If KC and Buffalo meet later this postseason, the NFL has confirmed where it’ll take place.
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Kansas City Chiefs
Heading into the final week of the NFL regular season, there was still plenty to sort out in regard to seeding in the AFC. That not only included home-field advantage rights, but also potential neutral site locations factored in due to the cancellation of Week 17’s Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals matchup. The Kansas City Chiefs cashed in along their path to securing the conference’s one-seed, also ensuring at least one home playoff game.
Should Kansas City advance to the AFC Championship Game, however, things were set to get a bit murky if the Buffalo Bills did the same. The NFL determined that in that event, the two teams would play in a neutral location and neither team would have the advantage of a home field. On Thursday, the league revealed that site. A potential Chiefs-Bills AFC Championship contest would be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Per a Thursday morning release from the NFL, Atlanta was designated as a possible backup option for playoff games in contingency planning prior to the start of the 2022 regular season. The statement details that the site is “almost equidistant from both potential participating teams’ cities” and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell praises everyone involved for handling the situation well and allowing this to come together. Here’s his full statement:
We are heartened by the continued improvement and progress of Damar Hamlin and his recovery, and Damar and his family remain top of mind for the entire NFL community. We are also grateful to Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons for agreeing to host the AFC Championship Game in Atlanta should the Bills and Chiefs advance. We thank both of those clubs for their assistance in the planning process. We know, if necessary, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will provide a world class atmosphere for competing teams, our fans and partners.
Those who have season tickets for the Chiefs or Bills will get first priority in purchasing tickets for a potential AFC Championship matchup. Should it take place, the game will be held on Sunday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET.
