The Buffalo Bills are under fire from their own fans after the team began installing a collection of statues outside their new Highmark Stadium, worth $2.1 billion
10:58 ET, 17 Jun 2026Updated 10:58 ET, 17 Jun 2026
The Bills are in the process of setting up three bison statues outside their new stadium
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The Bills are in the process of setting up three bison statues outside their new stadium(Image: Buffalo Bills)
The Buffalo Bills erected three enormous bison statues outside the franchise’s new stadium — and fans are divided.
The Bills will officially open their new $2.1-billion Highmark Stadium in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season, hosting the Detroit Lions in a primetime Thursday Night Football matchup. The state-of-the-art venue marks a new era for the franchise, ushering in a modern home for one of the league’s most passionate fanbases.
The debut will also spotlight former MVP Josh Allen, who continues his pursuit of a first Super Bowl title after several painful AFC playoff exits, including last season’s road defeat against the Denver Broncos. He hopes to bring a Lombardi Trophy to the new stadium, with construction beginning in 2023. Meanwhile, a lip reader spotted Donald Trump's desperate eight-word plea as he was booed at the NBA Finals.
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The finishing touches are now being applied before the big kick-off, and the team will have new icons to help inspire them moving forward. The bison sculptures — crafted with a steel substructure and a stainless-steel outer layer — have been designed to pay homage to the Bills’ New York roots.
The enormous sculpture features a bull, a cow, and a calf. The bull will be 27 feet tall and can emit smoke from its nostrils, while at night, the statues will come to life with five programmable lighting systems.
“These striking sculptures will serve as a powerful visual representation of the strength and resilience of the Buffalo community, embodying the spirit that defines both the team and the city,” an article on the Bills’ website said.
Crews have begun installing the first statue, the calf, which is 12 feet tall and 13 feet long. It is the smallest of the three statues. The bull will also be 29 feet long, while the cow will be 22 feet tall and 23 feet long. On Tuesday, the Bills released footage of the first statue arriving on a truck at the New Highmark Stadium.
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Fans have been given a glimpse inside the Buffalo Bills' New Highmark Stadium, which will open in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season
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Fans have been given a glimpse inside the Buffalo Bills' New Highmark Stadium, which will open in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season(Image: @NFL_DovKleiman/X)
“The first of the family to arrive,” they captioned a clip on social media. However, despite the positive intention surrounding the move, some fans are not pleased.
“The legs are too skinny and stupidly long. Buffaloes are brown not silver. Hate them. Terrible,” declared one fan. Another posted: “Ugly silver statues to go along with the ugly silver bed pan stadium. You guys dropped the ball so bad on this stadium.”
More fans lumped in on the design of the bulls, writing: “Please mark ‘Return to sender’ and try again. That thing looks awful.”
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“Did the artist ever see a buffalo? DAMN,” gasped another. However, there were some positive messages celebrating the statue outside the new Bills stadium: “This is so exciting. Horns up. The more horns, the better welcome to the herd.”
The ribbon will be cut at New Highmark Stadium on June 23. However, fans must wait until the clash with the Lions in Week 2 on Thursday, Sept. 17.