1. One last regular season ride at Highmark Stadium
Sunday also marks the last regular season game at the current Highmark Stadium. The Bills are closing up shop and moving across the street to new Highmark Stadium for the 2026 season.
Players, coaches and fans in attendance will try to close it out the right way—ending on a win and soaking up every last second.
“(I’m) emotional already thinking about it,” head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday. “It’s very important to me, it’s very important to our staff, to our team, and it will be addressed accordingly as we get together for our week of preparation here…Now being here nine years with my family, being able to experience almost the same type of memories (as earlier regimes) is special. So, we owe it to the stadium and to the memories that exist in that stadium to go out the right way here.”
Buffalo has called Highmark Stadium home for 52 years, opening its doors in 1973. The Bills record is 246-163 in that building. It’s been called Rich Stadium, The Ralph, New Era Field, Bills Stadium and Highmark Stadium over the last 52 years.
Quarterback Josh Allen has played in many memorable games at Highmark Stadium. There are some that will stick out more than most.
Buffalo’s perfect game on offense against the Patriots in the Wild Card round of the 2021 season. Allen went off for five touchdowns and finished with a 157.6 passer rating in route to a 47-17 victory.
The QB recorded his most total touchdowns in a home game this season against the Buccaneers with three passing and three rushing as they beat Tampa Bay 44-32. He racked up his most passing yards against the Steelers in 2022 at home by completing 20 of his 31 pass attempts for 424 yards and four touchdowns (38-3 final score). Another crazy offensive output by Allen and company was against the Seahawks when they beat them 44-34 in 2020. The QB completed 82% of his passes (31/38) for 415 yards and four offensive touchdowns.
There are also several plays from Allen at Highmark Stadium that will be hard to forget. Allen’s fourth down run against the Chiefs in 2024. On 4th & 2 with just a two-point lead with 2:17 left to play, Allen turned into Superman and scrambled for 26 yards to score and extended their lead to 30-21. During the same season, Allen turned into Air Allen against the Cardinals as he hurdled a defender to score in a 34-28 victory.
One of Bills Mafia’s first glimpses of Allen’s elite talent came in 2018 when Allen found Robert Foster down the field for a huge 75-yard touchdown in a 24-21 win.
Allen’s record at Highmark Stadium is 49-15 in the regular season and 7-2 in the playoffs. He’s totaled 185 offensive touchdowns and 1,467 passes for 16,930 passing yards at home, including playoffs.
McDermott’s record at Highmark Stadium is 55-19 in the regular season. His defense has allowed an average of 19.6 points per game and forced 127 takeaways at home since 2017. His offense has averaged 26.7 points per game.
In terms of favorite games, McDermott said there’s a few.
“Baltimore, I would say the 2020 Covid Divisional game was a big one for us,” McDermott shared. “I think Taron Johnson had a pick six in that game, which pretty much sealed the deal. And that was a memorable one going to the AFC Championship game the first time…The fans have been phenomenal. I look across out my window and I see the stadium and it’s almost, I don’t want to say sad — It’s not a sad day. But it is a little bit sad. I’m emotional about it.”
