New $2.2bn NFL stadium needs emergency work before Week 2 debut as flaw exposed

The Buffalo Bills are taking apart an element of their new stadium just three weeks before their home opener.

Buffalo played their first pre-season game at their new $2.2bn state-of-the-art facility two weeks ago, and the grass field had issues.

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A “massive clump” of grass went flying when quarterback Kyle Allen scrambled out of the pocket and took a hit.

Josh Allen, DJ Moore, Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown had to stomp the displaced grass back into the divot after the play.

The entire surface will now be replaced ahead of their Thursday Night Football opener against the Detroit Lions in Week 2, according to Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo news.

“We’re committed to having the best possible playing surface for our players,” Bills president of business operations Pete Guelli said in a statement.

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“With a stretch of three consecutive home games early in the season, we decided it was the appropriate time to re-sod our field.

“This process will begin on Monday with full installation of a new surface completed by the end of the week.

“We will continue to monitor the field and every aspect of our new stadium to ensure it is the best possible experience for our players and fans.”

2026 will mark the first time the Bills are playing their home games on grass in their franchise history.

During their 53-year stay at the iconic Ralph Wilson Stadium, the Bills played on artificial turf.

While the grass didn’t present too much of an issue in their pre-season affair with the Pittsburgh Steelers saw enough to green light an entire renovation.

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It is the latest headache in what has become a surprisingly rocky debut for the $2.2 billion venue.

They set an attendance record for their annual ‘Return of the Blue & Red’ practice, but their new home didn’t go down well with fans.

Multiple posts of stairwells and glass panels blocking views, immediately went viral, and the new stadium has been labeled an insult to blue-collar Mafia fans.

While the lead-architect instead defended the poor sightlines, the Bills have been told by Jordan Poyer to sort it out.

Construction of the venue also faced challenges. A small fire broke out which thankfully didn’t cause significant damage and no injuries.

Work was also briefly halted in February, when an investigation into graffiti inside the stadium grounds was launched.

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A six-figure reward was offered for information about the vandalism, believed to be an inside job, which caused around $150,000 of damage to four suites.

With the Detroit Lions heading to Orchard Park for Week 2’s primetime clash, the pressure is squarely on stadium officials to ensure both the players and the fans actually get what they paid for.