Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN/WGR) - This Sunday will mark the 10th season opener for Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins. The 32-year-old has spent all 10 years of his career with the Bills since being a second-round pick (63rd overall) of the team in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Temple University.
Despite having played in 143 career games - most of them being the blindside blocker for quarterback Josh Allen - there's something about the first game every year that keeps Dawkins a bit restless.
"I don't really sleep, I'm always working," said Dawkins in an interview with WBEN on Tuesday. "The first part of my preparation is trying to get as much rest as possible. Tomorrow's Wednesday, tomorrow's a full padded practice, so we have to go at it. And then Thursday is another banger, and then Friday I'll relax. Saturday, I'll relax. Sunday, I'll turn it back up and go crazy."
One difference to this upcoming season for the Bills is a change of home venue, as the team has made the move into the new Highmark Stadium across the street from the old stadium, which has now mostly been demolished. Dawkins admits that factor has been on his mind heading into the new season in Orchard Park.
"Just enjoying the moment and time that I'm in, and understanding that we are all in a moment of history," Dawkins acknowledged. "This is the first year of this new stadium, it's the first year of this season. This season is going to be drastically different. I can't even imagine when the old stadium first opened up, it was the first year of that stadium opening up. And now it's our turn, so to be a part of it, to be one of the players to step foot in there and open up those doors, it'll be cool."
While the team has had a couple of open practices, some walk-through sessions and a couple preseason games to get acclimated to its new surroundings, Dawkins feels it really won't set in for him until kickoff for the home opener on Thursday, Sept. 17 against the Detroit Lions.
"You can't really get adjusted yet, because the live bullets haven't been flown. So once you get in there on a game day, then you can really get your feet settled," he said. "Preseason is preseason, but to be able to be in real live situations, that's when everything will come."
One adjustment the Bills will have to make on the fly before the home opener in eight days is the team decided last week to completely replace the sod at the new stadium and install a new grass field. It is a process that is not uncommon for teams with grass playing fields across the league, but it's a decision that came a bit ahead of when the Bills originally intended to replace the playing surface.
For Dawkins, he prefers playing on a grass field, compared to the team having played on a turf surface for years at the old stadium across the street along Abbott Road.
"I like grass, and with all the good things and bad things that's been said, it's out of my pay grade. I have no idea what to even think," Dawkins said. "We have a brand new stadium, and somebody went in their pocket and put that up for us. Honestly, I have nothing bad to to say."
Another change surrounding the Bills this year is at head coach with Joe Brady taking over for Sean McDermott. Brady had been the Bills' offensive coordinator for parts of the last three seasons before taking the reins this past offseason.
If there's one thing Dawkins feels Brady brings to the Buffalo sidelines as head coach, compared to being an offensive coordinator, is a bit of swagger.
"When you get to suit up and go out on a game day and when you could just be your true self, swagged up, it's a good feeling," Dawkins said.
As for how the offense will run with Brady now as head coach, Dawkins feels there will be some subtle changes to how they operate on a game-by-game basis.
"We're a faster unit, faster team. Everybody's lighter, quicker, and it'll be an exciting year. It really will be," he said. "A very, very exciting year, and the world has gotten a little glimpse of it. So I can't wait to see when everybody's in full effect. It'll be cool."
The Bills will kick off the 2026 regular season this Sunday when they take on the Houston Texans for a 1 p.m. kickoff at NRG Stadium.
