ClutchPoints
A large portion of the sports world focuses on what the Buffalo Bills do not have — a Super Bowl championship or a playoff win versus Patrick Mahomes — but it is important to emphasize what they do have. This franchise lays claim to one of the most passionate and resilient fan bases in the NFL, and after Sunday’s regular season finale, that statement seems ironclad.
Following a 35-8 victory over the New York Jets, which largely came without Josh Allen, the packed home crowd lingered inside Highmark Stadium for one last time. Call it a house of pain or a coliseum of calamity, but this cherished venue left an emotional imprint on an entire community during the last half-century. Fans took their time saying goodbye, revisiting some of the memories that took place on 1 Bills Drive, Orchard Park.
Super Bowl-winning defensive back Jason McCourty, who was on the call for Highmark Stadium’s farewell game, spotlighted the unity and sentimentality that overflowed the area.
“What a scene in Buffalo,” he posted on X, along with a video. “No one left their seats when the game was over. Highlights played on the Jumbotron and fans sat in appreciation! Honored to have been a part of the broadcast closing out the home stadium since 1973!”
What a scene in Buffalo. No one left their seats when the game was over. Highlights played on the Jumbotron and fans sat in appreciation!
Honored to have been a part of the broadcast closing out the home stadium since 1973! pic.twitter.com/t8Xn4wczzw
— Jason McCourty (@JasonMcCourty) January 5, 2026
Since the Bills’ five-year reign as AFC East champions came to an end in Week 17, Sean McDermott’s squad will begin the playoffs on the road in a Wild Card matchup versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Unless both No. 6-seeded Buffalo and the No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers meet in the AFC Championship, which is possible given the parity in the conference, there will not be another game played in Highmark Stadium.
Despite all the misery that fans endured during the team’s long history, the place that was originally called Rich Stadium hosted a multitude of celebratory and thrilling moments that will forever be intertwined in the city’s roots. Before the Bills christen their new stadium next season, they will try to properly commemorate the old one with a glorious title run.
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