Week 12
Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
November 26, 2026
Highmark Stadium
Historic NFL Rivalry
Chiefs–Bills
Mahomes vs. Allen, January's main event
A modern non-division rivalry defined by repeated, dramatic playoff collisions between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. The Bills have generally held the edge in regular-season meetings while the Chiefs have owned the postseason chapters.
The Rivalry
Although the teams have crossed paths since the AFL's founding in 1960 — including a Chiefs win in the 1966 AFL Championship Game that sent Kansas City to the first Super Bowl, and Bills playoff wins in the early 1990s — the rivalry as fans know it today was forged in the Mahomes-Allen era. Beginning in 2020, the two young star quarterbacks turned the matchup into a recurring postseason showdown. Kansas City won the 2020 AFC Championship Game, then survived the unforgettable 2021 divisional-round "13 Seconds" classic and beat Buffalo again in the 2023 and 2024 playoffs. The pattern — Buffalo often winning when it counts least and Kansas City winning when it counts most — has given the series a heartbreak narrative for Bills fans.
What's at Stake
This is a heavyweight, conference-defining rivalry rather than a division feud, and recent meetings have repeatedly decided who reaches the Super Bowl. Each January game is treated as a referendum on whether Josh Allen and the Bills can finally overcome Mahomes and the Chiefs. It pits two passionate, cold-weather-rooted fan bases against each other.
Famous Moments
- 1967 — Kansas City beat Buffalo 31-7 in the AFL Championship Game to reach the first Super Bowl.
- 2020 — The Chiefs defeated the Bills 38-24 in the AFC Championship Game.
- 2022 — Kansas City won the "13 Seconds" divisional game 42-36 in overtime after a frantic finish.
- 2024 — The Chiefs edged Buffalo 27-24 in an AFC divisional-round meeting.
- 2025 — Kansas City beat the Bills 32-29 in the AFC Championship Game, reaching a third straight Super Bowl.
The Chiefs–Bills Games in 2026
The Two Teams
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium · Kansas City
A modern dynasty in the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs play at famously loud Arrowhead Stadium.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Highmark Stadium · Buffalo
An original 1960 AFL franchise, the Bills reached four straight Super Bowls in the early 1990s and are backed by the devoted "Bills Mafia."
Plan the Trip
This rivalry sends fans to two of football's most atmospheric outposts. Buffalo's home in Orchard Park is legendary for snow-dusted tailgates and the rowdy devotion of Bills Mafia, while Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium offers championship pageantry and record-setting noise. Catching a Chiefs-Bills clash — especially a winter playoff rematch — ranks among the best experiences in the modern NFL.
Frequently Asked Questions: Chiefs–Bills
The two teams first met in 1960. A modern non-division rivalry defined by repeated, dramatic playoff collisions between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. The Bills have generally held the edge in regular-season meetings while the Chiefs have owned the postseason chapters.
This is a heavyweight, conference-defining rivalry rather than a division feud, and recent meetings have repeatedly decided who reaches the Super Bowl. Each January game is treated as a referendum on whether Josh Allen and the Bills can finally overcome Mahomes and the Chiefs. It pits two passionate, cold-weather-rooted fan bases against each other.
Yes — they meet once in the 2026 NFL season. The game pages, each with a fan-travel guide, are linked on this page.
Kansas City Chiefs host at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City; Buffalo Bills play at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo.