Atlanta, Ga. (Audacy Sports/WGR 550) - The NFL has settled on a venue for a potential AFC Championship Game matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the home of the Atlanta Falcons, will host a prospective matchup of the AFC's top-two seeds, in what would be a highly anticipated rematch from last season's playoffs.
The decision to hold the game at a neutral site was made after the Bills' Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals was scrapped following the on-field cardiac emergency suffered by Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin.
The game was initially postponed, but after deliberation and a vote by the league's owners, it was canceled altogether.
Hamlin, 24, was released from a Buffalo hospital on Wednesday and is recovering at home, following his discharge from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Monday, where he was rushed after being administered CPR and an AED while lying on the field at Paycor Stadium, home of the Bengals.
The cancellation left the Bills with one fewer game played the Chiefs. Buffalo finished 13-3, while Kansas City went 14-3 on the season. As the conference's top seed, the Chiefs earned a bye for the opening round of the playoffs, while the Bills will host the seventh-seeded Miami Dolphins.
Initially considered for the potential neutral-site matchup were Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium and Detroit's Ford Field, but both declined owing to scheduling conflicts.
In a statement regarding the stadium situation, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expressed gratitude for Hamlin's improved condition and thanked Falcons owner Arthur Blank.
"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," Goodell said. "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."
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