Josh Allen makes NFL history with five-touchdown show in Bills' new stadium

There probably wasn't a better way for Josh Allen to open a new stadium. The Buffalo Bills quarterback delivered five touchdowns Thursday night as Buffalo defeated the Detroit Lions 41-31 in the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium.

Allen completed 20 of 31 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran 14 times for 69 yards and two scores. His first touchdown carried a little extra significance.

Allen's 1-yard run on Buffalo's opening possession became the first regular-season touchdown scored at the new Highmark Stadium.

By the end of the night, Buffalo was 2-0, its new stadium had its first memorable performance and Allen had added another unusual accomplishment to a career already filled with them. The Bills posted Allen's postgame reaction and highlights at BuffaloBills.com.

Josh Allen's start to 2026 is entering rare territory

Allen's numbers become even more impressive when Thursday's performance is combined with what he did in Week 1. The Bills quarterback threw for 334 yards in Buffalo's 36-31 victory over the Houston Texans to begin the season.

He followed that by accounting for five touchdowns against Detroit.

Allen became the first quarterback since 1960 to record at least three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns through his team's first two games of a season.

That's the statistical side of Thursday.

The emotional side might have meant even more to him. Buffalo's new stadium has been discussed for years. Allen arrived with the Bills in 2018, became one of the NFL's biggest stars and helped transform Buffalo into a perennial contender while playing across the street at the franchise's former home.

He now gets to become the face of another era of Bills football.

Allen acknowledged soaking in the atmosphere before the game. During the national anthem, he said he found himself appreciating how fortunate he was to be Buffalo's quarterback and the first one to open the new stadium. Then he went out and played like it.

Buffalo scored touchdowns on its first four possessions. The Bills accumulated 20 first downs before halftime and finished with 34. Detroit's defense managed only two punts all night.

Bills offense looks terrifying through two games

Allen was hardly Buffalo's only problem for Detroit. James Cook rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown as the Bills finished with 203 rushing yards. Dalton Kincaid caught seven passes for 95 yards and a score.

Buffalo produced 446 total yards. Perhaps the most significant number was 41. After scoring 36 points against Houston, Buffalo has produced 77 points through two games.

The Lions did eventually find their offense Thursday. Jared Goff threw four touchdown passes, and Amon-Ra St. Brown caught nine passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns. It still wasn't enough.

Buffalo's 21-0 start forced Detroit to spend virtually the entire night trying to erase a deficit. Every time the Lions generated some momentum, Allen and the Bills seemed to have another answer.

There will be more difficult stretches ahead, injuries to navigate and adjustments from opposing defenses. But Buffalo couldn't have scripted the beginning much better.

Two games. Two wins. Seventy-seven points. And one unforgettable opening night at a new stadium.

Years from now, Bills fans won't have to search very hard for the answer to the trivia question about who scored the first touchdown there.