NFL World Reacts To League’s Selection For Site Of Potential Bills-Chiefs AFC Championship Game

Amid the chaos that was the week following Damar Hamlin’s terrifying medical emergency in the Buffalo Bills’ Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the NFL had some big decisions to make.

Not only was it dealing with the PR fallout from the handling of the Hamlin situation. But it also had to figure out the logistical aspect of what do with the postponed game.

Eventually, the game was cancelled altogether. Neither team received a win and the game was not ruled a tie. This presented another issue. How would the league handle playoff seeding in the event the two teams tied with one another or the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ultimately, the league determined a scenario wherein home field advantage in a potential Bills-Bengals or Bills-Chiefs AFC Championship would go to neither team. Instead, the game would be played at a neutral site. Though the league did not reveal that neutral site at the time.

Detroit’s Ford Field took itself out of the running due to renovations. This led many to suspect that Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis may well get the nod.

Instead, the league opted to go in a different direction on Thursday.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium In Atlanta Named Site For Potential Bills-Chiefs Game

Ultimately, Kansas City won the first seed on win percentage. But the Bills finished with the second seed and due to the fact they played one game fewer, a potential rematch between the two will be played at a neutral site.

The league announced that Thursday that the neutral site for that game, if it’s played, will be Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Atlanta is approximately a 13-hour and 15-minute drive from Buffalo and a 12-hour and 30-minute drive from Kansas City. So it truly is a neutral site.

But fans were still split on the selection.

The site ultimately only matters if both Kansas City and Buffalo make it that far. And five other AFC teams have their sites set on making sure that doesn’t happen.