This Weekend’s Bills vs. Panthers Clash Promises to Be Explosive – Amid the Struggles of the Season, a “Small Light” Emerges That TE Dalton Kincaid Calls “The Luck-Bringer – Symbol of Hope and Victory.”

This Weekend’s Bills vs. Panthers Clash Promises to Be Explosive – Amid the Struggles of the Season, a “Small Light” Emerges That TE Dalton Kincaid Calls “The Luck-Bringer – Symbol of Hope and Victory.”

October 25, 2025 | Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

This weekend, as the crisp autumn wind sweeps through Highmark Stadium for the highly anticipated showdown between the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers, all eyes will be on Dalton Kincaid – the rising tight end wearing No. 86, who has quickly become one of the emotional anchors of the Bills locker room. But beyond his breakout season, Kincaid has turned this game into something much more profound – a story of courage, hope, and the unbreakable bond between a player and a young fighter off the field.

That fighter is Ethan Morales, a 12-year-old boy from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, who has been bravely battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia for nearly two years. Earlier this month, a photo of Ethan watching Bills practice from his hospital window – with a homemade sign reading “#86 Kincaid” taped across his blanket – spread quickly across social media. Within hours, it reached Kincaid’s phone.

“When I saw that photo, I froze,” Kincaid said. “A kid going through pain every single day, and he’s still smiling, still cheering for us. That kind of strength humbles you. I thought — if he can fight like that, then we can fight for him.”

Kincaid immediately reached out to the hospital and arranged for Ethan and his parents to attend the Bills’ home game this Sunday against the Panthers as VIP guests, covering all expenses including travel, meals, and front-row seats right behind the Bills’ bench. Ethan will also walk out of the tunnel alongside Kincaid during pregame introductions — a moment the tight end calls “the highlight of my season.”

“He’s the light we need right now,” Kincaid said after Saturday’s walkthrough. “Yeah, this season’s been tough, but this weekend we’re playing for something bigger. Ethan’s courage reminds us that as long as you have faith, there’s always a reason to keep fighting.”

Ethan’s mother said her son hasn’t been able to sleep since receiving the call.

“He keeps saying, ‘Mom, I’m walking out there with Dalton Kincaid — and we’re going to win.’ That’s all he talks about. I haven’t seen his eyes shine like that in months,” she said, her voice trembling.

As the Bills prepare for one of the most emotional games of the season, the atmosphere inside Highmark Stadium feels different — heavy yet full of heart. And when Dalton Kincaid, wearing his blue No. 86 jersey, walks hand-in-hand with Ethan into the roaring crowd, it won’t just be about football. It will be a moment that defines what Buffalo truly stands for — resilience, faith, and family.

“People talk about records and touchdowns,” Kincaid smiled. “But sometimes, the real victory isn’t on the scoreboard. It’s seeing a kid like Ethan smile again. He’s our lucky charm — our symbol of faith and triumph.”

“People keep talking about how tough this season’s been,” Kincaid added, glancing toward the stands. “But sometimes, you don’t need a perfect game plan to turn things around. You just need a little light — that one spark that reminds you why you fight. For us, that light is Ethan. He’s our luck-bringer, our symbol of hope and victory.”

And as the Bills take the field under the bright Orchard Park lights this Sunday night against the Panthers, one can’t help but wonder — will that “small light” beside No. 86 spark a miracle in Buffalo?