Bills Fans Sing Along to Team’s ‘Golden Girls’ Tribute to Betty White

Buffalo Bills fans

Getty Buffalo Bills fans celebrate a touchdown.

Buffalo Bills fans did their part this weekend to remember Betty White.

During Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Bills paid tribute to the late actress by playing the theme to her hit sitcom “Golden Girls” during a late stoppage in play. The song brought a loud cheer from fans, with thousands joining in to sing along — and many of them posting videos of the tribute online.

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Fans Join in Tribute

The Bills were putting the final touches on a 29-15 win over the Falcons when the team shared the tribute to White. During the two-minute warning, the stadium’s big screen showed that the Los Angeles Rams had just defeated the Baltimore Ravens, the other piece needed for the Bills to clinch a playoff spot in Week 17 rather than waiting another week to finalize it.

The team then played the “Golden Girls” theme song, “Thank You For Being a Friend,” which served as both a message to the Rams and a tribute to White. As videos shared on social media showed, thousands of fans joined in singing along to the popular sitcom theme.

 


White Remembered for Impact on Sports World

White, who died on December 31 at the age of 99, has also been remembered for the unlikely impact she had on the world of sports. White was 87 when she appeared in a commercial for Snickers that aired during Super Bowl XLIV, one that helped to spark a late-career resurgence and led to a number of other sporting endeavors for White.

As SI.com’s Dan Lyons noted, White went on to appear at a number of other sporting events in the years that followed. Ahead of Super Bowl 50, she joked that she taught Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton the “dab” celebration. In 2014, White appeared in an episode of “WWE Raw.”

The WWE even released a statement honoring White.

“An eight-time Emmy award winner, White was a special guest host of Monday Night Raw in 2014 where she promised to ‘kick some a**’ and she delivered,” the statement read. “The WWE extends its condolences to White’s family, friends and countless fans.”

The organization also shared some images of White’s appearance, including her sitting with wrestler John Cena. Some who worked closely with White during her appearance also left more personal messages.

“Aw man! Betty White is one of those people that we all felt like we knew personally,” tweeted the WWE’s Kayla Braxton. “Probably only the second time I’ve ever shed a tear upon learning a celeb I never knew passed away. RIP queen. Your legacy will live on forever.”

Many around the NFL honored White as well. NBC’s Sunday Night Football shared a promotion that she narrated to kick off the NFL’s 100th season in which the legendary actress spoke about the league’s long history.

White’s agent, Jeff Witjas, also released a statement honoring her life.

“Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever,” he said in a statement to People magazine. “I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don’t think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again.”

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