The Buffalo Bills likely should’ve been in the AFC Championship Game, but the outcomes of Sunday’s games still have implications for them.
The New England Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos 10-7 on Sunday to advance to the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. The winner is all but guaranteed to host the 2026 NFL kickoff game, something that could directly affect the Bills.
How did AFC Championship Sunday affect Bills’ schedule?
Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid gets tackled from behind by Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins during first-half action at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Oct. 5, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Bills are set to open the new Highmark Stadium for the 2026 NFL season. The last time a new stadium opened up with fans in the stands, the Rams and Raiders hosted primetime games in Week 1 of 2021.
One would think the NFL would apply the same approach to Buffalo, with the Patriots being arguably the best home opponent on the Bills’ 2026 schedule. However, the Super Bowl matchup complicates things.
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If the Patriots were to win, they’d possibly host the Bills in an AFC East game, putting the Bills on the road in Week 1 and delaying the new stadium’s inaugural game.
The Seahawks are also scheduled to host the Patriots in 2026, creating the potential for a Super Bowl rematch. The NFL has been mixed in that regard, though. In 2023, the Chiefs waited until Week 11 to host the Eagles and opened the season against the Lions, and in 2017, the Patriots waited until Week 7 to host the Falcons, instead opening the season against the Chiefs.
In 2016, though, the Broncos hosted the Panthers in the first game of the season after defeating them in Super Bowl 50. That scenario isn’t out of the question for 2026.
How would Patriots remain Seattle’s opponent if they were to lose in the Super Bowl?
Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates on the podium after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Seattle’s baseball team, the Mariners, shares the same parking lots as the Seahawks, and is scheduled to host a 1:10 p.m. PT home game on Thursday, September 10, the date of the NFL kickoff game. With the NFL game slated for 5:15 p.m. PT, that overlap would create a logistical conflict.
As a result, Seattle’s hypothetical game against the Patriots could be shifted to Sunday Night Football, especially with the Mariners on the road that weekend. That would eliminate another potential window for the Bills to host the Patriots to open the new venue.
Whom could Bills play in first game at new stadium?
Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) intercepts the ball in the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Buffalo is scheduled to host the Chargers, Chiefs, Lions, Bears, Ravens, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots in 2026. While several options stand out, each has uncertainty.
The Dolphins and Jets are logical divisional options, especially considering the Bills opened and closed the old Highmark Stadium against the Jets, but the current trajectories of both franchises make them less appealing.
The Chiefs and Ravens are the two other best options, but both carry question marks. Kansas City is dealing with Patrick Mahomes’s ACL tear, while Baltimore is navigating a coaching change similar to Buffalo’s.
When the new Highmark Stadium opens, Bills fans will want as memorable an opponent as possible. With the Patriots in the Super Bowl, that outcome has become much less likely.
Dec 14, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Bills running back James Cook III (4) scores a touchdown against the Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
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