Ex-Bills Punter Matt Araiza Won't Face Charges ... Over Rape Allegations
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Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza will not face criminal charges ... despite being accused of participating in the gang rape of a minor at a party in 2021.
The San Diego County District Attorney's Office announced the declination of charges on Wednesday ... saying in a statement, "Ultimately, prosecutors determined it is clear the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges."
They added, "There is no path to a potential criminal conviction."
As we reported, Araiza was sued back in August, after a woman identified only as Jane Doe said the NFL player and two other men gang raped her at an Oct. 17, 2021 party at Araiza's San Diego home.
Doe, who said she was only 17 years old at the time, claimed in the suit that a short time after she met Araiza at the Halloween-themed bash ... the former San Diego State punter handed her a drink that she later believed contained alcohol and "other intoxicating substances."
In the suit, she alleged the two then engaged in sexual acts outside of the home ... before he led her to a room in the house where he and two of his SDSU teammates, Nowlin "Pa'a" Ewaliko and Zavier Leonard, sexually abused her for over an hour.
Doe claimed once the party was shut down, she "stumbled out of the room bloody and crying." She sued Araiza, Ewaliko and Leonard for unspecified damages.
Her attorney, Dan Gilleon, said in a statement to The Athletic that he was "not surprised" by Wednesday's news.
The man who now officially has won the Buffalo Bills’ punter job, “Punt God” Matt Araiza: pic.twitter.com/juAe047iHp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 23, 2022 @AdamSchefter
"The police rarely pay much attention to cases where the victim is intoxicated," he said. "Here, the police made it clear in January 2022 that they weren’t interested in the case. They made that clear by ghosting my client and keeping her in the dark. It was only the media attention that caused the police to commence a dog and pony show long enough for them to say they conducted a thorough investigation."
Araiza, nicknamed the "Punt God," initially denied the allegations after the suit was filed ... but was still let go by the Bills days later. He's remained a free agent.
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Von Miller In Good Spirits After ACL Surgery 'Don't Feel Sorry For Me'
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Take a deep breath, Bills Mafia -- Von Miller says everything is going to be okay after undergoing season-ending ACL surgery ... sending a heartfelt message to his fans from the hospital bed.
Miller posted a video shortly after the bad news broke ... saying, "Yerrr! Bills Mafia, what's good? I'm good man. I'ma be right back, man."
"Mentally, I couldn't be in a better spot and I think that is the majority of it. Don't feel sorry for me, don't say I hate it for you -- none of that stuff 'cause I am good!"
The Bills announced on Wednesday that the star pass rusher -- who signed a 6-year, $120 million contract this offseason -- is sidelined for the rest of the season due to the injury ... but Miller is already looking forward to getting back to 100%.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to show my teammates how tough I am, how hard I work, and how important that this means to me. I love you guys, and I appreciate you guys. All love and respect. Don't blink, baby!"
Coach McDermott provides an update on @VonMiller.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) December 7, 2022 @BuffaloBills
Heal up, 40. ❤️💙 #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/1LkZd2wfSz
Miller suffered the injury against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Thanksgiving Day ... but the initial belief was that the 33-year-old avoided significant knee injury.
According to head coach Sean McDermott, Von checked in to the hospital for exploratory surgery ... but doctors told the two-time Super Bowl Champ that he tore his ACL instead.
McDermott called the injury a "very unfortunate situation" for Miller and their team ... adding he knows how much #40 will miss being out there with the guys.
"We look forward to getting him back," McDermott said ... adding, "we're certainly thinking about him."
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NFL Thanksgiving Day WAGs ... Bon Appétit!!!
NFL football on Thanksgiving Day is one of the best traditions there is -- but before we dive into the games (and food), let's meet the lovely wives and girlfriends of the athletes hitting the field on Thursday.
The Bills and Lions are set to kick things off in Detroit -- Josh Allen's GF, Brittany Williams and Stefon Diggs' GF, Tae Heckard, will certainly be rooting for their men to link up for some big plays.
Jordan Poyer's wife, Rachel Bush, will be hoping her man has a feast defensively against Jared Goff ... as he's cheered on by his fiancée, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Christen Harper.
Dak Prescott has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season -- his GF, Natalie Buffett, will watch as her man's 7-3 Cowboys play the Giants at Jerry World on Thursday.
Saquon Barkley and the Giants will be hoping to spoil the Cowboys' Thanksgiving, which would assuredly put a smile on the face of Anna Congdon, his longtime girlfriend and mother of his kid.
Meanwhile, Mac Jones and his girlfriend, Sophie Scott, will have to wait to stuff their faces with Thanksgiving delights ... as the Pats QB plays the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in the late game.
The schedule starts at 12:30 E.T. ... and remember, don't cheat yourself, treat yourself!
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Bebe Rexha Planning Turkey Day Feast After NFL Performance
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Turkey? Check. Sweet AND mashed potatoes? Check, check. Mac and cheese?! You better believe it!!
Pop star Bebe Rexha tells TMZ Sports she'll have ALL the Thanksgiving dinner fixins ready to go after she performs at the Detroit Lions vs. Buffalo Bills game on Thursday ... and she made sure to bring her mom along for the feast!!
The "I'm Good" crooner spoke with us at LAX prior to heading to the Motor City for her gig at the Turkey Day game ... and she says despite being on the road, she's not going to miss out on the traditional grub.
Bebe says she's already ordered all the dishes to have a complete dinner ... setting it up perfectly to chow down right after she leaves the stage.
Of course, not everyone who works the Turkey Day games is as lucky -- FOX sideline reporter Erin Andrews previously told us she usually only has a PB&J sammich in the hotel after she wraps up her duties on Thanksgiving.
Bebe thoughtfully sends EA an invite to her Turkey Day gathering ... but unfortunately, she'll be in Dallas to report on the Cowboys game.
Break a leg, Bebe -- and then eat a turkey leg!!
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Bills' Highmark Stadium Blanketed In Several Feet Of Snow ... As Storm Pounds Buffalo
Yeah, the NFL probably made the right call to move the Bills vs. Browns game out of Buffalo this weekend ...
Check out insane photos of Highmark Stadium taken on Friday morning -- showing the field, seats and just about everything else at the venue covered in several FEET of snow.
In the pics, you can't even get a glimpse of green grass -- let alone the chairs where Bills supporters were supposed to sit for Sunday afternoon's contest.
According to weather reports, Orchard Park has been hit with 36 inches of snow in the past few hours ... and it's expected to get pelted with a bunch more in the near future as a massive storm continues to pound the Western New York area.
Things have gotten so bad, the Bills had to cancel their Friday practice over it all.
Meanwhile, at star quarterback Josh Allen's home near the stadium -- his doggo and girlfriend are struggling with the effects of the storm too.
Brittany Williams posted pics of her falling in the powder while trying to get the couple's pup to go to the bathroom.
As for the game on Sunday, it's been moved to Detroit -- with the NFL saying Thursday the conditions just weren't safe enough for all involved to play.
Here's to hoping the storm lets up long enough on Saturday for the Bills to make the trek West!
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Bills Vs. Browns No Snow Game In Buffalo After All ... Contest Moved To Detroit
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The Bills and Browns won't be playing inside of a snowglobe this weekend after all ... TMZ Sports has confirmed the NFL is moving the game to Detroit to avoid the massive storm that's set to hit Buffalo this weekend.
The contest had been lined up to be played at Highmark Stadium at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday ... and it was slated to be must-see TV, considering the area is expected to get pelted by roughly six feet of snow in the next few days.
But, league sources tell us the NFL put the axe to that idea on Thursday -- clearly believing the weather wouldn't make it possible for fans, essential personnel and maybe even players to attend the contest safely.
Detroit's Ford Field is open for use on Sunday -- as the Lions are playing against the Giants for a road game in New Jersey. It'll be the first of two games the Bills play there this month -- as they're set to play the Lions in the Motor City on Thanksgiving.
LeSean McCoy in the snow > any RB in history 🥶pic.twitter.com/HNgFqQmAlK
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) November 17, 2022 @FanDuel
Playing in copious amounts of snow is not unprecedented for the Bills -- back in Dec. 2017, they played in a blizzard against the Colts, and won, 13-7, in overtime.
But, seems like 4-6 feet is just too much to cope with this weekend.
Breathe easy, Josh Allen fantasy owners.
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Bills Players Locker Room Karaoke Sesh ... 'Baby Shark' & Bieber!!!
It's Friday ... which means Buffalo Bills player Dion Dawkins and his teammates are back to singing and dancing their faces off in the locker room -- this time, they're jammin' out to some Justin Bieber and "Baby Shark!!!"
It's become a tradition for the first place Bills to blow off some steam after a hard week of practice ... and this go-round, it was no different -- with the guys raging to some Biebs.
The guys were channeling their inner teenage heartthrobs as "Baby" played over the speaker ... and the fans seemed to be loving it.
👀👀👀👀 who joined Bills karaoke Friday!! Tre White singing @Adele! #FridayVibes #BillsMafia #gobills #bills #buffalobills #BUFvsNYJ pic.twitter.com/uZIIz1V7Ix
— Chetan Rakieten (@chetanrakieten) November 4, 2022 @chetanrakieten
The dancing continued when the song shifted to the children's song ... and the guys even got help from a mother and her kids!!
Even new guy Nyheim Hines got in on the fun at one point ... as well as star LB Von Miller.
BIIIIIG DUBS INCOMING. GO BILLS !!!#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/VbQfCCXqJ6
— (Matt) The Bearded Photog 🦬 (@beardedphotog24) November 4, 2022 @beardedphotog24
They covered everything ... from Panic! At The Disco to Adele, thanks to a cameo from Tre'Davious White!!
The karaoke sesh started off on a somber note, though ... with the players holding a moment of silence for Takeoff.
It's great to see the guys continue the movement as they continue to dominate ... but we'll see if they keep it up if they start to lose.
But let's face it -- we'll probably never find out ... they're the hottest team in the NFL.
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Stefon Diggs Bills Star Gets Iced-Out 'Dog' Chain!!! Over 50 Carats Of Diamonds
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Stefon Diggs' got that dog in him ... and now he has the chain to prove it.
The Buffalo Bills superstar wide receiver just copped an incredible new piece amid a Super Bowl run ... proving he's just as flashy off the field as he is on it this season.
TMZ Sports is told -- Diggs hit up his go-to guy, Al The Jeweler of Labelle Jewelry in Totowa, NJ for the job ... and the Pro Bowler was thrilled with the finished product.
We're told the dog bone chain features more than 50 carats of emerald and round cut VS diamonds ... and symbolizes how Diggs is as hungry as a dog for a Super Bowl win.
Diggs has had Al make several pieces for him in the past ... including the awesome Starbucks logo pendant back in 2018.
Al says Diggs loves the new piece ... and based on pics and vids, he'll be wearing it a LOT.
Diggs already has 656 yards and 6 touchdowns this season ... and is one of Josh Allen's favorite targets.
The Bills are currently 5-1 ... and if they keep on winning, maybe the Lombardi Trophy is the next flashy addition to Diggs' collection.
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Tom Brady Loved Ken Dorsey's Meltdown ... A+ Temper Tantrum!!!
Tom Brady was a huge fan of Ken Dorsey's outburst on Sunday -- saying the Bills offensive coordinator's meltdown was as good as some of his most recent blowups!!
"I'm not the only adult in the entire league that's throwing temper tantrums," Brady said with a laugh on Monday. "Thank you, Ken, for taking me off the hook."
TB12 made the hilarious comments on his "Let's Go!" podcast on Monday -- just a day after Dorsey was seen on camera exploding on his tablet and headset in a freak-out in the booth following the Bills' 21-19 loss to the Dolphins.
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey went CRAZY in the final seconds of Bills-Dolphins 😳pic.twitter.com/k7kJoDCs90
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) September 25, 2022 @ClutchPointsApp
Brady loved the fervor ... and seemed very pleased to now have company when it comes to tablet-throwing tantrums.
"That was a lot of anger in that," Brady said while speaking to Jim Gray. "It's impressive. I like the passion, Ken. Keep it up."
If you've missed it -- Brady has become a tablet-tossing connoisseur the past couple years ... losing his cool on the electronic device in a couple games.
The Microsoft tablet might want to sit out the next Tom Brady plays the Saints. pic.twitter.com/l062fvG9aZ
— Kyle Burger (@kyle_burger) September 18, 2022 @kyle_burger
Most recently, he was seen chunking the device in frustration during the Saints game earlier this month. Brady joked he was going to look into sending a cease and desist letter to Dorsey for trademark infringement.
In a serious moment on the pod, Tom ultimately empathized with Dorsey, attributing his outburst to the emotional tug of war that playing and coaching football has on a person.
"I know exactly what he was feeling," Brady said. "There's so much emotion. You feel like you're in a battle out there, and it's a physical battle. You got to get the emotion out."
"I'd rather have it boil over on the sideline than [on] the field. Sometimes, it's a little bit of both. It's an emotional game."
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'Concussion' Doc Bennet Omalu Slams Tua For Returning To Game ... 'Your Life Is Worth More Than $10 Billion!!!'
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Tua Tagovailoa was foolish for returning to the Bills game on Sunday after slamming his head on the turf ... so says famed neuropathologist Bennet Omalu -- who tells TMZ Sports the Dolphins quarterback put his life at risk by making the comeback.
Dr. Omalu -- who's the real-life inspiration for the famous Will Smith "Concussion" movie -- says that under no circumstances should Tagovailoa have come back into the contest in Miami after he was initially knocked out of it.
Omalu says he suspects Tagovailoa suffered a concussion based on everything he saw on the game's broadcast ... and he said the 24-year-old should have protected himself and his future and stayed on the sideline the rest of the day.
Full replay of the Tua (possible) concussion play. He got hit by Matt Milano and hit the turf with his head. pic.twitter.com/29dqNyJ45L
— René Bugner (@RNBWCV) September 25, 2022 @RNBWCV
"Your life should be worth more to you than any amount of money," Omalu said. "Your life is worth more than $10 billion, 'cause you can't replace your life. You have only one life."
But Omalu, who discovered CTE, isn't faulting the NFL or the Dolphins one bit for allowing Tagovailoa back under center.
"The duty falls on the players," he said. "The NFL did not point a gun on his head and say, 'You must go back to play.' He could have said, 'No.'"
For Tagovailoa's part, he insisted he did not suffer a head injury during the play ... but rather, he said he hurt his back.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa on his back injury pic.twitter.com/eohGJj8prK
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) September 25, 2022 @DanielOyefusi
"I got up, and that's kind of why I stumbled," the signal-caller told reporters after Miami secured the 21-19 win over Buffalo. "My back kind of locked up on me. But for the most part, I'm good. Passed whatever concussion protocol they had."
The NFL Players Association has launched an investigation into the handling of the incident.
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Bills Vs. Dolphins Josh Allen Fan Kicked In Face ... In Wild Brawl Outside Stadium
A Josh Allen fan was roughed up badly outside of the Bills vs. Dolphins game on Sunday -- taking a foot straight to the face ... before he was kicked and punched repeatedly.
The incident all went down at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at some point in the midst of Buffalo's 21-19 loss to the 'Fins.
It's unclear what started the melee -- but footage from the scene shows a couple Dolphins fans got into it with two Bills fans ... and the Buffalo tandem got the worst of it by far.
Here we go 🤦♂️| #ONLYinDade pic.twitter.com/iJjp5urCO1
— ONLY in DADE (@ONLYinDADE) September 26, 2022 @ONLYinDADE
You can see in the footage, both Bills fans were thrown to the ground ... and while the man in the Allen jersey was trying to get up, he got kicked in the teeth. The other Buffalo fan was jumped on as well.
Another person in an Allen jersey attempted to break things up -- but as the Buffalo fan was down -- a man in a Tua Tagovailoa jersey punched him in the head. Another shirtless guy jumped in and kicked him multiple times as well.
No word on how the situation got resolved or if there were any serious injuries -- we've reached out to cops, but so far, we haven't heard back yet.
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Bills OC Ken Dorsey Throws Tantrum In Booth After Loss ... Slams Headset, Tablet
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2:52 PM PT -- Dorsey is explaining his wild outburst ... saying the matchup felt like a playoff game, and he happened to get a bit too frustrated with the mishap.
Dorsey says it's something he will learn from ... and correct the mistakes the team made on the field -- and in the booth -- moving forward.
Bills OC Ken Dorsey was so pissed in the waning moments of Buffalo's loss to the Dolphins ... he absolutely LOST IT in the booth, slamming his headset and tablet!
Dorsey was frustrated the Bills couldn't get a play off as the clock ticked towards zero ... after receiver Isaiah McKenzie failed to get out of bounds after receiving a pass from Josh Allen.
Broadcast cameras showed Dorsey in the booth, and he was livid, taking out his frustration on his headset and tablet.
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey went CRAZY in the final seconds of Bills-Dolphins 😳pic.twitter.com/k7kJoDCs90
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) September 25, 2022 @ClutchPointsApp
Allen tried to get the Bills' offense lined up for one final play, but time ran out ... and they ended up losing, 21-19, to the Dolphins -- their first loss on the season.
After the game, McKenzie said he was trying to get out of his bounds, but knew Tyler Bass' (Buffalo's place-kicker) range ... unfortunately for Buffalo, things didn't work out.
Isaiah McKenzie explaining what he was trying to do on the last play. #Bills pic.twitter.com/4TGPtE9XoJ
— Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) September 25, 2022 @thadbrown7
"There was nine seconds left, and I was trying to get to the hash," McKenzie said. "I kind of got bumped by going to the ref, and it just went down from there.
"If I could take it back, I would probably just go up field, get down, put it on the hash myself, and live to fight another down."
Originally Published -- 6:48 AM PT
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Bills' Dane Jackson Released From Hospital ... After Suffering Scary Neck Injury
3:14 PM PT -- Jackson tweeted, "All glory to God!! appreciate the love, support, and prayers from everyone. Bills mafia the best in the world!"
7:43 AM PT -- The Bills just confirmed testing at the hospital revealed Jackson had "no major injury to his neck or spinal cord."
"He was released from the hospital and is undergoing further evaluation today," the team said.
6:24 AM PT -- Great news ... according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Jackson has been released from the hospital and "all indications are he has avoided major injury."
Garafolo added Jackson actually walked out of the hospital under his own power.
Terrifying scene during the early NFL game on Monday night -- Bills cornerback Dane Jackson suffered a neck injury that was so concerning, an ambulance came straight onto the field to transport him to a local hospital.
Jackson was hurt while making a tackle late in the second quarter of Buffalo's blowout win over the Tennessee Titans.
Buffalo Bills cornerback Dane Jackson taken off field in ambulance after injury. Pray for him🙏 pic.twitter.com/FgQoHrhOxJ
— TNG (@TNG_News_) September 20, 2022 @TNG_News_
The 25-year-old was accidentally hit by his own teammate in the face -- and his body bent backward awkwardly. He stayed down on the ground for several minutes as trainers and doctors tended to him.
Eventually, he was taken by ambulance to Erie County Medical Center -- where the Bills say he was being evaluated for a neck injury.
"He will be getting a CT scan and an x-ray," the team said in a statement late Monday night. "Jackson has full movement in extremities."
No further update on his condition was given.
Jackson was picked by the Bills in the 7th round of the 2020 NFL Draft ... and has started 10 games for Buffalo in three seasons. He recorded three tackles and a pass breakup before exiting Monday's win.
Get better soon, Dane.
Originally Published -- 5:54 AM PT
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Ryan Fitzpatrick If Bills Win Super Bowl ... I'll Jump Through A Table!!!
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If the Bills end up winning Super Bowl LVII, get a table ready for Ryan Fitzpatrick in Buffalo ... 'cause the ex-QB tells TMZ Sports he'll jump through it to celebrate the title!
Fitz -- who played four seasons for the Bills from 2009 through 2012 -- made the promise this week ... saying he'd personally fly to Buffalo for the occasion if his old team got the job done.
"There's no doubt," he said. "I will be there in Buffalo to do that if that happens, yes."
🚨 Josh Allen stiff arm alert! 🚨
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 9, 2022 @BuffaloBills
📺: @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/Pk5wFFPtNC
Seems there's a good possibility it all goes down ... because the Bills are currently the betting favorite to win it all. In fact, after they dismantled the Rams in the NFL's opener on Thursday night ... it'd be hard to see ANYBODY else winning it.
Buffalo Bills Fans Swarm Los Angeles Ahead Of Season Opener Vs. Rams
Fitz, though, did reveal he thinks the Ravens actually might be the ones who get a ring this year instead of the Bills -- telling us he's a big believer in Baltimore's quarterback.
"I think Lamar [Jackson] is going to do it this year," Fitzpatrick says. "Stay healthy and get a big ol' contract out of it."
If not -- see ya in Buffalo for a table-smashing ceremony in February?!?
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie Does Gender Reveal For Sister After TD ... 'It's A Boy!!!'
Isaiah McKenzie earned major props from his fantasy owners AND his family with his TD on Thursday night ... 'cause it turns out the Bills wideout did a gender reveal for his sister right in the middle of the endzone after scoring!!
Buffalo just made the revelation in a TikTok video posted Friday morning ... showing the slot receiver actually screaming out "It's a boy!" into a camera right after recording a touchdown in the third quarter of the Bills' game against the Rams.
In the video that the Bills shared, you can see McKenzie's family watching on the TV as he revealed the news.
And, when he yelled into the lens -- they went bananas!!!
It's unclear whether Isaiah planned the gender reveal or if it was a surprise ... but his family's reaction was priceless, bringing smiles to their faces.
Of course, McKenzie, his fam, and the Bills had a lot to smile about Thursday ... 'cause they knocked off the defending champs in a laugher, 31-10, at SoFi Stadium.
Good luck to anyone trying to top that with their next gender reveal.
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Rams Vs. Bills Protester Dragged Off Field ... For Interrupting Game W/ Pink Flare
The L.A. Rams and Buffalo Bills' season opener nearly went up in smoke on Thursday ... when protesters rushed the field with a pink flare -- with one being dragged off by security.
Two women somehow found their way onto the field during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium ... as many in the sold-out crowd whipped their phones out to record the debacle.
Former NFL player Emmanuel Acho was one of them -- and you can see in his footage one of the two women was holding up a pink smoke bomb while racing down the field like a running back.
SoFi security quickly caught up to her and tackled her to the ground -- right in front of the Bills' defensive huddle -- before hauling her away.
The protesters wore a RightToRescue.com shirt, which is a website that claims to help "the whistleblowers facing prison time for exposing factory farm abuses and rescuing suffering animals."
BREAKING! @DxEverywhere activists disrupt Rams Bills Thursday Night Football with pink smoke flares & to draw attention to #SmithfieldTrial for the #RightToRescue as @waynehhsiung & @101Darwins face over a decade in prison for rescuing sick baby piglets. https://t.co/fMG0atOTqJ pic.twitter.com/V04PTmjHQM
— Direct Action Everywhere (@DxEverywhere) September 9, 2022 @DxEverywhere
Direct Action Everywhere took responsibility for the protest and released a statement saying the two women were there to bring awareness to the upcoming trial of Smithfield Foods factory farm whistleblowers.
"The protest aims to shine a light on what DxE calls a landmark trial for animal rights, food justice and free speech, and more broadly, on the entire animal agricultural industry, which DxE says is inherently abusive and exploitative."
That wasn't the only wild scene of opening night -- Rams and Bills fans got into a fight after the game ... right in front of Acho and ex-NFL star LeSean McCoy.