Ryan Fitzpatrick says friends rave about new Highmark Stadium despite online criticism

Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said friends who used his season tickets gave glowing reviews of the team’s new $2.2 billion Highmark Stadium, even as critics posted complaints on social media, Fitzpatrick told Fox News Digital.

The Bills have held open practices and played one preseason game at the new stadium, facing the Carolina Panthers, Fox News Digital reported. Fitzpatrick said neighbors who used his season tickets attended an open-practice scrimmage and the preseason game and described the experience — from parking to food and sight lines — as “absolutely unbelievable.”

Some social media posts showed obstructed views, questioned sight lines and criticized the grass surface, Fox News Digital reported. The new venue has about 10,000 fewer seats than the old stadium — roughly 60,000 — a change Fitzpatrick said could make the crowd feel louder and more imposing for visiting teams because of the canopy and denser seating.

Fitzpatrick is scheduled to be in Buffalo on Sept. 17 with the Prime Video “Thursday Night Football” crew for the Bills’ home opener in Week 2, Fox News Digital reported, when he expects to see the finished stadium in person. Players have offered mixed assessments of the field: an anonymous Bills player told The Athletic, “The field a– right now. But it’s early,” while linebacker Dorian Williams told The Athletic, “The grass looked good. It was cool. A couple spots kind of chunked up a little bit, but it’s better than playing on turf.”

Fitzpatrick also discussed his partnership with VRST, the men’s activewear brand from DICK’S Sporting Goods, saying the clothing fits his active lifestyle and his work on “Thursday Night Football.” He told Fox News Digital the apparel lets him “look good and feel comfortable” while juggling family duties and broadcasting travel.

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