The Final Game at Highmark Stadium I

By Pat Freeman, The Mighty O’Ba

The move from Old War Memorial Stadium in 1973 to Orchard Park has so many historical story lines attached to it. Most of them represent the dysfunction of Western New York as a viable region in this nation. The move from Buffalo to Orchard Park , New York joined the trend in this country for leaving urban locations for the suburbs.  Unfortunately, Western New York, unlike other cities, never realized the move in the future was to come back into urban areas to spur regional economic growth. Western New York never planned and continued to double down on stupid.

 The late owner Ralph Wilson also threatened moving the franchise to Seattle if this area did not provide him with a new stadium. The person who kept this franchise in Western New York because of his star power was running back O.J. Simpson. Simpson gave this area a superstar on the field and helped facilitate a sold out 80,000-seat stadium In Western New York.  His unthinkable achievement of 2003 yards rushing in just 14 games remains a record to this day. Unfortunately, Simpson’s later off field issues have made it  taboo to even talk about one of the greatest athletes in the history of sports. Not only was he a superior performer but he had the public recognition that made him a sought-after pinch man for Remington, Hertz and other companies. He also appeared in many films and became an expert commentator for various sporting events.

OJ Simpson passed away in April 2024 from prostate cancer and will probably never be given credit for saving this franchise  and providing a superstar attraction to  one of the largest stadiums in the league at the time.