There was a time when legendary quarterback Jim Kelly wasn’t looking forward to life with the Buffalo Bills, just because he didn’t like the cold. But now, he does look back at his time in the Highmark Stadium with fondness. As the Bills’ journey with their home stadium draws to a close, Kelly reminisces about how fun it was and how much of a nightmare it was for his rival, Dan Marino, the Miami Dolphins quarterback.

“There was 80,000 people in the stands, and just to hear them when we score (was quite something),” Jim Kelly told WGRZ-TV in an interview. “After the game, being able to come out and see all the people out in the parking lots and all the tailgates… trust me, I’ve heard a number of things from players, especially Dan Marino, when they were leaving, how many signs and how many things that they (the fans) did to that bus when they were leaving.”

As the Bills gear up for their final game at this iconic venue, Kelly opened up on his fondest memories, and they aren’t just about the wins. They’re about the love he got from the home crowd and how chaotic they were towards their rivals. The fans have been reported to crowd around the Dolphins’ Dan Marino’s bus, plaster the windows with signs, and even shake it. They’ve also been known to break windows, throw batteries at the visiting stars onto the sidelines, and so much more. Marino himself admitted to having felt every second of it. 

“I could have been to some Super Bowls if it wasn’t for Jim Kelly and some of the teams the Bills had over those years,” The nine-time Pro Bowler admitted years later. “Probably one of the toughest places to play in the league was Rich Stadium. Weather conditions, crowd noise, all those things go into effect.”

Over the years, Buffalo has posted 246-163 at Highmark Stadium so far. Kelly played a big role in this, contributing to around 60 wins. In the 1990 AFC Divisional Round, Kelly torched Miami for 339 yards and three touchdowns. But it wasn’t just the Dolphins that struggled at Highmark. Kelly also threw six touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers (a franchise record at the time). Moments like those added up,  and the building took on a personality of its own.

Highmark Stadium (or Rich Stadium as it was called back then) opened its doors in 1973 in August as Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The venue, also known as ‘The Ralph’, has been the Bills’ fortress for 52 long years, hosting countless playoff battles and four Super Bowl teams. Over the decades, its open-air design and brutal winter conditions have become a part of Buffalo’s identity, too.

As every era comes to an end, the Bills now prepare to play in this stadium for the last time before moving to a new venue in 2026. While Jim Kelly never won an MVP for his Highmark days, the present franchise quarterback, Josh Allen, did. When the Bills face the New York Jets in Week 18, a historic chapter will close. It’s the final regular-season game at Highmark before the franchise moves next door. Allen, the quarterback who’s built his legacy here, understands exactly what Kelly felt all those years ago.

Josh Allen opens up ahead of his final game at Highmark Stadium

Josh Allen figured out Buffalo’s DNA fast. In his rookie year of 2018, the Bills were 5-10 at the time, heading into Week 17 against the Dolphins. A losing season, but it was defensive tackle Kyle Williams’ final game, and the stadium was packed anyway. That crowd was something that has stuck with Josh Allen even now.

“It was still a packed stadium because they wanted to show, one, the team, but two, Kyle, who had been here for a long time… to send him off with as much love as they can give,” Allen remembered in a recent presser. “Early on [in] my career, to see that, being 5 and 10 and being like ‘holy cow! The fans here, they absolutely love this football team, that was kind of when I knew.”

Allen went on to torch Miami for five total touchdowns in a 42-17 statement win. Cut to the present, and the Bills are rolling out the red helmets and Super Bowl-era throwbacks. 

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“It means a lot,” Allen said about Week 18. “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.”

The new $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium rises across Abbott Road. It is projected to open for the 2026 season and will be the new place that hosts Buffalo’s home games. The new stadium will have 62,000 seats, making it smaller, but perhaps louder, and with increased premium seating. A canopy covering about 64-65% of seats is likely designed to trap the noise. Natural grass with underground heating will also be an added feature.

For one last night, the noise, the cold, and the chaos all belong to Highmark. On January 4, Josh Allen and the Bills get one final chance to turn memory into momentum. After that whistle blows, a 52-year chapter closes, and Buffalo makes sure it ends the only way it knows how, loud.