The NFL officially revealed the neutral site location if the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills AFC Championship Game.
After the Week 17 game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals was suspended due to Damar Hamlin suffering cardiac arrest, the NFL released contingency plans for the playoffs. One of the main takeaways was where the Kansas City Chiefs and Bills were to play if they were to both make the AFC Championship Game. That is due to the fact that the Bills and Chiefs were in contention for the No. 1 seed, but the Bills had one less game played due to the Week 17 matchup being ruled a no contest.
On Thursday, the NFL announced that they have reached if the AFC Championship Game were to be between the Bills and Chiefs, the matchup will be held at the neutral site location of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
“We are heartened by the continued improvement and progress of Damar Hamlin in his recovery, and Damar and his family remain top of mind for the entire NFL community,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, h/t NFL.com. “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 the competing teams, our fans and partners.”
Mercedes-Benz Stadium to host potential Chiefs vs. Bills AFC Championship Game
While Mercedes-Benz Stadium is an indoor stadium, it will be interesting to see if they will have the roof open to give it a bit of an outdoor feel.
The NFL had reportedly reached out to Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, to see if they would host the potential AFC Championship Game. According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, Lucas Oil Stadium turned it down because they will be hosting a national volleyball tournament, and are expecting 30,000 in the area.
Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, wasn’t an option as a potential neutral site location for the AFC Championship Game, but it wasn’t a feasible option due to the fact that they are changing the turf in the stadium.
Again, the home stadium for the Falcons will only be used for the AFC Championship Game if the Chiefs and Bills are the two remaining AFC teams in the playoffs. If one or both don’t make it that far, then the title game will be held at the home stadium of the highest-remaining seed in the conference.