The Kansas City Chiefs have the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff field and a bye week for Wild Card weekend. But should they meet the Buffalo Bills in a potential AFC title game, that matchup will take place at a neutral site field.
Such an outcome results from the NFL’s confirmed plan to try and make the postseason fairer for AFC heavyweights after Damar Hamlin’s scary on-field collapse from cardiac arrest eventually led the league to cancel a pivotal Bills-Bengals showdown.
When Patrick Mahomes was asked about possibly playing for the AFC title at a neutral site despite owning the top seed, his answer was superb. Hamlin’s health — and recent amazing progress in recovery — not the Chiefs’ hopeful Super Bowl plans, comes first.
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on potential neutral site AFC title game: "At the end of the day, I was so happy that Damar (Hamlin) was doing better. That was the most important part. Whatever it was, we're just ready to go out there and play.
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) January 9, 2023
Man, that is a picture-perfect answer from a face-of-the-league superstar that just gets it. Sure, it probably hurts the Chiefs football-wise that they won’t have home-field advantage if the Bills also make it to Championship Sunday. But some things, like a young man’s life, are much more important than football and unquestionably take precedence.
NFL fans loved Mahomes answer showing concern for Hamlin over the Chiefs' playoff plans
Now THIS is how you show class and grace! Some other players/team should take note! #JustSaying @PatrickMahomes 🙏🏼👏🏼 https://t.co/BI5dZHBNYn
— alie (@Aliekat) January 10, 2023
And this is coming from the QB that every other Fan Base loves to hate. Make it make sense… 🤷🏼♂️🥈 https://t.co/gcN39H9diP
— JHiggy (@JHiggy15) January 10, 2023
🥹He is just a quality soul… https://t.co/c2yhsQD7Rp
— 👀 (@dredd272) January 9, 2023
Patrick Mahomes gets it! https://t.co/mgAPq6p8ZV
— Kevin Kennedy (@kevnkennedy) January 9, 2023
This is why Patrick Mahomes is the greatest QB in the league on and off the field. Not even worried about where the AFC Championship game is being played but rather how Buffalo Bills Safety #DamarHamlin is doing
He is in a class of his own https://t.co/EGCjOUfu1o
— chance 🦹🏾♂️ (@ChiefChance13) January 9, 2023
That's my qb.
— Rick Prewitt (@rick_prewitt) January 10, 2023
So calm, so smart, never waivers, so very mature!
— joe gonillo (@jgonillo) January 10, 2023
Class act every time!
— Chastine Black Reynolds (@Creynolds74) January 10, 2023