Yahoo Finance Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson Thanks Bills Fans for Donating to Favorite Charity After Injury
Todd Olszewski/Getty Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson is feeling grateful for the Bills Mafia.
On Monday, the 24-year-old Baltimore Ravens quarterback shared a tweet thanking fans of the Buffalo Bills for donating money to charity in honor of Jackson, who got a concussion during Saturday's playoff game against Buffalo.
After the game — which Baltimore lost 17-3 — Bills fans began raising money for Jackson's favorite charity: the Louisville, Kentucky chapter of Blessings in a Backpack, which helps provide food for elementary school children in need. As of Monday night, over $407,000 had been raised for the non-profit from 15,000 donors, according to the organization's fundraising website.
"Appreciate that #BillsMafia Means A lot not to only me but those kids as well," Jackson wrote on Twitter.
Jackson, who played for the Louisville Cardinals in college, previously donated $25,000 to the organization back in 2018.
Appreciate that #BillsMafia Means A lot not to only me but those kids as well💜💜 https://t.co/fDNjJMpni9
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) January 18, 2021
A Bills fan on Reddit was the first to make a donation towards the charity in Jackson's name over the weekend, and then encouraged other members of the Bills Mafia to do the same.
Within the first 12 hours, the non-profit said they had received close to $75,000 from around 2,500 Bills fans, WKBW-TV reported.
According to one fan, in an extra special show of support, many members of the Bills Mafia have made $8 donations in honor of the number Jackson wears on the field.
The charity expressed their gratitude to Bills fans on Twitter, writing, "Thank you, @BuffaloBills fans for donating in honor of the @Lj_era8!"
Michael Hickey/Getty Images Lamar Jackson
Thank you, #BillsMafia https://t.co/oNjgDn1LhD
— Blessings in a Backpack (@BlessinBackpack) January 17, 2021
And the generosity from the Bills fans did not stop there.
Fellow Ravens player Bradley Bozeman took to social media on Sunday to thank the Bills fanbase, sharing they had also made donations to his organization, 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!"
Even though the game didn’t go as I hoped last night, waking up to countless donations from #BillsMafia is such a blessing. We are so thankful to all the fans who have made such an impact this season! @BuffaloBills @Ravens #TogetherWeCan @bradnikkiboze
— Bradley Bozeman (@BSBoze) January 17, 2021
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Bills Mafia previously made $1 million in donations last year on behalf of quarterback Josh Allen's late grandmother.
After fans first heard about Allen's loss in November, they quickly responded by making donations in her memory to a local children's hospital the athlete had long supported, with many choosing to donate $17 at a time, a nod to the quarterback's number.
In recognition of the tremendous outpouring of support, the John R. Oishei Children's Hospital launched 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," Allen said of 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."
For the first time since 1994, the Bills are headed to the AFC Championship, where they will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The winner will advance to Super Bowl LV.
