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A
It was a special night here in Orchard Park.
B
It wasn't about the game, it was about the fans.
C
I'm looking forward to the weather in Jacksonville.
B
This is the Buffalo plus podcast.
A
All right, welcome back to the Buffalo Plus Podcast. Mike Catalan and Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. We're going to get into the finale here at Highmark. The fact that there was a football game as well as where the Bills are at now heading into the wild card weekend as they will travel to meet the Jacksonville Jaguars. First things first, though, let's talk about today. You were down on the field, Dan. I always start with you, Mike, but you were on the field. You could feel the energy. The final game at Highmark, what was this like?
B
You felt the energy a lot early. It was, you know, Josh being the last player to ever be introduced here at Highmark Stadium, that was electric. The football game, maybe because it meant absolutely nothing, took a little bit away from it and then it ramped up a lot. At the end when Mr. Brightside came on for the last time here at Highmark Stadium, I was just kind of focused on Sean McDermott. Even he was soaking in that last moment. Players the same thing. And then obviously all of the emotion after the game.
C
You know, I'm feeling it a lot right now because I think this is special moments that we get in this stadium. Right? It's pretty empty. Awesome for the fans. They deserve to celebrate. They have had so many memories in this place. I think of the building itself. You know, I. I made a copy of my original first ever pass for Orchard Park. I have it here.
B
Are you gonna cry?
C
No. But I. It was really. It brought back a lot of memories. So this is a copy of. This thing is nowhere near what we wear now, which is all digital and facial recognition because he has a game against the Vikings here. And. And I thought about all the stuff that has gone on here. And now when I sit and look at it, empty it. It's kind that feels a little more emotional because when the crowd's going, it's about what the game's going on and what's happening with everything else. You feel the building when we're here right now. I, I think it's. It's kind of cool looking at this place. I don't think she wants to go anywhere, but they're gonna go across the street next year. But it was a good send off for everybody.
A
There's been so much magic in this stadium. The fans know that I thought the way the Bills handled it at the end was awesome. They played Mr. Brightside late, then they did the Shout Song, then they did what a Wonderful World, Then they played the Goo Goo Dolls. Like it was.
B
The Goo Goo Dolls was cool.
A
The Goo Goo Dolls. And that was a moment where Trae White and Reed Ferguson, obviously, guys that have been in Buffalo a long time. I know Trey wasn't here last year, but he's someone that knows the fabric of Western New. Watching the video montage, and it looked like Trey was. Had tears in his eyes.
B
Yeah, that was. That was really cool. And again, Josh got off the field quick. Sean got off the field quick. There were so much security. There was. There were yellow jackets everywhere, security members. There were also a lot of sheriffs and police officers. It was one of those things that when I first looked, I was like, oh, there's a cop. Oh, there's another cop. There's a lot of cops. They did not want to have any extracurricular activities after the game. But there was that moment, nobody left when they started playing that video montage. And the clips are all over our TikTok, our Instagram, our YouTube shorts of just Tray White kind of soaking in that moment. And he stops. We're all kind of filming him as he's walking off, and he stops and says, hang on. I want to see what the people did before me. And, like, that was what was really special. The jerseys, electric. The best jersey combination I have ever seen with the red helmet and all of that stuff.
C
Cool.
B
That was very much the emotion of it after the game. I think when there was the finality of it, that was really cool.
A
I think it was a really cool way to send off the stadium because of the amount of moments here, but also to have the homage to the red helmets and those jerseys and to have Josh be the last player introduced. I thought it was a really well done job. And I know it's an emotional topic, but I felt like it was handled in the right way. And Sean McDermott said earlier this week they wanted to respect them, and I think they did a good job reflecting that.
C
And then you had Steve Tasker and Thurman Thomas out at the beginning. Steve did drop the mic, which was great. You know, Thurman was wearing Bruce's jersey because I don't think Bruce was able to be here. Then you had Jim Kelly out there and Andre Reed and Daryl Talley and all those guys.
A
And then at the half, I'm going to point, but they had Marv up on the big screen. Doing a tribute like that was really cool as well.
B
I think about this, you know, we talked a lot this past week. Whenever you're watching this on Monday morning and stuff like that. But that, you know, whether it's emotional and things like that, I remember. Mike, you've sold houses before. Our realtor.
C
Yeah, Amy.
B
Shout out Amy. When she sold our house, it was our first house that we brought our first daughter home, you know, our first two kids home. It was the house that we got married in. Like all those things. And she told me, you don't sell the memories like that stays and the memories that people had. I think that's also what's so special about this place is that it brought so many memories to people. And those memories will continue after. This stadium is a parking lot.
A
Yeah. And also you look across the street and you're like, dang, that's going to be a beautiful new home for this team.
B
Like, tailgating is all going to be the same. Like, it's not even like they're moving to downtown Buffalo.
C
I was thinking about that. That would really feel very different.
B
I feel like the tailgating today would have felt like the last tailgate here at the Hammer's lot or all those things. Like, this is going to be a great stepping stone for what is next, for what this Bill's team and their fans, honestly, they deserve. I don't mean that this isn't a time to poo poo the stadium or anything like that, but it's going to be really cool to be across the street in a brand new, state of the art facility that these fans, these players and everybody deserves.
A
And I think it was handled in the right way. You're excited for that next chapter, but you, you paid tribute to the end of an era here and you did it in the right way.
C
I think that's a great word to say. They deserve it because this franchise was for a while was behind the times in the NFL. Right. They weren't close at all. And the building is old and it is dated and we all love it.
B
Yes.
C
But it needs to be replaced. If you want to play in the big leagues and the Bills are big leagues, you need the facility that goes with it and there's a lot of amenities that go with that. And while you're saying is you bring the memories, you absolutely do. Like, you think about all. There's people who have talked to us about the War Memorial, the, the, the, the, you know, the old stadium.
B
Yes, yes. The rock pile.
C
The rock pile.
B
Yep.
C
And saying, Liz, I remember going there with my dad or my mom and doing whatever, and they brought those here. Well, now it goes over to the new place. But yes, there's plenty of time to talk about the new building. This place went out on a great note.
B
And I think about too, as Sean was probably the most. One of the more outspoken people throughout the week. And I thought he did a phenomenal job of navigating the. Those emotions and paying tribute to. To Marv and everybody in the players. Kelly in that era and, you know, Ferguson, like all of that stuff with the helmets. All of that stuff. I lost my point.
A
You thought he did a good job with it. The balancing.
B
Oh, you talk about deserving it. We asked a lot of people, we talked about the best memories here.
C
Yeah.
B
And he talked about the Taron. Johnson picked six. Okay. And he said that was when we were coming up. They're up. They are a perennial super bowl team. That is what Sean McDermott has built. That's what this front office has built. And it feels fitting to get to take this team, Josh Allen, James Cook, up to the level with them.
A
Yeah. The house that Josh built. That's the house that Josh built.
C
I got a chance to say hi to Darrell Talley and I think about Daryl when I think of the comeback game because those guys were, you know, just the way they played. And that comeback team won that game here, but then went on the road and won. And I think that's what this team can take with them. Like, this is not. There was nothing about the comeback game. I'm just thinking in terms of those guys because there's a sense almost like, well, the Bills won and they would win their games here in Orchard park, and they did. But they had a year where it was. Everybody was down. They ended up being a team that had to play that first weekend and. And then they won on the road. This team now is going to have to do that as they transition. And I. And you see those guys and you go, there was tough times. Even though they went to four straight Super Bowls, it didn't all go linear like we say. And so I think about that for this team now leaving this place and it feels a little like, oh, this place is done right.
B
Five divisional titles, hosting home games here now you're the six seed now. Okay? This is your adversity. It's been an up and down year. Now go on the road and prove it.
A
You said something in a car ride a couple weeks ago that has stuck with me. It was not about Football at all. But I can't even remember what we were talking about. But you said it never goes the way you think it will. That doesn't mean it's going to end up bad.
C
Right.
A
And it's. And I have. We obviously have no idea how this will end up in terms of the Bills, postseason, all that stuff. But what this has been with Shawn McDermott coming to the team, Brandon Bean, Josh Allen, like it never went the way you expected it to. But that doesn't mean that that's. That it's not been such a rise for this franchise.
C
It has been. And it's funny you say that about Sean because he is the spokesperson for this team. Josh is phenomenal. Josh is the best player in the history of the franchise. But I don't think of him as that player. He talks a lot and he's out there. But in terms speaking for the franchise.
B
Speaking for the franchise, he is the community. Oh, no doubt he does all of that. He is the face of it, but the voice. I agree. I think a lot of it is Sean.
C
It's not Terry Pegula. He owns the team. Phenomenal that for him that he's got that. And it's not really Brandon Bean either though Brandon, when he speaks, he speaks very well for the franchise. But it comes down to Sean and I think he gets all of that. I think he feels all of that and I think he takes that with him as this team isn't going to be in this building. They're going to be in other people's buildings now trying to continue this season and see what they can do.
A
Do we want to start with Jags and then go to what happened the game today or do we want to flip flop?
C
Well, we can talk a little bit about the game today.
A
Okay.
C
Okay, go ahead.
A
I thought I like Josh taking the one snap all for that. I thought that was great, Mitch. I thought he played pretty well and I. We talked about this in the press box. The fact that, you know, he's someone that hasn't played at all this season, in a pinch in the postseason. You saw the Chiefs need it with Chad Henny. It was nice to see Mitch get some play on the field.
C
I think this will help confidence going forward.
A
Yeah. No, you were laughing.
C
Why not?
B
Why not? Because it was all backups. If Josh played, it would have been all the starters.
C
No, no, I'm saying it's for Mitch. It was good for Mitch. He gets some confidence going forward.
A
I agree.
B
I think Mitch is now going to. He deserves a nice Paycheck and a nice contract from another team. Mitch could be all like, Mitch may be a Pro bowl quarterback or the jets team has just quit.
A
Well, Keon Coleman lit it up today.
C
He really did. He made a couple of points.
B
So this is an orchestrated attack.
C
Y.
A
Planning it out in the press box. But the difference is, I know we talked before in the pre game stuff about how, you know, you were talking about how I want to see Josh do a drive or two. I want to see him build confidence.
C
Josh is too good to have played in this game.
A
And B, like, for me, seeing Keon Coleman out there making some plays. Okay, good for him. You know, I, I don't expect him to be anyone that the Bills lean on in the postseason. But for Mitch, he has not gotten a ton of run really at all this season. So I think it was important for him to. To just have some game reps as we head into the playoffs.
C
Sure, yeah. If you need them for a series, two series, whatever happens in the playoffs. Right. Because we've seen that happen. I think the biggest thing to come from this game was the injuries.
A
Yeah.
C
Matt Prater, I don't know. I don't think he's going to be kicking in the playoffs. I mean, if he had to come out of this game and couldn't kick, it's difficult to depend on a kicker. You don't really have a backup kicker. Like if he goes in a playoff game, let's just say they're going to try to give it a shot and he gets hurt in the first quarter, you are screwed. Yeah, they're going to be trying to bring a kicker in here this week, I would think. And then Max going out with the ankle, you know, they had to play guys, you talked about it before, like, you can't bench everybody. You can't leave everybody out. But Max getting hurt late. I thought, you know, when you look at the game is like, those were.
B
The two things that Sean talks about that. And it was. I think Steve Tasker asked him about bringing up players throughout the week, and Sean pretty much said, we wish we, we wish we didn't have to play Trey or Max, but we were out of elevations from the practice squad, which kind of sucks.
A
That does suck.
B
Like, I understand the league rules and all that stuff. That just feels like something that can be easily fixed because, look, you should be able to elevate everybody this game. Like, like at one point I, when I saw Sam Franklin playing safety.
C
Yeah.
B
I was like, oh, we're at this point, like, like there's you're just putting out bodies.
C
Yes. Yeah, I'm with you. I think that's something the league can look at for this last week of the year when you're in this circumstance. I mean, whatever. I mean, look who the jets were putting out there.
B
I have never. That was one of the first times I've seen like, full quit from a team. Like they were 1, 2, 3, Cabo. Like they were 100%.
A
I can't say I blame them.
B
Okay. But we were walking in the tunnel after one of my friends, Dom Tibbets, friend of the channel, was walking up and like, jets players were like, he's Cole, get me out of here. Like that. Not only did they say that they then played like that was shocking. It felt very preseasony, especially for a.
C
Team that has a lot of young players out there who have done absolutely nothing. And a coach I have been.
B
They're going to keep Aaron Glenn around. His team is depleted of talent. There's no question of that. How can you judge a head coach when they don't have NFL talent on the roster? But they were playing like they didn't want Aaron Glenn to be around.
C
Yeah.
B
Like that was. That was the shocking part.
A
No buy in. Yeah, no, it's true.
C
It ended up being kind of good for the Bills. They could just play this game the way it was. They got the win, they end up in the sixth spot and they get Jacksonville.
A
Yeah, I want to go back to Prater because I do think that would be. Obviously we saw have how Michael Badgley and everything played out with that situation. That is definitely the biggest concern. Obviously, Maxwell Harrison, you hate to see that. You don't really know what the situation is with that. But how big of a. A issue is this for the Bills and their kicking game?
C
Well, look, they were already not happy with Badgley. They tried to bring other kickers in. They didn't see anybody they wanted. They let him kick, then they got rid of him right away. I don't know if there's somebody out there, but they're going to need to sign somebody. I don't think there's any doubt. And you just think about, like I said, there's one kicker on the roster.
B
Yep.
C
And so it makes very. Yeah, it makes it very, very difficult to plan. And you go into a playoff game, you just. You can't afford to have those kind of issues. And Praters kicked well for this team.
A
Yeah. Yes.
C
But it doesn't feel like he's going to be ready for Sunday.
A
No, it does not. All right, last little notes on this game. Some incentives were hit. Dawson Knox getting the touchdown, the yards, $200,000 bonus for him. Ty Johnson.
B
Kid diapers are expensive.
A
Yeah. Ty Johnson also hitting his bonuses for two. Two touchdowns. So I thought. I thought that was nice to see. And James Cook getting some run in this game.
B
Yes. We're recording this at.
C
Yeah, you want to check how he's doing? 10 o'.
A
Clock. Literally 10 o'.
B
Clock. It is currently 10 o'. Clock. We do not know the time of the Jags game. We know there will be in Jacksonville, and Derrick Henry is trying to chase down James Cook for the rushing title.
A
It's still 10 3, so let's see.
C
We'll let Janet do that. But, you know, Derrick Henry started 112 yards. 112 yards.
A
He's almost at the half.
B
I think he needed 1 50. Yeah, he needed 153. Well, James Cook said he was going to be rooting hard for Pittsburgh's defense.
C
Yeah, well.
B
And Sean also was asked about, you know, he said he was aware of James Cook in the rushing record, rushing title. And he's like, yeah, I thought I'd play him for a quarter. That was the plan. And then he goes. Throughout the week, he went, that seems like a bad idea. And then he really only got two snaps.
A
Yeah.
C
Yeah. I mean, when you look at what Henry's doing, he might have needed to play. Might have need to play a little bit and a little bit more than.
A
They would have wanted, which is, hopefully, Derrick Henry cools off, because it would be great. Phenomenal this season. It would be awesome to see him get that award, that honor. But I also get Sean McDermott and the team being like, what's best for the team as we reach the playoffs. And that's the perfect segue to. All right, gentlemen, the postseason is here. We know the Bills are playing the Jags, like Mike mentioned. We don't know the time as we are recording this, but your initial impressions as we get ready to head to Jacksonville for a meeting with the Jags.
C
Yeah, look, they have been impressive, especially in the second half of the year. They were that team that you were like, well, you know, Houston's going to be the best team. And then it was the Colts early, and, like, the Colts were playing well. Then they started to fade, and you're like, oh, Jacksonville. Oh, Jacksonville. And then you guys mentioned they went to Denver and blew out the Broncos.
B
That was a big game.
C
And so now you're saying, maybe this team is good. And you know first year head coach Trevor Lawrence. Everybody's been waiting to see what he's done. And that defense has been really good. I think it's going to be quite an atmosphere down there for a franchise that hasn't done much in the last few years.
A
Yeah.
B
I think of how Jacksonville has been a house of horrors, Mike.
C
Yes.
B
I still think they're going to come back and win. They're going to win that game against Urban Meyer. So maybe.
C
Okay, we got the update here. 1pm 1pm on Sunday. Yes, 1pm On Sunday. That's crazy in Jacksonville. A little bit surprised, but there, there is some marquee matchups in some other.
B
Games, too, so status quo.
A
Yes, that's it.
B
It is a regular Sunday one o' clock game.
C
Yeah.
A
Maybe you fly a little under the radar.
B
Yeah. I'm surprised that Josh Allen isn't prime time tv.
C
Yeah. Yeah.
A
I hate that.
C
Yeah. Well, that's fine. Yeah, they. They have to go there and win.
B
Yes.
C
And then they. Then they see what happens.
B
So I think about how Jacksonville has been a house of horrors. I think it's the. I don't want to. It's not my favorite NFL city, we'll put it that way. They do have a great Chili's, which we will be at, but they have a really good run defense, maybe the best in the NFL. They have a really good defensive line. I totally forgot that Eric Armstead is in Jacksonville. He's a problem. Josh Allen Hines is a problem. Travion Walker, like their pass rush isn't great. Their rushing defense is really good. So that will be strength on strength. And that's been one of the problems when teams have been able to take away or neutralize James Cook. It's going to be up to the Bills to find something through the air. And you know that Josh can be Josh. Like you're going to need Josh to be special.
C
Yeah.
A
Yeah.
C
Jacksonville has done a good job taking the ball away. I think they have 21. I don't know if they had today. I think they had 21 interceptions, which is 21 more than the Jets. That's true for the year.
B
Same as us.
C
And you know, so, yeah, they're a good football team. They're a good football team that hasn't been a playoff team. So that really is. I think it's a big plus for the Bills in the first round of.
A
The play in that experience. And the Bills can maybe lean on that as they head down to Jacksonville. You mentioned the defense also. Trevor Lawrence has just looked like a better player. He's been able to use his legs more. That has opened up the offense for them. I think this will be a really interesting matchup heading into the wild card round.
B
It's also an interesting matchup because they're one of the few teams the Bills haven't played this year. We were always talking about this like who's going to be working on the advanced analytics of kind of this upcoming game for the the staff to kind of look ahead. So that's something they haven't seen. And Liam Cohen is going to be in the running for coach of the year along with Vrabel and Ben Johnson. But he has done. It's a factor of coaching matters and opening up what Trevor Lawrence and kind of reaching his potential this season. That will be a test.
C
It's interesting that you said that, that that's a team they haven't played this year. If they were to win, they would play Denver. You would assume another. Yeah, unless the Chargers knock off the Patriots. But they would play Denver, the other team that they haven't played this year amongst the top teams in the conference. So yeah, I think it's going to be fun. It's going to be different. We've been kind of used to sitting here at home for one or two games before going to Kansas City. Kansas City's not around, but it's going to take road wins to get it done.
B
So here's the other thing too, about that. Kansas City and the Chiefs had always won the division. They had always been home and it was always that thing of well, can they go and win on the road? The Bills haven't been able to win a road playoff game in this Josh Allen era. Yes, this is what makes you one of the goats, is for Josh to do this and to maybe carry an offense that isn't the most talented like at times we have seen with Kansas City. And that is what makes you one of the all time greats. And I think we can sit there and, and we've been critical of the wide receivers and what this offensive game plan is. Josh can cement himself with a run here in the postseason, no doubt to another level. And we have seen when Josh puts on the cape and go to that next level that there's not a team that can stop him because he's the best player in the league and in the world. So that is where you should have a little, you should have optimism. And the defense has been playing better as of late.
A
So that is very true. And I'm looking at the weather For Jacksonville, obviously this is like the extended forecast, but it does look like there's a cold front coming through. So it's. It's 80 degrees on Saturday and then 68 degrees on Sunday.
C
68.
A
So that seems. I always worry about sometime. I always worry sometimes though, a cold weather team going to like super hot. I know. Obviously it's not, but just in terms of that aspect because that is such a change up from what the Bills are used to. But 68 sounds pretty nice. We'll have to see how things. You want to give a shout out?
C
Yes. Elliot Eisler got a chance to meet him. I was coming back up to the press box. I went down right before the game started. Had a nice conversation with him. Big fan of Buffalo plus he was. It was kind of just a chance thing. I mean, I'm walking up and he was very cool to get a chance to thank you for liking comment and commenting and subscribing to the channel.
B
Got that preston in section 116 somewhere over there morning, he was yelling at me saying give me a shout out on Buffalo Plus. Love all your guys work. So Preston, here's your shout out comment in below.
A
Yes. Anything else?
C
I just am looking around. Is this not cool that we're here?
A
Oh, absolutely.
C
I mean, this is it.
A
Is.
C
One person over there. Is that Matt Bovet?
A
Yeah, it's Matt Bovet.
C
It's us. It's quiet like.
A
And there's a little bit of snow, which I really.
C
This is.
B
It was perfect weather for the final game at Highmark.
A
Yeah.
C
I mean, we have been in this place when it is so loud and so crazy. This is nice.
B
Seems like all the seats are still here.
C
Nobody stole a seat.
A
Nobody. I did see a funny tweet. I think it was Greg Thompsett who's like, he had the. The Indiana coach Sig. What's his last name?
C
Signetti.
A
Yeah, like, you know that gif of him, like scowling.
C
Yes.
A
Like Bill's fans looking for a seat leaving High Mark Stadium.
B
Yeah. Sean was worried that people were going to smuggle wrenches in to unbolt their seats.
C
Yeah. You. You can buy these, right?
B
Selling everything, like bathroom signs, everything.
A
Oh, can you buy the trough?
B
There were a lot of. Lot of memories about troughs. People were commenting in.
A
You can only imagine. Okay. All right, that'll. That'll do it for us. Thank you for joining us here on.
C
Buffalo plus plenty of coverage all week long. We'll get you ready for Jacksonville.
A
Yeah. We'll have plenty more as we roll into the postseason. Welcome. We're here. It's a long season Chili's in Jacksonville.
B
No free ads, but please, we're coming for you.
C
Yes.
A
Best Diet Coke in the biz.
C
That's it.
A
There's also a great sushi place that we've been to.
C
I know. That was. Wow. That's like nine years ago.
A
That's crazy.
B
Eight years ago.
C
Whatever.
A
It was all right. For Mike and Dan. I am Jenna. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe, and share, and we will catch you next time here on Buffalo Plus.
B
This is the Buffalo plus podcast.
Episode: The BILLS close out HIGHMARK STADIUM in STYLE: Up next? The JAGUARS in the PLAYOFFS
Date: January 5, 2026
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes
This episode centers on the emotional sendoff for Highmark Stadium, the longtime home of the Buffalo Bills, following their regular season finale. The team reflects on the stadium’s legacy, memorable fan moments, tributes to Bills legends, and the bittersweet transition to a new stadium. The hosts also break down key takeaways from the otherwise low-stakes game against the Jets and discuss the team’s health and mindset ahead of the upcoming playoff matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Segment starts: 17:01
The mood of the episode is both wistful and hopeful. The hosts speak with warmth, a touch of nostalgia, and evident pride in the region’s football heritage, while also focusing on the excitement and challenge of the road ahead. There’s a natural, conversational camaraderie, with a strong sense of community threads—fans, legends, players past and present—all tied into the future of Buffalo football.
For coverage leading up to the playoff matchup, follow Buffalo Plus across platforms.