‘This isn’t good’: Buffalo Bills turf raises concerns before season opener

The Buffalo Bills are playing in a brand-new stadium this year. While that should be a reason for excitement and something both the team and its fans can look forward to ahead of opening day, the new venue has already come with its fair share of issues.

Over the last several weeks, the Bills have faced criticism over hundreds, and potentially thousands, of seats that feature obstructed views. Now, the team has another issue to deal with: the playing surface.

After enduring negative headlines and criticism from fans over the seats with obstructed views , the Bills are now dealing with another embarrassing issue as the grass field at their brand-new $2.2 billion stadium has begun falling apart.

Following only two preseason games, the Bills removed the entire grass field that had been installed in October 2025. The grass roots, however, apparently failed to properly take hold, with large sections of sod repeatedly being torn up by players during the two preseason contests and two open practices at the stadium.

In an article published by The Athletic this week, several experts expressed concerns about the condition of the field.

"I saw their press release and heard some of their rationale, and they probably ought to start their stories 'Once upon a time,'" said an award-winning sports agronomist who has helped install dozens of NFL and college football fields over the decades. "That's the worst sod I've seen in the NFL in my career. I can't even imagine how that could have happened."

Although natural grass is generally considered a safer option than artificial turf, one expert does not believe that was true in this particular situation, considering the poor condition of the field.

"Yes, natural turf is safer in a perfect setting," said Tony Dick, a sports management professor at Baldwin Wallace University and former Cleveland Browns assistant head groundskeeper. "But if you have the situation like you have in Buffalo — and I went back and watched the film — you cannot tell me that field was safer than the artificial turf they just left.

"I'm never putting Josh Allen on a field in that condition," he continued.

With the grass already coming apart just weeks ahead of the NFL season, the Bills are now working against the clock to get new sod installed. The team's season-opening matchup with the Detroit Lions on "Thursday Night Football" is only two weeks away, and that game will begin a stretch of three consecutive contests at the new Highmark Stadium over just 18 days.

The experts who spoke with The Athletic expect the replacement turf to be ready and capable of holding up for the season opener against the Lions, but what happens beyond that is much less certain.

"They will have a difficult time," the anonymous agronomist said. "There's so much going wrong, and there's so little time. If that field makes it through the second game, I'll be shocked."

Dick, meanwhile, believes the Bills could ultimately be forced to abandon the natural grass field altogether.

"You might have artificial turf back in there within three years," Dick said. "Just because it's safer than whatever that was."

Needless to say, the concern from experts has led to concerns from the sports world.

"OK, I said it looks cool as hell but you can't have *this*, either. I'll never accept that there's just no solution. I can see all the soccer pitches in Europe from my back yard," wrote soccer commentator Ryan Burns .

"I'm sticking to my completely fabricated theory that the stadium is cursed. Mainly because I have way too much free time," wrote sportswriter Rhys Scott .

"Owners hesitant to switch to natural grass likely are monitoring this closely. Players have lobbied for natural grass, but this isn't good," wrote Mike Jones of The Athletic.

"I get the feeling Bills fans should enjoy seeing games on grass while they can. Seems like the possibility of going back to artificial turf is very real in the next couple years. Makes no sense, if Green Bay can manage, Buffalo should too," wrote football commentator Helmet Addict .

"Cursed franchise," wrote prominent Kansas City Chiefs content creator Clay Wendler .

It will certainly be interesting to see how the turf holds up this season.