Goodbye, old friend. Paying tribute to Rich Stadium-Highmark Stadium. Post your memories.

[Pete]

My father took me to many Bills games in the 70s.  One of first games I remember was Jerry Butler catching 4 TDs against the Jets.  1979 my family moved to New England.  Years later, I was dating a girl, and talked her ear off about Buffalo.  We made a trip to Buffalo, and I took her to Bills-Raiders 51-3 game.  That’s the Bills game ever IMO.  Bills dominated from opening snap.  We were up 41-3 at the half.  The ultra rare zero stress Bills game.  What an amazing time!  That stadium was buzzing!

[ganesh]

On 2/23/2025 at 3:53 AM, Beast said:

The sad…..

 

An NFL Championship banner will never be raised in that stadium…..but may be earned there.

An AFCC at Rich Stadium that takes the Bills to the SB where they win the big one and get the monkey off the bat.....A way to celebrate the end of the stadium and raise the banner on the new stadium.....What a story that would be for the NFL Regular season opening in 2026...

 

That "AFC East Champion" sign board in 2021 was  a magic moment.

[Beast]

I wonder if this will be a patch on their jersey this season?
 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by Beast

[RiotAct]

4 minutes ago, Beast said:

I wonder if this will be a patch on their jersey this season?
 

 

sure looks like it

[UConn James]

Yes. Per UniWatch, it will be worn in one home game this upcoming season. TBA which game.

 

Uni Watch article

[BritBill]

I got to go in the 2019 season. Versus New England when Allen got knocked out. Or when they knocked him out of the game cold. 

 

Despite the result it was a dream come true. At the end of the game I stood looking out onto the field for what felt was an age with my son. I didn't want to leave. 

[Xwnyer]

Opening day 1980 we beat the dolfins and the field is stormed .   After a decade of losing and the initiation of talking proud!  What a crazy time on the field taking down goal posts etc.  

[JGMcD2]

November 3, 2013 – My first game at Rich/Highmark Stadium: the 8-0 Kansas City Chiefs vs. the 3-5 Buffalo Bills. Jeff Tuel got the start for Buffalo. The Bills had a chance to take a 17-3 lead early in the second half, but Tuel threw a 99-yard pick-six to Sean Smith.

 

December 30, 2018 – Kyle Williams’ final game. He was my favorite player, and it was a special moment to see him take the field one last time.

 

January 15, 2022 – Patriots vs. Bills in “The Perfect Game.” The game itself was unforgettable, but what stands out even more was the lead-up. It was my grandmother’s 80th birthday, and I went to dinner before heading to the stadium. She actually encouraged me to leave early so I wouldn’t miss the game. As I was walking up to the gates, the Bills scored their first touchdown - hearing that roar from outside was absolutely surreal.

 

September 19, 2022 – Bills vs. Titans, Monday Night Football home opener. What made this one special wasn’t just the primetime atmosphere - it was my first game with my soon-to-be wife. We met out of state and instantly bonded over our love for the Bills. 

 

December 1, 2024 – Bills vs. 49ers. I watched Josh Allen throw a touchdown pass to himself - right in my corner of the end zone. It’s the most unbelievable play I’ve ever seen in person.

Edited 9 hours ago by JGMcD2

[longtimebillsfan]

My family purchased season tickets when the stadium opened in 1973.  We created many fond memories over the years watching our beloved Bills.  My dad had a customized van that we used for our tailgate parties.  From OJ's 2000 yard season, to our first playoff in the new stadium.  The amazing Monday night game vs the Raiders that had multiple lead changes ending with a td catch by Amad Rashad. The Chuck Knox era that brought the Bills back to respectability.  Suffering through the Hank Bullough regime.  The excitement of Jim Kelly coming to Buffalo.

 

It was during the Superbowl years that our kids became Bills fans.

 

When my parents passed, my wife and I kept the season tickets even when we moved to Las Vegas.  

 

In 1999 we purchased a memorial paver at the stadium to honor my parents.

 

We gave up our season tickets after the 2011 season, when it became difficult to sell them.

 

My wife and I will be traveling back to Rich Stadium this year for a couple of games and to say farewell to our old friend and rekindle so many fond memories.

 

The new stadium will be great, but it will be so difficult when we walk out of this wonderful old structure for the last time.

[Kirby Jackson]

I haven’t felt myself getting overly nostalgic lately. Over the last 10-12 years I’ve been trying to catch the Bills on the road more. After seeing so many other stadiums, that are so much nicer, I am excited about what’s next. The current stadium is a dump comparatively. I enjoy the tailgating, my seats, the crowd, etc… but the new stadium will be such an upgrade. We really won’t be taking any of that away, just giving us a much nicer place to experience it in.

Edited 8 hours ago by Kirby Jackson

[SoMAn]

My most vivid (and fondest) memories:

 

First Monday Night game, 1973, KC, game 7 O.J. goes over 1,000 for the season on the way the first 2,000 rusher. Record carries in that game I believe.

 

1974, season opener against Raiders. Monday night under the lights. Back and forth trading leads in final minutes (similar to 13-second game), OJ out injured, Bills win.

 

1980, season opener,  Bills defeat Dolphins after winless 70's decade. Chuck Knox era with much promise.

 

1980, Dec 7, Bills defeat Rams, fans won't leave and demand an encore.  Bills players Smerlas, Haslett, Ritcher, et al appease the fans and come back out of locker room, minus jerseys and pads (under shirts), lock arms and perform a chorus line kick dance to the sounds of 'Talking Proud'. Crazy. 

 

1986, Jim Kelly's first regular season game in a Bills' uniform. Unfortunately, loss to Jets. Still, the beginning of the JK era.

 

1987, season opener, first time sharing the Bills with my Miami-raised girlfriend - now my wife. Jets, loss of course.

edit: she's a die-hard Bills fan now. Another successful conversion!

 

1995, Bills defeat Dolphins in close late December game, snow coming down in 4th quarter to finish it off, and as the players make their way to the tunnel after the final gun, the Hootie & Blowfish song is playing with the phrase "the dolphins make me cry" from 'Only Wanna Be With You'.  Perfect.

 

1997, Season opener in late August (weird), day after Diana killed in wreck, Vikings. Loss. First tailgate meet-up with message board crew coming from Ohio, NYS, Virginia, Georgia, etc. Only about 7 of us. Internet it it's infancy.

 

2005, Texans, season opener, introducing nephews, next generation to the Bills experience. Sadly, the 10-year-old wasn't around for the 2006 opener.

 

2008, Seahawks, season opener, last time with one of my long-time closest friends with whom I attended many games, including the 1980 opener. It was supposed to be sunny, but it rained, we got soaked, he got pneumonia. Gone by November.

 

After being there for at least one game every year, the 2008 game is the last one for me in that stadium. I don't know if I'll get there in 2025. Hope so.

 

Apart from the Bills games, many 'Superfest' concerts in the 70's with some of the biggest names in rock.  These were the days when you buy tickets for concerts and Bills games for under $10.  For you Gen Z'er thinking "no way".  Way.

 

Being at the first Monday Night game for the Bills and the new stadium in 1973, I'd really like to be at the first one in the new stadium. Time will tell. 

Edited 6 hours ago by SoMAn

[longtimebillsfan]

47 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I haven’t felt myself getting overly nostalgic lately. Over the last 10-12 years I’ve been trying to catch the Bills on the road more. After seeing so many other stadiums, that are so much nicer, I am excited about what’s next. The current stadium is a dump comparatively. I enjoy the tailgating, my seats, the crowd, etc… but the new stadium will be such an upgrade. We really won’t be taking any of that away, just giving us a much nicer place to experience it in.

I wished you could have experienced a game in the old rock pile on Best Street.

 

Now that was a dump in the truest since of the word.

[teef]

it is a little sad, but the upgrade is welcomed.  my kids are going to be 10 and 7 soon, so i'm going to take them to their first game this year so they can say they've been to the old stadium.  hopefully that's the best memory i'll have.

[muppy]

wow. so many I could pick from.

 

my first game was the first ever Monday night football game in Rich stadium against the KC Chiefs. The traffic was so bad that many didn't get into their seats at all. we left from Batavia 4 hours early to tailgate and we were in our seats by halftime.

 

Back in the 70's when the bills were really bad a group of us would go. Wind rain or Snow it didn't matter. I had a full length real fur coat dark sable brown and the wetness just slid off of it and I was toasty warm inside that coat. I distinctly remember being a group of 3 all by ourselves in the scoreboard endzone carrying on the Wave that was happening at that time. They never do the wave anymore do they lol

 

I get very nostalgic about stuff like this. Cherished memories.

[The Jokeman]

My first game as a child, after the game finished I had to use the bathroom, trough new experience, never forget it. 

[SoMAn]

44 minutes ago, longtimebillsfan said:

I wished you could have experienced a game in the old rock pile on Best Street.

 

Now that was a dump in the truest since of the word.

Maybe, especially for players who were forced to take cold showers in their rustic locker rooms and changing area. But for fans, and especially a young ones in the embryonic stages of fandom, the place was magical. We were 4 rows from the field. You could smell the grass, cigars, hot dogs, popcorn. There was a jazz ensemble with horns rocking, set up at one end zone section. There was a great intimacy about it. It was like being transported to another era. It's no wonder 'The Natural' found the rockpile as a worthy shooting location.  Saw many games there. When (I hope) I attend a game in the new stadium, I will have a generational bridge that is partially defined by 3 different Bills home stadiums.

[muppy]

10 hours ago, RiotAct said:

sure looks like it

I just saw this and THIS made me tear up. I could imagine my seats. DANG. That's a powerful Logo. For me.

the commemorative patch  that's awesome

On 2/22/2025 at 1:41 PM, Don Otreply said:

Saw The Rolling Stones at Rich when I was sixteen, the the place was packed, it was a really good show, great atmosphere, although that atmosphere was clouded with refer smoke, lol, 😁🍸🚬 good times👍 

Ditto. with a crew from Batavia. on the field those days were so Much FUN

[longtimebillsfan]

14 minutes ago, SoMAn said:

Maybe, especially for players who were forced to take cold showers in their rustic locker rooms and changing area. But for fans, and especially a young ones in the embryonic stages of fandom, the place was magical. We were 4 rows from the field. You could smell the grass, cigars, hot dogs, popcorn. There was a jazz ensemble with horns rocking, set up at one end zone section. There was a great intimacy about it. It was like being transported to another era. It's no wonder 'The Natural' found the rockpile as a worthy shooting location.  Saw many games there. When (I hope) I attend a game in the new stadium, I will have a generational bridge that is partially defined by 3 different Bills home stadiums.

Thanks for sharing. 

 

Going to your first professional sporting event is a special memory.  When you walk through the tunnel and see that beautiful,  pristine field, it is awesome inspiring.

[Kirby Jackson]

1 hour ago, longtimebillsfan said:

I wished you could have experienced a game in the old rock pile on Best Street.

 

Now that was a dump in the truest since of the word.

I’m a little young for that. I have some faint, faint memories of the last couple years of the Bisons there. 

[Fleezoid]

24 minutes ago, longtimebillsfan said:

Thanks for sharing. 

 

Going to your first professional sporting event is a special memory.  When you walk through the tunnel and see that beautiful,  pristine field, it is awesome inspiring.

 

My first game at Rich Stadium, I got to go with my friend and his grandfather to work at one of the concessions his grandfather ran. We got there early and on the way to the concessions carrying supplies, I darted through one of the tunnels just to see the field for the first time. such a cool few moments. Got chills. Fortunately I was invited to help for many more games. Too young to work concessions, my buddy and I were tasked to do pregame and halftime prep. but for the rest of the game, we just found empty seats to watch. Plenty in the mid 70s. Much more fun years after tailgating and watching, but those were good times.