The AFC Championship game is set between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs, who are the current Super Bowl champions, defeated the Houston Texans in the divisional round, while the Bills narrowly beat the Baltimore Ravens in an intense game.
Both teams have been the top contenders in the AFC this season. This matchup is a rematch of last year’s divisional round, where Kansas City won 27-24 on their way to Super Bowl LVIII victory.
A New Year: Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes Clash
This year, the situation is different. Josh Allen, the Bills’ quarterback, is the MVP favorite and has already led the Bills to a 30-21 win over the Chiefs earlier this season, one of only two losses the Chiefs experienced this year. Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ quarterback, is known for being calm, but the Bills seem to get under his skin more than any other team.
In the past 12 months, Mahomes has been fined twice, totaling $64,000, due to his actions against the Bills.
Mahomes’ Penalties Against the Bills
The latest fine was $14,000 for making what the NFL called a “violent gesture” during the Chiefs’ 30-21 loss to the Bills in November. CBS cameras showed Mahomes making a hand gesture that looked like shooting a gun or rifle during the game. The NFL ruled this as unsportsmanlike conduct.
This wasn’t the first time Mahomes was fined for behavior during a game against the Bills. Earlier in the season, he was fined $14,000 for a similar gesture. In December 2023, he was fined $50,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct after slamming his helmet to the ground and shouting at referees during a game at Arrowhead Stadium.
This incident happened when the Chiefs were denied a potential game-winning touchdown due to a penalty on Kadarius Toney. Despite video showing the call was correct, Mahomes lost his cool and yelled at the officials, prompting the fine. He was later fined $50,000 for “verbally abusing” the officials.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was also fined $100,000 for publicly criticizing the officials, meaning Mahomes and Reid have accumulated $164,000 in fines over the past year for incidents related to the Bills.
Despite their frustration, both Mahomes and Reid apologized after the game. Mahomes admitted that his actions were inappropriate, and he promised to work on being a better role model.
Chiefs and Bills Set for AFC Championship Rematch
Despite the frustrations, both Mahomes and Reid managed to stay focused and led the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, where they avenged their regular season loss to the Bills with a 27-24 victory in the divisional round.
In Week 11 of this season, the Bills handed the Chiefs their first loss of the year. Allen played an incredible game, accounting for 317 of the Bills’ 366 offensive yards, including a 26-yard touchdown run in the final moments of the game. This performance helped strengthen Allen’s MVP case.
Although Mahomes still has a 3-0 playoff record against Allen, Allen’s victory in the regular season improved his personal record to 3-2 against Mahomes. Now, the two teams will face off once again, this time with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line.
