A high school football standout who turned into a professional fan favorite will take the mound at Sahlen Field on Friday, March 27 to help the Buffalo Bisons kick off their 2026-27 season.
The Bisons announced that Bills linebacker Joe "Buffalo Joe" Andreessen will throw out the team's ceremonial first pitch before its game against the Scranton/WB RailRiders.
Andreesseen, who is from Depew, graduated from Lancaster High School before embarking on a collegiate career that ended at the University at Buffalo. In 2024, he landed a spot on the Bills' training camp roster and turned heads throughout the preseason, eventually earning a spot on the active roster.
Over the past two seasons, he has appeared in 30 games and totaled 61 tackles. He also gained national notoriety when his hometown story was highlighted in HBO's "Hard Knocks" documentary series on the 2025 Bills team.
The actual first pitch for Game 1 of the Bisons' season is slated for 1:05 p.m.