ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bars and restaurants in Rochester are gearing up for a busy weekend as the Buffalo Bills prepare for the AFC Championship. Jennifer Lewke from News10NBC was at Bar-Bill, the official Bills-backers bar in the area, which is ready to welcome fans on Sunday.

The manager at Bar-Bill says they are fully stocked with beer, wings, and pizza to keep fans fueled while they cheer for the Bills.

The excitement for the weekend started early with a pep rally at Buffalo City Hall, where Bills Mafia gathered for the “Today Show.”

“The Bills make me want to shout!” was a common chant, along with cheers and even poems celebrating the team’s journey. Fans shared their stories and hopes for the Bills’ success.

“Thirty years we’ve been going to games together, we travel, we love it, and I think the Bills have the perfect roadmap to the Super Bowl this year,” one fan expressed.

In Rochester, residents showed their team spirit by wearing blue and red. Chaz Gaspar enjoyed some early tailgating, while the Lockwood family plans to cheer from a Caribbean cruise.

Avery Vogt, a Bills fan, said, “We’re just so excited. We’ve been season-ticket holders for the last five or six years. This is all we’ve been waiting for. My parents were Bills fans since they were young, and all they wanted was the Super Bowl.”

Sara Hodgenicki shared her optimism: “I’m feeling good about this one. I think we’re going to win, and I think this is our year for the Super Bowl.”

Aidan Groeling reflected on the team’s journey, saying, “Just seeing the years of fans, what they’ve gone through, what I’ve gone through in my short life compared to most people, all that heartbreak, all that frustration turn into that, it would just be a great sight to see. But for now, I’m just focused on this game, can’t get ahead of ourselves and just embrace this opportunity.”

As fans gather in anticipation, the hope for what they’ve been waiting their whole lives for — a Super Bowl victory — remains strong

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