The first Buffalo touchdown at the new Highmark Stadium will live on the stadium's opening-night montage forever.
That it was Josh Allen throwing it, and Keon Coleman catching it is hopefully an affirmation of the franchise's bet on the receiver, who got open on a reroute to secure the catch and put points on the board for the Bills.
Josh Allen avoids the sack and finds Keon Coleman for the first TD at the new Highmark Stadium!
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026
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Allen had a simple description for it.
"Keon making plays."
The QB1 and third year receiver did not need long to make the new building feel like the Bills' home. On his second drive of Saturday's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, he sidestepped pressure, bought time
juking a defender with his legs, and found Coleman open in the middle of the end zone for the first score in the venue's history, giving the Bills a 10-0 lead they would not give up en route to a 29-14 victory.
This was Allen's first preseason action in more than two years, and he treated it like a regular-season dress rehearsal, flashing his offensive skillset and showing the Bills new-look offense in gameplay.
"Thought we executed well today. Some things to clean up just like anything else, but it was good to see our guys go make some plays today," the QB1 said to the press. "Again, just live reps against other people, different team, a different defense, making sure that we're communicating different checks and just things that happen on the field, we'll get to go in and and talk about them and hey, like if we get this look again in the season, let's try to do this. You know, it's like just learning as we go."
The franchise quarterback completed 6 of 8 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown on two drives, and the Bills scored on both. Buffalo opened with a field goal, then watched its defense force a three-and-out before Allen went back to work and capped the possession with the historic touchdown to Coleman.
Coleman finding the end zone was another encouraging sign for a third-year receiver the Bills need to take a step forward after two uneven seasons. The talent has never been the question. The consistency has. Seeing him finish a drive in the red zone and Allen trusting him in a broken-play moment is the kind of detail that matters beyond the box score.
The first touchdown at the new stadium might be a preseason highlight and future montage clip, but it might also be a good sign of connection between the two players and a sign of things to come for the third year pro and the Bills offense this season.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Bills' Josh Allen on first touchdown pass at the new Highmark Stadium
