Highmark Stadium turf details: Why new grass is causing headaches at Bills' home field

The Bills bucked the trend around the NFL and made sure their new stadium remained an outdoor venue, despite Buffalo's penchant for rough winter weather.

That weather, in fact, is part of what motivated the team to play outdoors. Not only is the cold and snow synonymous with Bills football, but it could give the team an advantage against opponents from warm-weather climates or indoor stadiums.

Because the Bills will play on a grass field at Highmark Stadium rather than laying down artificial turf, the grounds crew has to deal with some additional challenges.

Here are the details on Highmark Stadium's field and the issues the Bills have run into already.

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Highmark Stadium turf details

The Bills installed a grass field at the new Highmark Stadium in late 2025, much to the delight of players around the NFL who prefer real grass to artificial turf.

As players started to experience the playing surface for the first time this preseason, however, the sentiment turned. Players criticized the field conditions, with one telling The Athletic, "The field is a— right now" after the Bills' preseason opener.

The field was torn up in spots by preseason games and open practices, with chunks of the grass coming loose. The Bills then decided to tear up the grass and give it another try, with the Sept. 17 home opener against the Lions looming as a deadline.

An agronomist with experience in NFL and college football fields told The Athletic that the Bills' new playing surface was "the worst sod" he had ever seen in the NFL.

The decision to re-sod was greenlighted by NFL field director Nick Pappas, who found that the Bills' original field "left much to be desired when it came to showcasing the best of what the league has to offer," The Athletic reported. While Pappas couldn't make the final decision, his approval gave the Bills an alignment with the NFL on the call.

Count Josh Allen among those who approve of the new grass. Ahead of "Thursday Night Football," he told reporters that the field felt "more stable" and "more solid."

Here's more to know about the Bills' playing surface for 2026.

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Do the Bills play on grass?

As the Bills take the field against the Lions, they will be playing on real grass, which is what the NFL Players Association has asked for after concerns about artificial turf causing more injuries.

While the Bills will have to work to maintain the grass as the temperatures get colder, particularly if a deep playoff run is in the cards, Buffalo won't risk putting Josh Allen on artificial turf.

Entering 2026, exactly half of the NFL's 32 teams play on real grass. Seven play fully outdoors on artificial turf, while only one team plays fully indoors on real grass: the Las Vegas Raiders, with the caveat that the Cardinals are often indoors under the retractable roof of State Farm Stadium.