NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — It was a big game atmosphere at Hyde Park Elementary School in Niagara Falls on Wednesday as students and faculty rolled out the red carpet for Thursday Night Football.
On hand for the event were former Buffalo Bills teammates and fan favorites Ryan Fitzpatrick and Stevie Johnson.
"It's special, to be honest," Johnson, a former Bills wide receiver told 7 News Anchor Jeff Russo. "We don't do this for the likes or for the acknowledgment for ourselves. We do this to create for others,"
"It was a little bit emotional because I hadn't seen Stevie for so long," added Fitzpatrick, a former Bills quarterback, and current member of the broadcast team for TNF on Amazon Prime Video.
Johnson and Fitzpatrick reunited to help present a $25,000 donation to FeedMore WNY as part of Amazon's "TNF For Good" initiative.
"For us, it's each city we are traveling into, and you know, when I saw Buffalo was on the schedule this year I was so fired up for a lot of different reasons, but to be able to do that here in a city that means so much to us, it's cool to be here," said Fitzpatrick.
Everyone in attendance received a backpack that included healthy snacks, and a copy of the children's book "The Legend of Fitzmagic - Mr. Nomadic" which was written by Stevie Johnson and read to students in classrooms throughout the school.
Big day at Hyde Park Elementary School in Niagara Falls as two #Bills legends @StevieJohnson13 and Ryan Fitzpatrick reunite to read for kids in support of Huddle for Hunger and @NFLonPrime For Good. @wkbw @BuffaloBills pic.twitter.com/T8w9jI2uuq
— Jeff Russo (@JeffRussoWKBW) October 25, 2023
"I was able to get Freddy Jackson, and the great Fitzmagic, to share their journey, share their obstacles, and how they overcame and ultimately provide that vision for the young, younger crowd to learn from understanding things will be OK even if you get knocked down," said Johnson.
The celebration included a big pep rally in the school's gymnasium where students were excited to celebrate all things Buffalo Bills, and the former teammates were happy to help give back to the Western New York Community.
"This place means so much to us, but a lot of it is because you feel how much the community appreciates it as well," said Fitzpatrick, "such a great relationship between players and the community here. Me being in nine different cities, I love the places I played, but there's no place like Buffalo."
Wegmans, SnapDragon Apples and the Buffalo Bills Foundation were also sponsors of the event on Wednesday.
