it all on the line—those folding tables never stood a chance! So, if you’re a member of the Bills Mafia, you know that as long as there are tables to smash, there will be some football-loving folks ready to break them in joyous preparation for another Buffalo battle.
Originally Written by: Tyler Sullivan
