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NFL stadiums are the homes to the NFL teams and there are very few moments in history. where you will see NFL teams completely abandon their stadiums, while it was more common in the early days of the NFL. Today most teams are content with the stadium they have now, and if not instead of jumping ship, ,ost organizations choose to have the stadium undergo major renovations to keep the stadium up to date, and prevent the relocation to another city or even state on rare occasions. Unfortunately though sometimes it can’t be helped when the renovations are enough, and the team feels as though they deserve better. Relocation can happen but sometimes the renovations are enough. Here on this list you will find 4 NFL teams who are indefinitely relocating for a new stadium, 1 NFL team that could go either way with their new stadium, and 2 NFL teams that have no need for a new stadium considering their current ones are about to be decked out with all the best upgrades.

Buffalo Bills Stadium

Highmark Stadium is the current stadium for the Buffalo Bills, back in 2012 the team signed a deal with the state of New York and Erie County to lease the stadium up until 2023. In the deal the state and Erie County agreed to renovations worth 130 million dollars. Some of those renovations included larger entrance gates, redesigning the area and lots outside of the entrance gates, the scoreboards, and they even got a statue of the team’s founder Ralph Wilson built outside the team store. Despite all the renovations made to the stadium for the team the Buffalo Bills still wanted to pursue the idea of a new stadium being built for the team. In 2014 a group made up of powerful individuals came together to look at the team’s options. Over the next couple of months many people would join this group which consisted of governors, mayors, and CEOs. It wasn’t until 2015 the state of New York was able to put out a list of possible locations for the new stadium. But there were many major setbacks after this because just a few months later in that same year in July, the Pegulas came out and stated there were no immediate plans to build a new stadium. Back in 2012 when the idea was first presented Mark Poloncarz the Erie County’s executive said building. A stadium in the city of Buffalo wouldn’t be possible because too much of the property was privately owned, and trying to cease it for a new stadium would result in lawsuits. He brought the concerns up again in 2019 but backed down in order to keep negotiations going with the team. By then the pressure for the Buffalo Bills and the state of New York to make a decision started to build up. As the NFL commissioner Roger Goofell himself came out and made a statement putting a time clock on the stadium dilemma.

In August 2021 the Buffalo Bills threatened to relocate to Austin, Texas after making their first offer for a new stadium to be built in Orchard Park with a price tag of 1.1 billion dollars. The team was set on getting a new stadium and didn’t care about staying in Highmark Stadium even though more renovations were made. By the end of the month the team had submitted a plan and an official blueprint for the new stadium. The cost ended up going up from 1.1 billion to 1.4 billion, and the design of the stadium had 12,00 less seats than the Highmark Stadium. But the design did include a 5,000 standing room only deck which would increase the capacity to 68,000. The new stadium wouldn’t have a roof but it would still be built in a way where the seats wouldn’t be at the mercy of the elements. This would make the new stadium ineligible to host a SuperBowl, but the team was concerned with that anyway. Since the city of Buffalo doesn’t have the means to handle such a huge event anyway. Plus they wanted to keep the stadium open for the snowy weather that the city is hit with, as games played in those conditions are good for television.

It took quite a while but on March 28, 2022 the state of New York and Erie County announced they reached a deal. The Buffalo Bills and would be building the new Buffalo Bills Stadium in Orchard Park. It will cost 1.4 billion dollars to be built, with the New York, Erie County, The Buffalo Bills, and the NFL all coming together to pay for it. As of right now the stadium is on track to be open by the fall of 2026, and will be owned by New York.

Tennessee Titans Stadium

The Nissan Stadium located in Nashville, Tennessee has been the home for the Tennessee Titans since 1999, and it was supposed to stay that way. In order for the Titans to continue to use the stadium it would’ve had to undergo major renovations, and somewhere between 2021 and 2022 those renovations were started only for the team to hit the pause button on them in February 2022. Instead of paying for the high cost of renovating the Nissan Stadium, which was somewhere between 1.75 billion dollars and 1.95 billion dollars, the Tennessee Titans brought up the idea of building a whole new stadium altogether without meeting much resistance from the state. Despite the fact the lease was supposed to last until 2039 the team would fully commit to the plan. The new stadium will cost 2.1 billion dollars and will be paid for by the team, the state of Tennessee, and revenue bonds issued by Metro Sports Authority. It is set to be a dome stadium with a 60,000 seat capacity and artificial turf field. The new stadium is also set to have 170 luxury sites on hand. As of right now the new Tennessee Titans Stadium is set to open in the fall of 2026 in the city of Nashville. The Nissan Stadium is set to be demolished after the new stadium is ready to go

The Washington Commanders Stadium

The Washington Commanders might potentially be undergoing another name change by 2027. Right now the FedEx Field located in Landover, Maryland is the home of the NFL team, and the Commanders are bound by contract to FedEx until after the 2026 NFL season. After that the Commanders are free to explore other options, and it looks like that is exactly what the President Jason Wright plans on doing. He actually isn’t wasting any time as of right now the team is looking into the idea of having a new stadium built. The team is open to moving to a different state if it is needed. The President stated the team knows it has a timeline to meet, but is closer to finding a location for a new stadium. Washington D.C, Virginia, and Maryland are the states with the most potential for landing the Commanders’ new stadium. While Maryland has offered to put 400 million dollars into developing the surrounding neighborhoods by FedEx Field, they haven’t offered up any money for a new stadium. The team most likely wants a new stadium as FedEx Field has never been popular with the fans. The stadium was built as a replacement for the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium where the team had some of their most successful runs. FedEx Field hasn’t been able to live up to the RFK Stadium, and it was voted as the worst stadium in the NFL in a recent 2022 poll.

The design of the stadium is what’s hurting it the most over the years FedEx Field has been through major changes. In 2005 renovations were made to add in what would be called “dream seats” in the first three rows at the front of the stadium. These seats were positioned so the fans would be able to see the players on the sidelines, but the plan ended up backfiring as some of the seats were too low. The fans who ended up in the “dream seats” would have to stand to see the players. And over the years the Commanders would only go on to take away more and more seats citing the reason as lack of demand, and feedback from ticket season holders. There is the possibility of the Washington Commanders returning to their old beloved Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium after the 2026 season, but in order for that to happen. The team would have to buy the Department of Interior as RFK stadium is located on federally owned land. So this idea would seem like a dream that could never come true for the team. Considering the Congress would have to approve of the deal, and the D.C. City Council would have to write up a stadium deal. As of right now not much is known about the plans for the Washington Commanders stadium. All we do know is that President Jason Wright is determined to have a new stadium built for the team by 2027, and it will most likely be in Washington D.C., Virginia, or Maryland.

The Fight For the Chicago Bears

The city of Chicago has been the home for the Chicago Bears since 1920. The team was founded in the Windy City and has been based there since its introduction to the NFL. The city would like to keep it that way, and in order for them to do so. The city is going to have some tough decisions to make in the future. As of right now the Chicago Bears are in the early stages of moving the team to Arlington Heights where they plan on building. A new stadium for the team and the organization has even gone so far as purchasing 326-acres of property worth nearly 200 million for a new stadium to be built on. The mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot has shared plans to renovate Soldier Field, the current stadium for the team. In order to keep them from going to Arlington Heights. They have presented different models for the renovated stadium. One is fully enclosing the stadium so both end zones can be rebuilt with columns so the stadium can support a dome structure. Two is to just rebuild the both end zones with columns to make it dome ready. The third and final plan is to modify Soldier Field making it a multi-purpose stadium, improving it for a soccer team, and other huge events.

The Chicago Bears have stated they plan to dismiss all of the renovations in favor of a new stadium. The team’s lease tying them to Soldier Field doesn’t expire until 2033, but the organization could opt out in 2026. If Bears choose to opt out they will be hit with an 84 million dollar penalty. In September 2021 the team signed the deal to purchase the land that formerly held the Arlington International Racecourse, and on November 7 2022 the trustees of Arlington Heights added onto the deal by approving a zoning change. Which will ultimately allow the Chicago Bears to build a sports betting facility. This is all part of a 5 billion dollar proposal from the team to get a new stadium. The Chicago Bears are legally obligated to remain at Soldier Field until 2026 giving the city of Chicago three years to convince them not to leave. But it seems that the organization has made up their mind on what they want, and it is unlikely they will stay. Even so Lori Lightfoot might still go ahead with the renovations to Soldier Field in a last desperate ploy to keep the NFL team there. The city might even go so far as to offer the Bears a new stadium in Chicago altogether, but the clock is ticking.

Gillette Stadium Renovations

The New England Patriots have called Gillette Stadium home for the past twenty years, and it doesn’t look like that is going to change anytime soon. Unlike most teams on this list the Patriots are content with the stadium they have, and are going to renovate it. Instead of just up and moving to a new stadium or even a new state. In December 2021 it was announced that Gillette Stadium would be undergoing a major renovation project. The renovations will cost up to 225 million dollars, and construction on the stadium started in January 2022. The new and improved stadium is scheduled to be done prior to the start of the 2023 season to avoid interfering with the current season and ongoing events. The renovations will include a 22,000 square feet outdoor video board that will be installed at the north end of the stadium. It will make it double the size of the video board on the south end. Game action, replays, statistics, and fantasy football updates will be presented on the video board. It will be the largest video board in the country. A new 218-feet lighthouse is set to be built to provide 360-degree view of not only the stadium but also the Patriot Place, the town of Foxboro, and beyond. 75,000 square feet of hospitality and function spaces will be built to bridge the gap between the East and West Putnam Clubs, the Dell Technologies Suites Levels, and the upper concourse. This new feature will provide 360 degree connectivity. Something that only the main level has right now, the lighthouse will be available for fans visiting year-round and private events. These renovations are being made to make the experience for the fans even better. A goal that the Kraft Family takes very seriously to stay ahead of the ever-involving entertainment industry.