BUFFALO - Dawson Knox can already feel what’s coming.
The Bills are just days from opening the regular season in the new $2 billion Highmark Stadium, and the veteran tight end says the building has been leaving an impression long before the first real crowd fills it. Knox has seen it up close in practice, at the Red and Blue game and during a couple of preseason games, and he likes what he’s sensed so far.
"Oh, we already got little glimpses of it at the practice in there, the Red and Blue game, a couple of pre-season games. It's an incredible stadium.
You can kind of feel the energy in there. You know there's going to be a lot of incredible memories made.
I know it's going to be packed. I've heard it's created to be one of the loudest stadiums in the league.
With our fanbase, I have no doubt it'll be the loudest. But it's going to be awesome.
I'll get chills if I start thinking about it too much," Knox said.
The old stadium is still standing across the street, but demolition is ongoing there as the franchise keeps moving into its new home.
For Knox, being part of the moment carries a different kind of weight. When asked what it will be like to hear his name announced on the field, he kept the focus on gratitude.
"It's cool. It's very humbling.
I know the Lord placed me on this Earth to be where I am right now. I know my identity is not being a football player but I know that's what he wants me doing for now.
It's pretty humbling having people cheer this whole team on. It really is a cool feeling and I hope to keep playing for a long time but I know I'll miss that feeling one day," Knox said.
He’s also enjoying the change on the sideline. Knox said he’s having a lot of fun playing for new head coach Joe Brady, pointing to Brady’s energy as a driving force for the team.
In Other News...
Bills Home Opener Is Becoming A Costly Headache For Fans
The Bills home opener against the Detroit Lions is turning into a planning exercise as much as a football date for fans hoping to be in Orchard Park. Hotel rooms near Highmark Stadium are scarce and expensive, and even getting a place to leave the car has become part of the scramble, with stadium parking already sold out and neighborhood lots left as the main backup.
With a big crowd expected, the game day logistics are getting tighter by the hour. Several roads around the stadium will close before kickoff, adding another layer for anyone making the trip, and it has turned what should be a straightforward opening weekend into a costly headache for Bills supporters trying to get in the door. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Got The DJ Moore Update They Needed
DJ Moore gave the Bills something to keep an eye on after he was hurt on the final snap of Buffalos game against the Panthers, but the immediate concern has eased. Head coach Joe Brady later said Moore was good to go, and the receiver is not listed on Buffalos injury report heading into the next matchup with the Detroit Lions.
That is welcome news for a Bills offense that already saw what Moore can bring in his debut. He finished with five catches, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, giving Buffalo a big-play presence that showed up right away and should matter again as the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Win Didnt Stop Jim Leonhard From Zeroing In On One Concern
Jim Leonhard had plenty to like after Buffalos 36-31 season-opening win over the Houston Texans, but the Bills defensive coordinator did not sound interested in treating the result as proof that everything was already in place. The score mattered, of course, and so did the way Buffalo opened the year with a victory, yet Leonhard still spent his review pointing out the defensive areas that need cleaning up as the Bills move deeper into September.
One of the clearer concerns came with inside linebacker Terrel Bernard, who played the entire game but showed up on the injury report the next day. For a defense trying to settle into Leonhards approach, those small turns can matter just as much as the big-picture result, and the early evaluation suggests Buffalos coordinator is keeping a firm eye on both the progress and the problems after a week one win. [Read more 🡒]