Chiefs vs. Bills live updates: Predictions, inactives, TV info for AFC championship game

Posted by author January 26, 2025 NFL

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The stage is set for the Kansas City Chiefs to host the Buffalo Bills tonight in the AFC championship game.

The Chiefs finished the season with the best record in the AFC (15-2) and earned the No. 1 seed in the conference. Kansas City locked up its tenth consecutive AFC West title in the process. They had a first-round bye in the wild-card round and enjoyed an extra week of rest to prepare for the Houston Texans, whom they defeated 24-13 in the divisional round to clinch a spot in the AFC title game for the seventh consecutive season.

Kansas City is seeking an historic third consecutive Super Bowl win but it will have its hands full on Sunday against Buffalo.

The Bills cruised past the Broncos in the wild card and defeated the Ravens 27-25 in the divisional round. Quarterback Josh Allen has played at an MVP level all season and has an opportunity to exercise revenge this Sunday.

Under offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Buffalo has one of the NFL’s most efficient units. The Bills finished the 2024 season ranked second in EPA per play (0.18), while Allen recorded 41 total touchdowns.

Buffalo has won the AFC East title in six consecutive seasons under head coach Sean McDermott. Buffalo and Kansas City are the only teams to win double-digit games and reach the playoffs in each of the last six years. The Bills were one of two teams to defeat Kansas City during the regular season.

Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid has the franchise clicking on all cylinders and are two wins away from a fourth Lombardi trophy in six years. Patrick Mahomes has defeated Buffalo in all three previous postseason meetings. With a fourth on Sunday he would join Tom Brady and John Elway as the only starting quarterback to reach the Super Bowl five times.

The latest chapter in the greatest NFL rivalry of this generation will be written tonight.

USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the AFC championship game between the Bills and Chiefs on Sunday below. All times are Eastern.

Chiefs vs. Bills start time

Date: Sunday, January 26, 2025
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

The Bills and Chiefs game will wrap up the conference championship matchups kicking off at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Chiefs vs. Bills TV channel

There are no surprise inactives for the two-time defending Super Bowl champs in the AFC championship.

There are no shocking inactive players for Buffalo in the AFC championship. The most significant absence will be safety Taylor Rapp.

Yes, Swift is in attendance to watch Travis Kelce in action against the Bills. She was spotted entering Arrowhead Stadium with Donna Kelce and figures to be in her usual suite.

Chiefs vs. Bills predictions, picks

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the AFC championship between the Bills and Chiefs will shape up:

Lorenzo Reyes: Bills 31, Chiefs 23
Tyler Dragon: Chiefs 26, Bills 22
Jordan Mendoza: Bills 29, Chiefs 28

Live stream: Fubo | Paramount+

For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo. Fubo carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season.

The Chiefs are favorites to defeat the Bills, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week.

Spread: Chiefs (-2)
Moneyline: Chiefs (-130); Bills (+110)
Over/under: 48.5

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The NFL’s top 18 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott became the league’s highest-paid player before the 2024 season, agreeing to a four-year, $240 million deal. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the first non-quarterback on the highest-paid list after striking a four-year, $140 million contract extension this offseason. 

Who are the highest paid NFL players at each position?

We have a complete list at every position: 

Looking to make the Chiefs-Bills playoff matchup a bit more interesting? Here are some of the best bets for the game:

Here are the Super Bowl odds for the remaining four teams in the NFL playoffs, according to BetMGM:

The Chiefs have won four Super Bowls. They are as follows:

Super Bowl 4
Super Bowl 54
Super Bowl 57
Super Bowl 58

Three of those championships have come with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes as the team’s coach and quarterback. They are going for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat in 2025 and will need to win just three more games to accomplish that goal.

The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six.

Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups.

NFL franchises with most Super Bowl wins:

➤ Super Bowl winners: All-time scores, results for NFL title game

Mahomes’ wife Brittany gave berth to the couple’s third child – a daughter, Golden Raye – during Kansas City’s playoff bye week. Sterling Mahomes and Patrick Mahomes III (a.k.a. Bronze) are the couple’s other two children.

Just two games remain before NFL fans will know who plays in Super Bowl 59. They are as follows:

NFC championship game: Eagles vs. Commanders
AFC championship game: Chiefs vs. Bills

The Chiefs are defending home turf vs. the Bills on Sunday, as Buffalo travels to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri for the matchup.

Temperatures will peak at 33 degrees on Sunday. That’s a bit chillier than Saturday’s estimated high of 41 degrees, but there is still a chance that the temperature won’t drop below freezing until after the AFC championship game kicks off.

Below are the full details of Sunday’s forecast for Kansas City, Mo., according to the National Weather Service.

High temperature: 33 degrees
Low temperature: 21 degrees
Chance of precipitation: 0%
Wind: 3-6 mph

There is not expected to be any precipitation during Sunday’s game nor is there expected to be much wind.

The Chiefs placed Rice on injured reserve following the team’s Week 4 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Rice injured his right knee while trying to tackle Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton following an interception by Patrick Mahomes in the first quarter. As Rice went in for the tackle, Mahomes inadvertently collided with the wideout as he attempted to take down Fulton.

Rice underwent successful surgery to repair the LCL in his right knee.

Here’s the projected 2025 NFL draft order entering the AFC and NFC championship games (picks Nos. 29-30 will be decided by today’s results): according to Tankathon.com: