How 'Mr. Brightside' became a Bills anthem

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WROC) — For nearly four decades, the "Shout" song has echoed through the stands at Highmark Stadium during Bills games. Lately, however, a new anthem has become beloved by the team's players and fans alike.

"Mr. Brightside."

In the opening verse of the hit 2003 song, The Killers sing that "it started it out with a kiss." The Bills' connection with the song started last season in a December 2023 game against the Cowboys.

The Origin Story

In the fourth quarter of that game, Dalton Kincaid told fellow tight end Dawson Knox that he wanted to hear the song.

While Kincaid and The Killers are both from Las Vegas, his love of the tune grew when playing in college at the University of Utah.

"I remember at Utah games we always played it in the fourth quarter and I was just like, ‘I wish they could play 'Mr. Brightside' right now,'" Kincaid said.

The request made its way up to Brian Haberkorn, the Bills' Director of Game Presentation. He's in charge of the in-game experience for the fans.

"We heard that and were like, 'OK, we can do that,'" Haberkorn said. "So we play 'Mr. Brightside.' Great fan reaction and great reaction from the players, too. I thought after the game, if the players are that energized to hear the song, let’s enhance it a little bit."

Haberkorn and his staff got together with the team's content and creative teams. They created a lyric video to play in the stadium, which started off with Kincaid's request that was captured in Knox's mic'd up video. It debuted at the team's playoff game against the Steelers.

“The crowd went nuts for it, so after that, we thought, 'Let's keep this running,'" Haberkorn said.

The Monday Night Party

They played it the following week against the Chiefs, then brought it back for this season's home opener against the Cardinals.

It got a strong reaction then, but in the Week 3 Monday night blowout win against the Jaguars, it reached a new level.

"That's when it hit a peak. I've never heard a crowd sing-along louder than that," Haberkorn said.

I captured the video of the team rocking out on the field. Kincaid, Knox, Spencer Brown, Mack Hollins, and James Cook were the most enthusiastic. Dawson’s wife Alexandra recorded the jam session as well. The various posts got millions of views and the moment was experienced by all of Bills Mafia.

"I was just like, 'We absolutely have to lean into this. This is becoming our thing,'" Haberkorn said.

"It's definitely something that we look forward to," Kincaid said.

The Wedding

While the Bills' connection to 'Mr. Brightside' started last season, it was enhanced this past summer when videos were posted of the team dancing along to the song at Knox’s wedding. But that moment almost didn’t happen.

"Dawson's wife didn't want it played but it was the only song that Dawson requested," Kincaid said. "They waited until the very last song of the night but we were all there for it and had a good time."

"She was not a huge fan of the song just because she thought it was overplayed. Kind of a cliché in a way," Knox said. "When that song came on, it was the highlight of our reception. She'll say the same. She was really happy we played it. We got some great videos, some great memories from it."

Getting Hyped

Kincaid and Knox get the most animated during the song, with Spencer Brown close behind. Josh Allen isn't as outwardly excited when the song plays, but he certainly enjoys it.

In a mic'd up video earlier this season, he told Knox that the team has to go crazy when it played and likened the new tradition to the Steelers playing "Renegade" during their home games. He also enjoys the motivation it provides for his teammates.

"Our goal is to get to the fourth quarter and have 'Mr. Brightside' be playing," Allen said prior to the team's playoff game against the Ravens. "I know the fans love that but it gives us such a shot of energy."

"We're definitely aware of certain situations it can be played," Kincaid said. "We try to put ourselves in a spot where we're up a score or two. I feel it brings some momentum as well."

Burning Questions

As for when the song gets played during the game, that decision is up to Haberkorn.

"It's really a feel for the game," Haberkorn said. "It's always in the fourth quarter, that's about the only criteria that I have. It's when I feel like that one little burst of energy is going to get the team going, going to get the fans going, and it's going to carry us over the top for the rest of the game."

"I wish we had a button on the sidelines," Kincaid said. "Where we could just say that we could use it about now. It's a surprise for us."

"I'm sweating bullets as hard as anybody trying to figure out what that right moment is," Haberkorn added.

The song played last year in the Chiefs playoff game, which the Bills lost. Haberkorn did question whether the tradition would end with that result. However, the early-season enthusiasm for the new tradition quickly extinguished those concerns.

The Bills have won every game at home this season, a first for the franchise since 1990. As a result, the Bills have been in the lead every time the song has been played this year. But would Haberkorn use it with the team tied or needing a score to get back in the game?

"I would need to feel out the situation," Haberkorn said. "If I think that that's going to give that last little burst of energy and get the fans going and get them back in the game or just elevate where they're already at, I might. It's hard to say."

While the song is a staple at sporting events for just about every team, the Bills are not alone in making it a tradition. The fans at University of Michigan football games started belting out the song in 2016, at Boston College a year later.

"I've certainly learned more about who plays it and who does it afterward. There are a lot of opinions on that," Haberkorn said with a smile.

Lasting Legacy

While only destiny will determine the staying power of Mr. Brightside, the notion of creating a new tradition is special to all those involved.

"It would definitely be cool to look back on," Kincaid said. "I joke with Dawson all the time and tell him that he's going to be the 'Legend of the Game' and they'll play 'Mr. Brightside.' "

"I would be honored," Knox said. "I think Dalton and I would be very honored. I think my wife played a little part in it as well so I'll give her credit. I just hope it goes on as long as I'm here, hopefully longer."

"It's absolutely incredible. That is the moment in game-presentation, for crowd entertainment, that is the moment you live for," Haberkorn said. "To be able to start a new tradition, especially so organically, it's peak. It's something that I'm going to live with for the rest of my life as something that I helped contribute to."