On January 26, 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills 32–29 in the AFC Championship Game. The game took place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The Chiefs reached their third consecutive Super Bowl with this win.
Game Summary: The Chiefs started the scoring with a 12-yard run in the first quarter. Bills kicker Tyler Bass responded with a 55-yard field goal, the longest in the playoffs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Bills took the lead in the second quarter when Bills’ James Cook scored a touchdown on a 6-yard run. But the Chiefs responded immediately, with Patrick Mahomes throwing a touchdown to rookie Xavier Verdi, giving the Chiefs a 14–10 lead.
Before halftime, Mahomes scored another touchdown with a 1-yard run, making the score 21–10. The Bills made the score 21–16 with a 34-yard pass to Mack Hollins, but were unable to convert the two-point.
In the third quarter, James Cook scored another touchdown with a 1-yard run, giving the Bills a 22-21 lead. However, the Chiefs responded with Mahomes’ 10-yard touchdown run and made the score 29-22 with a two-point conversion.
In the fourth quarter, Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel, tying the game at 29-29. Chiefs’ kicker Harrison Butker made the score 32-29 with a field goal. Finally, the Bills failed on fourth-and-fifth down, ensuring the Chiefs the win.
Key Players
Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs): Mahomes led the team with two touchdown passes and a touchdown run.
James Cook (Bills): Cook made a significant contribution for the Bills with two touchdown runs.
Xavier Vardi (Chiefs): Rookie Vardi made a key touchdown catch.
Key points from the game
This was the Chiefs’ seventh consecutive AFC Championship Game appearance.
This was the seventh playoff meeting between the Bills and Chiefs, with the Chiefs leading 5–2.
During the game, both teams displayed offensive strategies, scoring a combined total of 61 points.
With this win, the Kansas City Chiefs clinched their spot in Super Bowl LIX, where they would compete for their third consecutive championship.