Justin Staffone got home from work, settled into his Orchard Park home and showed off some of his finest game time ‘fit.’
“This is the first jersey that I bought from the store with my best friend Brandon, and he bought a Jordan Poyer jersey,” Staffone said, pointing out a Micah Hyde jersey on the living room table. “This is the only jersey that I can wear and not mess it up, because the other two that I have are signed.”
The jersey for any closet is a given, if you tuned into the Buffalo Bills — Kansas City Chiefs game, you might recognize these.
“I got these originally just for the 4th of July. The home opener against the Cardinals, I wore these with nothing else. Just just the overalls,” he remembered. “Everyone stopped me for photos. A New York State Sheriff came up to me after I got on the jumbotron and gave me the nickname ‘Big Sexxy.’ So that’s how that came along.”
So a nickname was born, an iconic outfit and Justin’s positive attitude staked out the CBS broadcast booth.
“I’m an extrovert. I can make friends easily, you know, I’m just here for a good time and to make some, some good memories with people that I don’t even know,” he said.
One thing lead to another.
“This is me and Matt Ryan, this is a photo of me and Nate before the bet was made, and this is a styrofoam container of Matt Ryan’s. Be fun to work. He gave me his leftovers,” he scrolled through photos and videos from the game on his phone.
And then what most people who tuned in or saw on social media will remember for years to come.
“So the bet happened. I’m just sitting there and we’re just. I’m chirping back and forth with everyone,” he said.
The bet was a quality coat from analyst Nate Burleson for a Bills win. But Justin didn’t have a ticket so he went to go collect.
“So I went around this way to go to the stadium, and apparently Nate came around this way and we just missed each other,” he remarked.
Never fear. Two days later, the box came.
“A bet is a bet. I’m a man of my word. So here is my coat, as promised,” Justin read from a note that came with the red jacket.
Since then, Justin’s been on a relative tour to show it off.
“Here’s a photo of me in the jacket at the Townhouse, holding a plate of chicken wings and a Twisted Tea,” he said, showing off his favorite local wing spot.
But he’d love to wear this jacket in a few months to show nobody should bet against the Bills.
“To wear all this on Super Bowl Sunday, especially if the Bills make it, I think I would cry,” he said. “That would, that would be the icing, the cherry on top to, not only a birthday and this jacket as a late gift, but to a team that deserves it more than anyone right now in the league.”
It might need a bit of tailoring, but the legend of this jacket is just beginning.