“It’s a great way to start the season for these fans that love the team so much, a great thing for the community,” Bills fan Aidan Pacatte said. “Everybody’s experiencing something for the first time. It’s like unlimited energy.”
For the players, being in that new environment marked the start of a new chapter of football in Buffalo, ready to get the season under way.
“It seems like the crowd’s more on top of you, and I imagine on third down, it’ll be rocking,” offensive tackle Spencer Brown said. “… I think the fans really enjoy the upgrade.”
“They started a ‘Hey-Ey-Ey-Ey’ chant, and I was surprised how loud it got for it,” Chubb said. “Not even a preseason game, it’s just a regular practice, and they showed out for sure.”
Head coach Joe Brady chose to have the practice at 7 p.m. to help better replicate a game, with Bills Mafia easily surpassing his expectations.
“It was 50,000 for a practice,” head coach Joe Brady said. “That’s special. That’s Buffalo.”
“It’s like another preseason game for the guys being in front of the fans,” Brady added. “… Just to see the fans outside, driving around, it gives you that itch. It’s real football in there.”
Despite the building being brand new, fans have appreciated how much the stadium still feels like it’s meant for the Bills.
“It’s very suited for how Buffalo fans are,” Jake Schoelles said. “We want to gather. We want to celebrate together… Here we get to gather the way that we’re meant to be as fans, and that’s so exciting for us. You look up and you see areas to gather all across around the stadium.”