A found farewell to Highmark Stadium

As we all know, this Sunday marks the last regular-season Buffalo Bills game at the original Highmark Stadium. Unless something magical happens during the playoffs, Sunday will be the last game ever in the stadium before the team moves across the street.

The Bills’ current stadium is home to some of my favorite memories with the first one that stands out for me coming in 2008, when Buffalo took on the Seattle Seahawks in the first game of the season. I was only 13 then, but my Dad and I won a training camp contest so we were able to enjoy the game in the Pepsi Club. The atmosphere was unreal but little did I know how much louder the experience would be watching the game in the bleachers.

However, for all the great memories, there have also been a few random down moments that stick out. I’ll never forget watching the Kansas City Chiefs dominate the Bills in a blizzard with good old Jeff Tuel starting at quarterback. Buffalo was putting up a fight until Tuel threw pick-six that went a long ways back the other direction.

Throughout the years I’ve tried going to games where the Bills would have a decent chance to win, while also trying to see some pretty cool players live in action. That meant getting to see quarterbacks Andrew Luck, Bills legend Andy Dalton, Phillip Rivers and others try their hand at defeating Bills Mafia on their home turf.

Five years ago I met my wife, who was a New York Giants fan. I was able to quickly convert her over to Bills Mafia and we’ve been going to games together ever since. We went to our first playoff game together, her fighting off sickness and all, on Super Wild Card Weekend against the Miami Dolphins.

Last season after welcoming our first child, she got to her first game as well. It was the Monday Night Football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It may sound a little crazy taking a baby to a night game, I know, but we left at halftime to give her plenty of shut eye. Her first real game was later in the season against the Tennessee Titans — where you’d have thought she was tailgating, as she slept through the entire first half.

Now as a family we’re looking ahead to our future as part of Bills Mafia. We’re currently expecting our second child, a baby boy and who I’m convinced may well be a future Buffalo Bills legend. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to see the original Highmark Stadium, but we can’t wait to make even more family memories in the new stadium.