The Buffalo Bills have spent three decades chasing the Lombardi Trophy. But four Super Bowl defeats have fueled one question: Why do they always choke in the end? Former lineman Dion Dawkins thinks it might have been the old Highmark Stadium.

“I think our stadium is cursed, bro,” Dawkins told Amon-Ra St. Brown on the St. Brown Podcast. “I can’t even lie. Our stadium has like, a graveyard on our stadium. I never walked into that gate, but I’m pretty sure our fans know, bro. When they walk into the stadium, they have to walk past the cemetery that’s hugging the stadium.”

The tiny cemetery Dawkins is referring to sits next to Highmark Stadium. Known as the Sheldon Family Cemetery, it is located just a few yards from Gate 7. Dawkins believes the spirits resting there might not want the Bills to win the Super Bowl anytime soon.

“So, realistically, whatever spirit is up there, they’re like, ‘Y’all can have a good season. We’ll watch and be entertained, but nah, take your behind across the street.’ So guess where we’re at now? Across the street,” said Dawkins on the St. Brown Podcast on July 22.

Just 20 people were buried in the Sheldon family cemetery in the 1800s, per WKBK.

But nearly two centuries later, the cemetery still stands in the same spot because residents protested the relocation of the graves during the stadium's construction.

“But thanks to the efforts by Sheldon family descendants and community history buffs - with some assistance from then Bills owner Ralph Wilson - the cemetery was spared,” wrote Leo Rothnon in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle on October 30, 2015.

That said, was the stadium really the problem all along? Let's examine the evidence.

Was the old Highmark Stadium the real culprit behind the Bills' heartbreak?

Dion Dawkins believes the stadium is cursed, and Amon-Ra St. Brown has echoed similar sentiments. But the reality tells a different story.

The Bills went 7-2 at home last season after posting a perfect 8-0 home record in 2024. But despite being one of the NFL's strongest teams, they haven't returned to the Super Bowl since the 1993 season.

The cemetery alone cannot be blamed for the misfortune. In fact, locals suggest that it is really nothing more than a resting place for the Sheldon family.

“I don’t make a darn thing of that; it's all folklore,” said caretaker and member of the Sheldon family, Gary Hartloff, to WKBW about any supernatural influences on October 23, 2023.

Meanwhile, two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long told Rich Eisen earlier this year that he believes the Bills keep missing the playoffs, especially in recent years, due to inconsistencies and a lack of roster depth.

Furthermore, the team's offensive line lacked elite playmakers, and QB Josh Allen's performance alone wasn't enough to turn the tide.

The Bills are looking forward to playing their games at the new Highmark Stadium while the old one is being demolished. However, Hartloff confirmed that the cemetery would remain in place.

“This has got to remain here. I spoke to them, and they said this is safe,” said Hartloff.

What are your thoughts about the real reason behind the Buffalo Bills' Super Bowl losses?

Read more at the Detroit Lions Community!

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit