Optimism is abundant in Western New York, as the Buffalo Bills are prepping for their opening of training camp next month.
The team’s new 60,108-seat home, Highmark Stadium, had its ceremonial ribbon-cutting this week in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills officially bid adieu to their “old” Highmark digs that served them well for 53 seasons.
The juggling of the 53-man active roster this offseason, promises of being a continuous contender in the American Football Conference by new head coach Joe Brady, who was elevated from his offensive coordinator’s position in 2025, and owner Terry Pegula’s decision to remain all-in on his commitment to bring a Super Bowl championship to Buffalo, all offer reasons for fans to believe in the 67-year franchise.
NFL Insider Vic Carucci was among those touring Highmark Stadium on Tuesday along with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, and former Bills players. Carucci, who can be heard on numerous programs on SiriusXM NFL Radio, including on Saturdays co-hosting press coverage (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET) as well as reporting as an analyst on the Bills for WGRZ-TV in Buffalo, offers the highest of grades for the football home that neighbors Lake Erie.
“It’s spectacular. I don’t think it’s possible to exaggerate its impressiveness,” Carucci told The Epoch Times on Friday. “The concourses are beyond massive. It looks like something one expects to see in a bigger market. [Buffalo is the second-smallest NFL market.] A two-billion-dollar price range should buy you something that is spectacular. There’s a world-class feel to it.”
Replacing the former home of the Bills that opened in 1973 required a financial collaboration between New York state, Erie County, where the team’s operations are based, and Bills ownership. The $2.1 billion stadium came as a result of $850 million from Empire State taxpayers, according to a November 2024 article from The Associated Press, while $600 million came from New York state and $250 million from Erie County. The Pegulas were responsible for $1.25 billion in construction costs according to the article.
“There was more private money than taxpayers money with the stadium,” Carucci says. “Then, the price tag kept growing. It started at $1.4 billion then to $2 billion-plus. The new stadium will get the Bills up to speed in generating as much revenue as possible. Revenues are shared in the NFL. The team can charge more for tickets. By being in a place more state of the art, by all accounts, the Bills could cater to a crowd placing bets. The league is fully in bed with those entities [official sportsbook partnerships].”
Moves made off the field during this off-season, such as adding free agent pass rusher Bradley Chubb, last with the Miami Dolphins, and drafting in April outside linebacker T.J. Parker from Clemson in the second round, along with Brady now overseeing all facets of the team, have Carucci believing that the Bills are moving in the right direction to give the New England Patriots a run for AFC East dominance.
“It feels like [the Bills] need to win the AFC championship, or bust. Buffalo is one of three teams that said goodbye to accomplished coaches. Something had to change,” Carucci explains. “The Bills aren’t in rebuild. Joe Brady, like with Pittsburgh and Baltimore, is filling some big shoes. Falling short of the Super Bowl won’t be accepted. It’s really going to be fun.”
As the Bills prepare for training camp in Pittsford, New York, at St. John Fisher University, their two new coordinators are tasked with presenting success-oriented plans that would make Brady’s overall guidance of the team seamless. In January, Jim Leonhard, who previously served in a number of coaching roles with the Denver Broncos including assistant head coach, was brought in as the new defensive coordinator, and Pete Carmichael Jr. comes to Buffalo as the offensive coordinator.
With the Bills remaining a highly attractive team for the networks, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that they will be playing games on two of the biggest holidays of the year. The Bills 2026 schedule calls for them to be hosting AFC rival Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day, while on Christmas Day, Buffalo will be traveling to Colorado to play the Broncos.
Bills’ owner Terry Pegula offered a heartfelt speech at Tuesday’s ribbon cutting event at Highmark Stadium, calling attention to all those who have been responsible for building his team’s new home.
“[Pegula] spent a good chunk of his speech thanking the 5,000-plus laborers who worked on it,” Carucci recalls of Buffalo’s team owner’s speech.
Like in most NFL cities, Bills fans plan their lives around their favorite football team. Once snow and heavy rain is blowing in from Lake Erie and blanketing the playing surface and new seating, then Highmark Stadium will truly be christened.
