The Bills are re-sodding their entire $2.2 billion Highmark Stadium field just weeks before the season opener after widespread complaints about its current condition
The Buffalo Bills have decided to replace their new turf just weeks before the new NFL season
The Buffalo Bills have decided to replace their new turf just weeks before the new NFL season(Image: Getty Images)
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The Buffalo Bills are tearing out and completely replacing the natural grass field at their brand-new Highmark Stadium, a drastic move coming less than three weeks before the venue hosts its first regular-season game.
The decision follows widespread complaints about the field's condition during the preseason, including a moment during the Bills' preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers when a "massive clump" of sod, roots and dirt went flying during play, forcing officials to stop the clock so grounds crews could stomp patches of Kentucky bluegrass back into place.
One anonymous player didn't mince words afterward, telling The Athletic, "The field is a-- right now," as fans face a price hike due to the flawed stadium.
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Bills president of business operations, Pete Guelli, confirmed the re-sodding plan in a statement.
"We're committed to having the best possible playing surface for our players," Guelli said. "With a stretch of three consecutive home games early in the season, we decided it was the appropriate time to re-sod our field.”
He added: “This process will begin on Monday with full installation of a new surface completed by the end of the week. We will continue to monitor the field and every aspect of our new stadium to ensure it is the best possible experience for our players and fans."
The Bills' surface faced criticism during NFL preseason
The Bills' surface faced criticism during NFL preseason
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Notably, the field held up better during Thursday night's preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It passed pregame inspection, meaning the team is not necessarily conceding that the surface was unsafe, but rather that it wants to be proactive.
"You can be happy with the performance and playability and still make the change," Guelli told the Buffalo News. "As an organization, we're committed to having the absolute best possible playing surface for the players. If it's even slightly better, we're going to make the change and err on the side of performance."
Bills senior director of grounds, Aaron Ramella, cautioned that the swap won't eliminate all issues entirely. "It's not a cure-all," Ramella said. "We're still going to have divots. It's a living grass field. We'll be better than where we're at now."
Bills' fans will have to deal with added costs to watch their favorite team in action
Bills' fans will have to deal with added costs to watch their favorite team in action(Image: Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
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The grass, originally installed in October 2025 and sourced from Tuckahoe Turf Farms in New Jersey, the same supplier used for stadiums housing the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, marks Buffalo's return to natural grass for the first time since 1972, when the team left War Memorial Stadium for what became Orchard Park.
The field issue adds to a rocky rollout for the $2.2 billion venue, which also drew significant criticism this preseason over obstructed sightlines in parts of the stadium during a public "Blue and Red" practice event, drawing comparisons to MetLife Stadium and prompting warnings from fans and analysts to other franchises building new venues, including the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos.
Of the project's original $850 million public financing, taxpayers covered a significant portion, second only to the Tennessee Titans' stadium subsidy among NFL venues.
The newly resurfaced field will be ready in time for the stadium's regular-season debut on "Thursday Night Football" against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 17, kicking off a stretch of three consecutive home games for the Bills to open the year.