In an era where very few people stay in the same job for more than a couple of years, Erich Nikischer’s loyalty to the Buffalo Bills was somewhat of a rarity. Watching the spoiled NFL players kneeling during our national anthem was more than Nikischer could take. Erich Nikischer felt like he had no other choice than to walk away from a 30-year career yesterday after he realized he couldn’t stand by and watch our flag and our veterans being disrespected in the Bills stadium where he spent a large chunk of his life…

Stadium worker Erich Nikischer quit his job at New Era Field after almost 30 years.

“I waited until the National Anthem ended, I took off my shirt, threw my Bills hat on the ground, walked out,” Nikischer said in a sit-down interview with Channel 2 at his West Seneca home.

Nikischer says he has no problem with players protesting before the National Anthem. It’s when the kneeling continued into the song that strong feelings took over.

“During the National Anthem…the song that is about our country, our veterans that fight and die for us, it’s just something I feel you shouldn’t disrespect that way,” he said. “I believe people have the right to protest; I just don’t believe that’s the proper venue for it.”

He’s not alone in that latter sentiment. Safety Jordan Poyer’s fiancé says that’s how the couple feels, and that Saturday night, they decided he wouldn’t partake in an on the field protest.

“I feel like there’s a certain time or place where you should make a stand for something, and we both agree that it’s not in your workforce, your work field,” Rachel Bush said. “So yeah, I agree there’s something that should be done, but we both mutually don’t agree that it should be done during their work…during their football season.”

Nikischer said it was a hard decision, and that he will miss those he worked with.

“I will never step foot in that place again, I will never watch an NFL football game again until this ends,” Nikischer said.

Watch his interview here: WGRZ

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