The NFL playoffs are setting up to create one of the strangest conference championship weekends in recent memory — at least, in the AFC.
Should the Chiefs and Bengals play in the AFC championship game, it wouldn't be held at Arrowhead Stadium, despite Kansas City's AFC-leading 14-3 record. Nor would it be held at the Highmark Stadium, despite the fact Buffalo holds a head-to-head victory over the Chiefs.
Instead, it would be held at a neutral location: an imperfect solution to an unprecedented situation in NFL history.
The location? Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Of course, this could all be rendered moot: If either the Chiefs or Bills lose to the Jaguars or Bengals, respectively, then the conference championship game would play out as normal.
If both Kansas City and Buffalo advance to the AFC title game, however, The Sporting News breaks down everything you need to know about a potential neutral-site AFC championship game:
Why Bills vs. Chiefs would be played at neutral site
Any matchup between the Chiefs and Bills in the AFC championship game would be played at a neutral location due to the result — or lack thereof — of the Week 17 "Monday Night Football" game between the Bills and Bengals.
Because the game was canceled due to the injury of Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin, the NFL decided "mitigate the competitive inequities created by the cancellation of the Week 17 Buffalo-Cincinnati game." Namely, that the Bills and Bengals have played one fewer game than other teams in contention for the top overall seed.
With the league's official cancellation of the Week 17 Cincinnati-Buffalo game, it created a need to address an AFC title-game meeting between the Bills and Chiefs, neither of which would have "earned" the top seed of the AFC as a result of the game's cancellation.
The Chiefs have the better record by playing one more game, though the Bills have the head-to-head tiebreaker by beating Kansas City 24-20 in Week 6. Had the Bills played out the remainder of their game vs. the Bengals (and won), they would have earned the top overall seed.
The Bengals, meanwhile, were out of contention immediately following the NFL's amendment. They would have needed wins in both Weeks 17 and 18 while seeing the Chiefs lose in Week 18 (Kansas City beat the Raiders 31-13, regardless).
All three teams ended up winning in Week 18, setting up the top three seeds in the AFC as such:
- Chiefs (14-3)
- Bills (13-3)
- Bengals (12-4)
Where will AFC championship be played in 2023?
The NFL ultimately settled on Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium after considering Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Per a statement announcing the league's decision:
Therefore, if Buffalo and Kansas City advance to the AFC title game, it would be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. As part of standard NFL contingency planning, Atlanta was designated a possible backup host site for postseason games prior to the start of the 2022 season and is almost equidistant from both potential participating teams' cities. All other potential AFC Championship Game matchups would take place at the home stadium of the higher seed.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is listed as 792 miles away from the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium, and 887 miles from the Bills' Highmark Stadium. (Lucas Oil Stadium is 475 miles from Arrowhead Stadium, and 495 miles from Highmark Stadium; however, the venue will host the Central Zone Invitational, a national volleyball tournament, on the weekend of the AFC championship).
MORE: AFC championship tickets: How Bills, Chiefs fans can get seats to 2023 Atlanta neutral-site game
How will neutral site AFC championship game work?
Because the Chiefs have the top overall seed, they would choose what jersey they wear in a potential matchup vs. the Bills. Likewise, Buffalo would get to call the coin toss ahead of the game, same as a visiting team would do.
Details still need to be ironed out, including what opposing end zones and the midfield logo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium would look like. It's likely the game would be treated much the same as any neutral-site game (read: Super Bowl) in that both teams would have player introductions and celebratory songs play over the speakers.
How to buy AFC championship game tickets
The NFL has already informed the Chiefs and Bills to "begin selling tickets from their allotment, in preparation for a scenario in which a neutral site game would take place."
Season ticket-holders for both teams who have opted in to purchase conference championship tickets will have a presale opportunity to buy tickets at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 18. All other fans can register to sign up to receive a passcode to participate in presale, beginning at the same time on Friday, Jan. 20.
Ticketmaster, an official ticketing partner of the NFL, would sell the remaining tickets on Monday, Jan. 23. The NFL limits six tickets on any purchases. Should the game not include the Chiefs-Bills — thereby negating the need for the game to be played in Atlanta — any purchases would be refunded.
