Breaking: NFL Decides On Neutral AFC Championship Site
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 30: A general view of the field before the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Michigan State Spartans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 30, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
The NFL picked a destination for a potential AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.
If the AFC's top-two seeds meet for the conference title, the game will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Atlanta Falcons' domed venue would host the game on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. ET.
The NFL decided to move this possible matchup to a neutral location because each team finished with three losses. Buffalo played one fewer game, as the league canceled its Week 17 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals following Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest.
Neither the Chiefs nor Bills will play an official road game this postseason. Although their canceled game could have also affected their seeding order, Buffalo would host a potential second-round matchup against Cincinnati.
NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay said only the AFC Championship Game left enough time to logistically plan a neutral venue.
Of course, the AFC's other five playoff teams will try to prevent Atlanta from hosting the conference title clash. The Bills must first handle the Miami Dolphins this Sunday afternoon.
The Bills and Chiefs would then each need to win a second-round home game in order to meet in Georgia.
