While soon it will be time to say goodbye to Highmark Stadium forever, it was also time for running back James Cook to win the NFL rushing title. With only getting 15 yards on two carries on Sunday against the New York Jets, that was all he needed as he took the title with 1,621 yards.
It was a nail-biter, as running back Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens finished just behind him at 1595 yards.
But with many other players on the team playing with a vengeance to get that last win at the stadium, this one player played his best for his hometown crowd.
"Buffalo Joe" has record day in Buffalo Bills' Highmark Stadium finale
From a feel-good local boy story to on-field success, linebacker Joe Andreessen continues to make positive headlines, keeping his career flourishing.
With most of the starters sitting out, this opened the door for reserves like Andreessen to impress the fans one last time. After 53 years of memories at the old Highmark Stadium, Buffalo Joe surely was a star on the field, recording a team-best seven tackles, two for losses on the play.
Whether he's in Orchard Park, Lancaster, Depew, or Hamburg, Buffalo Joe can play anywhere, even outside of Western New York.
Andreessen has local ties to Western, New York
Born in Depew, New York, on February 7, 2000, the 25-year-old grew up in Lancaster, New York, where he played high school football. There, he got to experience playing in the NYS Section 6 and state regional at the old Highmark Stadium.
Little did he know in college that he would eventually get to play there again in the pros. Andreessen first played college football for Bryant University, where he was a Division 1 FCS All-American in his senior year and led the school with 112 career tackles.
Then, as a graduate transfer to the University of Buffalo, Andreessen played in 12 games, leading the Bulls in tackles.
While Buffalo Joe didn't turn into a blue-chip NFL prospect, he did catch the attention of his hometown Buffalo Bills. After a strong preseason in 2024, he found out he had made the team and would now be playing on the same field that he did in high school, and now as a pro.
As for the origin of the nickname "Buffalo Joe," it traces back to his ties to Western New York, and Bills' superstar quarterback Josh Allen inspired the transaction. In August 2024, during a preseason matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, when Andreessen led the team with 12 tackles, Allen called him "Buffalo Joe" during an interview.
With his playing time increasing from 12 games in 2024 to 17 games in 2025, Buffalo Joe has taken advantage of every rep he's earned from practice, to preseason, and even the last two seasons in the regular season finale. With the Bills looking to upgrade the linebacker position, they may decide to move on from high-cap casualty veterans to allow the hometown favorite to earn starting reps, possibly for the 2026 regular season.