Head coach Sean McDermott did not hide his emotions after his Buffalo Bills closed out their season at Highmark Stadium with a dominant 35-8 win over the New York Jets. With the Bills set to move to a new stadium next season and opening playoffs on the road next, this Week 18 game felt bigger than the score. So, after the final whistle, McDermott made a personal confession about the environment and the fans at Highmark Stadium.

“I felt a little guilty looking up in the stands, I’m supposed to be coaching,” Sean McDermott said in the post-game presser. “Just taking a second or two to look up into the stands, people singing Mr. Brightside. I mean, come on, where else does that happen in the NFL, right? That type of togetherness, that type of fellowship, community, love of their team and of each other. I’ll never forget it. Special moment.”

After nine seasons in Buffalo, Sean McDermott felt it was important to soak it all in at Highmark Stadium for one last time. As The Killers’ Mr. Brightside song echoed through Highmark Stadium late in the game, nearly 71,000 fans stayed in their seats, soaking in the fireworks and the moment. So, McDermott praised Bills Mafia for staying, singing, and showing the kind of loyalty that has defined the Bills franchise for decades.

For more than 50 years, Bills Mafia has turned Highmark Stadium into more than just a football venue. It has been a place of unity, even during Buffalo’s toughest times. Perfect weather or whiteout conditions never stopped the Bills Mafia from showing up. So, as this era comes to an end, even Bills quarterback Josh Allen reflected on what the stadium has meant to him.

“Yeah, it means a lot,” Allen said in a presser before the Week 18 game. “I know we got the red helmets out. Those are going to be pretty cool. I’ve obviously seen them in the locker room, and they’re really sweet. A lot of good memories in the stadium. But looking forward to making new ones as well.”

Since 1973, the Bills have called Highmark Stadium home, even as its name changed over the years. So, when news broke that a new stadium for the Bills would be built across the street, excitement followed with some bittersweetness. The Bills will eventually move into a new $1.54 billion stadium in Orchard Park, scheduled to open for the 2026 season. The reason? A state study found renovations to the current Highmark Stadium building would be too costly. 

But naming rights have already been extended, meaning the new venue will also be called Highmark Stadium. As such, the Bills Mafia had to say goodbye to the current version of Highmark Stadium for a new home and new memories, while the Bills get ready for the playoffs.

Sean McDermott’s team has already shifted focus to the playoffs 

While emotions ran high in the Week 18 game, Sean McDermott made it clear his team’s focus is already shifting. During the game, several starters on the Bills’ roster sat out to protect their health before the playoffs. Josh Allen played just one snap, and star running back James Cook was limited to only two carries. Still, Bills’ backups stepped up and delivered exactly what the Bills’ Mafia wanted to see.

Backup QB Mitchell Trubisky led the Bills with an impressive performance, completing 22 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns. Other backup players, such as RB Ray Davis and tight end Keleki Latu, also made their presence felt. It felt like a perfect sendoff as the Bills closed their last home game at Highmark Stadium with a decisive 35-8 win. But Sean McDermott also emphasized that the game mattered beyond nostalgia for the Bills’ organization.

“I said it last week at the beginning of the week, and this game was important to us as an organization.” Sean McDermott said in the post-game presser. “It was a delicate balance, as you guys saw, of the health of some of the players, keeping other players managed in terms of their rep counts, and giving some young guys opportunities and some new guys who have joined us opportunities to play, so we could see what they bring to the table.”

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Moreover, after the high emotions at Highmark Stadium, Sean McDermott’s team is ready to turn the page. As the AFC’s No. 6 seed, Buffalo (12–5) will now open the playoffs in the wild-card round next week. McDermott will face his first challenge against the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars, who will enter on an eight-game winning streak. So, there’s little time to reflect on the memories for the Bills as they need to get ready for the postseason on the road.