In a move that’s sure to stir up the AFC East rivalry, the Buffalo Bills didn’t waste any time firing a shot across the bow at their division foes. Mere moments after the Seattle Seahawks dismantled the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, the Bills took to social media with a pointed four-word declaration: “Next year starts NOW.”
The post, accompanied by the hashtags #GoBills and #BillsMafia, came right on the heels of Seattle hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, signaling Buffalo’s immediate shift in focus to the 2026 NFL season. For Bills fans, it’s a rallying cry amid a disappointing year that saw their Super Bowl aspirations dashed early.
Next year starts NOW.#GoBills | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/JRQoyQ8rzy
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) February 9, 2026
Buffalo’s 2025 campaign ended in heartbreak with a 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the AFC divisional round. Despite quarterback Josh Allen’s stellar play—earning him the 2024 NFL MVP honors—the team couldn’t advance past the playoffs for the eighth straight year under his leadership. This marked the first time in six seasons that the Bills failed to capture the AFC East title, which instead went to the resurgent Patriots.
Under new head coach Mike Vrabel, New England quarterback Drake Maye led the Patriots to a dominant 14-3 record, clinching the division and marching all the way to the Super Bowl. Adding insult to injury for Buffalo, their longtime rivals fell short against a Seahawks team quarterbacked by Allen’s close friend, Sam Darnold.
The Bills’ offseason has already been tumultuous. Owner Terry Pegula made sweeping changes to the coaching staff in hopes of finally breaking through. Former offensive coordinator Joe Brady was elevated to head coach after the surprising dismissal of Sean McDermott. Jim Leonhard stepped in as defensive coordinator, Pete Carmichael took over offensive play-calling duties, and Jeff Rodgers was named special teams coordinator.
General manager Brandon Beane has been vocal about roster adjustments, telling reporters last month, “We’ve already started thinking about moves. I was honestly before this head coaching change already thinking about certain things we’ll do. I’ll have to circle back to some of that.” Fans are particularly hopeful for a splash signing at wide receiver to bolster Allen’s supporting cast.
While the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss might have brought a measure of schadenfreude to Bills Mafia, Allen himself had mixed emotions. The 29-year-old quarterback was rooting for Darnold, his best friend from their pre-draft days in 2018. The two roomed together while training in San Clemente, California, ahead of that year’s draft, where Darnold was selected No. 3 overall by the New York Jets and Allen went No. 7 to Buffalo.
Darnold’s journey has been nomadic, bouncing through four teams before finding success in Seattle. Allen expressed his pride during an appearance on “First Things First”: “Sam Darnold, that’s my boy. We go back to the draft. He’s been at a few stops and obviously got his opportunity last year in Minnesota… now he’s playing in the Super Bowl… He’s worked extremely hard for it. We spent a lot of time in the offseason together playing golf and hanging out. So I’m rooting for my man there, who wears No. 14 for the Seattle Seahawks.”
As the dust settles on Super Bowl LX, the Bills’ bold message underscores their determination to reclaim dominance in the AFC East and beyond. With Allen at the helm and changes afoot, 2026 could be the year Buffalo finally gets over the hump. For now, the countdown to next season has officially begun.
