“Coming out of my cage and I’ve been doing just fine…”
It makes zero sense on paper. A synth-pop track about a guy having a panic attack over his cheating girlfriend is now the loudest sound in the NFL. And Sally Jenkins loves it.
The Atlantic writer spotlighted the phenomenon in her latest dispatch: “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers has officially achieved legendary status.
It started in the cold.
In December 2023, Buffalo Bills tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox asked the sound crew to fire it up. The result? Bedlam. By the 2026 season, it morphed into a ritual.
“That was a peak moment. I’ve never heard a crowd sing along that loudly,” a Bills staffer admitted after a Monday Night Football win.
Jenkins nailed the psychology: It’s the release valve. While she praises Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” for its smoky, mature poignancy on aging, “Mr. Brightside” is the other end of the spectrum. It is raw, collective energy.
Whether it is the “mosaic-like” storytelling of the Bob Dylan film I’m Not There—which Jenkins has watched seven times—or the roaring stands of Highmark Stadium, the legendary sportswriter is proving that the best stories aren’t always on the scoreboard. They’re in the stands.
Jordan Blake is a rogue film critic and former VFX compositor with over 15 years of industry experience. Tired of paid reviews and “safe” opinions, Jordan left the studio system to tell the audience what Hollywood won’t. He specializes in forensic frame-by-frame analysis, exposing bad CGI, and decoding hidden lore that others miss.
Known for his “no-nonsense” approach, Jordan pays for his own tickets and refuses to attend press junkets, ensuring his loyalty belongs only to the fans. If a movie is a cash grab, he’ll say it. If it’s a masterpiece, he’ll explain why technically.
Specialty: VFX Breakdowns, Script Analysis, Hidden Details.
Motto: “Cinema doesn’t lie, but marketing does.”
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