The Buffalo Bills-Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff history is a long and storied one that features plenty of legendary quarterbacks.
Jack Kemp, Len Dawson, Jim Kelly, and Joe Montana are part of its past. Now, Patrick Mahomes II and Josh Allen will meet in the postseason for the third time when the Bills host the Chiefs in the AFC divisional round on Sunday night (6:30 p.m. ET on CBS).
It’s the first playoff matchup between the teams since Mahomes and Allen put on a show in a 42-36 shootout in the 2021 AFC divisional playoffs. This time, the teams will meet at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo.
If history repeats itself, this quarterback matchup will deliver at least one more unforgettable moment.
A look inside the Bills-Chiefs playoff rivalry, the quarterbacks who define it, and those legendary matchups:
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How many times have the Bills and Chiefs played in the playoffs?
This marks the sixth playoff meeting between the Chiefs and Bills, games that have stretched from the old AFL days into the present rivalry between Allen and Mahomes.
The Chiefs are 3-2 in the playoff series, and that includes victories in the 1966 AFL championship and 2020 AFC championship. The Bills won the AFC championship matchup between the teams in 1993. The other three games were played in the AFC divisional playoffs.
Bills vs. Chiefs: QB records in playoff games
Mahomes and Allen will meet head-to-head in the AFC playoffs for the third time in a rivalry that has featured Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks Jim Kelly, Joe Montana, and Len Dawson.
A look at the quarterbacks who started in Buffalo-Kansas City games:
| QUARTERBACK | TEAM | RECORD |
| Jim Kelly | Bills | 2-0 |
| Patrick Mahomes II | Chiefs | 2-0 |
| Len Dawson | Chiefs | 0-1 |
| Jack Kemp | Bills | 0-1 |
| Steve DeBerg | Chiefs | 0-1 |
| Joe Montana | Chiefs | 0-1 |
| Josh Allen | Bills | 0-2 |
Bills vs. Chiefs playoff history
The winner of the previous five playoff meetings between these two teams has advanced to the Super Bowl four times.
Kansas City 31, Buffalo 7 (Jan. 1, 1967)
1966 AFL championship game
The Bills were seeking a third consecutive AFL championship with star quarterback Jack Kemp, but the Chiefs spoiled the party at War Memorial Stadium. Hall-of-Fame quarterback Len Dawson threw a pair of first-half touchdowns to build a 17-7 lead, and Mike Garrett closed the victory with a pair of second-half touchdown runs. Dawson finished 16-of-24 for 227 yards and a pair of TDs despite taking nine sacks. Kemp finished 12-of-27 for 253 yards, a TD, and two interceptions. The Chiefs – not the Bills – advanced to face Green Bay in Super Bowl I as a result. The Packers won 35-10.
Buffalo 37, Kansas City 14 (Jan. 5, 1992)
1991 AFC divisional playoffs
Marty Schotteneimer's staff in Kansas City featured several future NFL coaches, including Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy, Bruce Arians, and Herm Edwards, but any hopes of an upset in Buffalo were squashed when Cornelius Bennett knocked out Chiefs quarterback Steve DeBerg on a vicious hit. The Bills built a 17-0 halftime lead with the help of two TD passes from Jim Kelly to Andre Reed, and Thurman Thomas added 100 rushing yards. Kansas City backup quarterback Mark Vlasic threw four interceptions. Washington beat Buffalo 37-24 in Super Bowl XXVI three weeks later.
Buffalo 30, Kansas City 13 (Jan. 23, 1994)
1993 AFC championship
The Chiefs relieved the same nightmare at Rich Stadium. Kansas City had Joe Montana, but the legendary quarterback was knocked out after being sandwiched on a hit by Bruce Smith, Jeff Wright, and Phil Hansen. The Chiefs could not slow down Thurman Thomas, who had 33 carries for 186 yards and three TDs. Kelly finished 17-of-27 for 160 yards, but he did not take a sack. Dave Krieg replaced Montana, who was just 9-of-23 for 125 yards. Montana would play one more season for Kansas City. Buffalo advanced to Super Bowl XXVIII and lost by an identical 30-13 score to Dallas.
Kansas City 38, Buffalo 24 (Jan. 24, 2021)
2020 AFC championship
Mahomes put on a clinic in the AFC championship game. He hit 29-of-38 passes for 325 yards and three TDs, and a pair of second-half touchdown passes to Travis Kelce helped Kansas City pull away from a determined Buffalo squad that played tough in Allen’s first AFC championship start. Allen had 287 passing yards, two TDs, and an interception, but he also took four sacks. Tyreek Hill added nine catches for 172 yards in the victory against the Bills. Kansas City lost 31-9 to Tampa Bay in Super Bowl LV.
Kansas City 42, Buffalo 36 (Jan. 23, 2022)
2021 AFC divisional playoffs
This one is on the short list of greatest postseason games ever played. Mahomes (378 yards, three TDs) and Allen (329 yards, four TDs) put on a show. The teams combined for 25 points and three lead changes in the final two minutes. Allen threw a 27-yard TD pass to Gabriel Davis, Mahomes countered with a 64-yard TD to Hill. Allen threw another TD to Davis with 13 seconds left, but Buffalo left just enough time for Mahomes to complete two quick passes to set up a game-tying field goal. Mahomes connected with Kelce for the game-winning TD in overtime, which led to changes in the overtime format. Kansas City lost 27-24 to Cincinnati in the AFC championship game the following week.
