A storied rivalry and deep ancestral ties collide as Buffalo inaugurates its new stadium against Detroit, honoring the legacy of Ralph Wilson Jr. under the Thursday night lights.
The 2026 NFL Schedule release is fast approaching, and we know that the Buffalo Bills will be opening their new stadium in Week 2.
The team's first game in the new Highmark stadium will happen on Thursday, September 17 against the Detroit Lions. And while the matchup for a new stadium opener might catch some people by surprise, it actually makes a lot of sense.
Bills founder Ralph C. Wilson Jr. was raised in Detroit. During his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech in 2009, Wilson said that going to a game in 1935 between the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears is what made him a fan of the game.
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Wilson said that he always wanted to own a football team, and was even a minority owner in the Lions before getting the opportunity to own his own team in the upstart American Football League (AFL).
"I got a call from Lamar (Hunt), and he said, Ralph, we need an eighth franchise to balance out this new league. One from the east and one from the west," Wilson said in his speech. "And I'll give you your choice of five different cities where you can place your franchise. And I picked Buffalo. It was a lucky pick, because over the years, they have supported the team in Buffalo beyond our fondest dreams. And without the support, I wouldn't be on this platform tonight."
The Bills adopted the Lions colors for their first two seasons, wearing blue jerseys with silver pants and a silver helmet with blue numbers. Even when the Bills had to relocate games due to weather, Detroit opened its doors to Buffalo when needed. The connections between the two have always been there, both in sports and the cities in general.
Now, a new era of Buffalo Bills football will begin with the two squaring off on a day where they're the only two on the schedule.
It's Episode 31 of the Bills Roundtable Podcast with hosts Mike Straw and Anthony Moeglin.
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