If you arrive in Orchard Park on a Buffalo Bills gameday and you’re looking for the heart of Bills Mafia tailgating, you won’t need a map — you just need to follow the energy. Tucked into the back corner of the Big Tree Inn lot sits one of the true original gatherings of the Bills tailgating tradition: the Coffin Corner Tailgate. What began as a small family affair in the late 1980s has grown into a legendary stop on gameday, where football, food, whiskey, and family converge under heated tents, live music, and the unmistakable camaraderie that defines Buffalo tailgating.

Coffin Corner earned its name both from its physical location in the corner of the lot and as a tribute to one of Buffalo’s all-time greats, punter Brian Moorman, whose precision coffin-corner punts became a thing of beauty during Buffalo’s post-Super Bowl years – the “dark times”. Over the decades, the tailgate has shifted locations—from near the old practice bubble, to the corner by the players’ entrance, famed Tailgate Row, to the famed Mud Lot, and now to its current home at the Big Tree Inn—but the spirit has never changed. On gameday mornings, long before most fans have poured their first cup of coffee, Coffin Corner is already alive brewing their own coffee over an open fire. The crew starts their ritual before dawn, setting up tents, generators, lights, and grills to feed the early risers. There’s no pre-made food here; everything is made fresh on-site, and the signature "Mouthful" breakfast sandwich has reached near-mythic status among Bills fans.

As the sun comes up, the crowd grows, and soon the entire lot pulses with laughter, live bands, satellite TVs broadcasting pregame coverage, and the unmistakable scent of gameday feasting. With their “Go Big or Go Home” mentality, the Coffin Corner crew has built a reputation not only for their food but for their hospitality. It’s the kind of place where newcomers are welcomed like old friends, where drinks are passed around freely—whether it's a cold Ellicottville Hang Time Lager courtesy of Brian Moorman, a round of Stinky Bag shots, or Taco Mop’s and Maura’s Moonshine Matinee Specials—and where the community bonds feel as strong as family. You may only see some of these people eight times a year, but every reunion feels like no time has passed.

Of course, Coffin Corner holds a special place in Bills Mafia lore. On October 9, 2011, in the Mud Lot at the Coffin Corner tailgate, the term "Bills Mafia" was first coined and brought to life, forever linking this humble corner of the parking lot to one of the most passionate fan bases in the NFL. The legacy of that moment continues to define Buffalo’s identity as a football town where loyalty, resilience, and a little wild fun come together in perfect harmony.

Though their numbers may vary from game to game, the core of Coffin Corner remains the same: a dedicated crew of friends and family, some of whom have been gathering here for decades—names like Brian Moorman himself, Buffalo Bob Hasenoehrl, Kevin Patterson, the Quinn Brothers (Pat and Mike), Ray, Taco Mop and many more who have become fixtures of the scene. No fancy cruisers or massive rigs are needed here—just old school tents, grills, and the simple love of the game. And while the players battle it out on the field inside, of what started as Rich Stadium, you’ll find that much of Buffalo’s soul remains right here in the corner of the lot, where the whiskey and beers flow, the music plays, and the call of “Go Bills!” echoes all morning long. And if you’re lucky, you just might hear someone shout the timeless Coffin Corner motto: "Always go with the fake punt." They are just good people having a good time!