For the first time in more than six years, Tom Brady will step inside Highmark Stadium. On Sunday, the former New England Patriots quarterback will be on the call for the Week 17 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills. But Brady’s return to Buffalo has sparked more concern than excitement. And it’s all because of a controversial fan tradition tied to his playing days.

During the final years of Brady’s tenure in New England, Bills fans developed a habit of throwing a s*x toy onto the field whenever Brady and the Patriots visited Buffalo. The first incident dates back to 2016, started by Hub and Dillon Hayes (thanks to inspiration from a Halloween costume), when the Patriots beat the Bills 41–25 at Highmark.

Late in that game, as Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan was tackled inside the Bills’ five-yard line, the object landed just outside the end zone with Brady’s name on it. Hogan later said he noticed something had been thrown but didn’t pay much attention. Meanwhile, tight end Rob Gronkowski initially thought it was meant for the Bills. Brady, however, confirmed he saw it.

“I did see it. Yes I did, I did see it,” he said. “I thought it was funny the ref didn’t want to pick it up. He was kicking it. Nobody wanted to reach down and grab it. That was very unusual. That was a first. Only in Buffalo. That was very unusual.”

What started as a one-off moment didn’t stay that way. The incident resurfaced in 2017, then crossed another line in 2018. Only this time, with real consequences. During the Bills’ 25–6 loss to the Patriots, a fan allegedly threw the object again, leading to an arrest. According to WKBW, the league charged 34-year-old Michael Abdallah with disorderly conduct for his actions.

By the time Brady returned to Buffalo in 2019, the situation had escalated enough that the league felt compelled to step in. Ahead of the game, the NFL issued a plea to Bills fans, urging them to refrain from throwing the object onto the field, an unusual reminder that underscored just how far the situation had gone.

When the Bills hoped the controversial tradition would end in Tom Brady’s last year with the Patriots

Back in 2019, the Bills opened the season on a strong 3–0 run. However, the next on the schedule was a Week 4 home matchup against the Patriots at New Era Field. And while Buffalo had momentum, there was also unease because of how the previous three home meetings between the two teams had unfolded.

Still, with the Bills unbeaten, there was hope the infamous flying s*x toy tradition would finally come to an end. The reasoning behind that hope was fairly straightforward.

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“What if Josh Allen is running, steps on it and tears his ACL?” then Bills’ chief administrative officer Dave Wheat told Tim Graham of TheAthletic.com in 2019. “What are the ramifications? What if Tom Brady got injured? . . . . This community would never live that down. People need to realize these are professional athletes, and you’re literally putting their health and safety at risk.”

And the concern wasn’t limited to the players. It extended to the fans, too. With Buffalo off to a 3–0 start, there was a very real risk for anyone caught throwing objects onto the field. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had already banned the Hayes brothers from every NFL stadium. An arrest had been made just a year before. The league clearly wasn’t interested in seeing the situation escalate any further.

So now, with news breaking that Tom Brady is returning to Highmark Stadium, it’s not hard to understand why his arrival has stirred more concern than celebration. Still, for now, it’s fair to assume the Eagles-Bills matchup will kick off and wrap up without any unnecessary drama.