Neutral site AFC Championship under consideration by NFL if certain scenarios play out

NEW YORK — NFL clubs are scheduled to meet in a “Special League Meeting” on Friday to consider playing the AFC Championship at a neutral site, according to a resolution recommended by Commissioner Roger Goodell and approved Thursday by the Competition Committee.

“Cancelling the game between the Bills and Bengals creates potential competitive inequities in certain playoff scenarios,” Goodell said in a statement his office issued Thursday.

>>’You won the game of life;’ Damar Hamlin making ‘substantial improvement’ in recovery, doctors say

“In an effort to mitigate those inequities,” the NFL clubs will consider the resolution that consists of two elements:

The AFC Championship Game will be played at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and both could have been the number one seed and hosted the game had all AFC clubs played a full 17-game regular season. Those circumstance involve Buffalo or Cincinnati qualifying for the game as a road team and are listed as follows:

◊Scenario 1 - Buffalo and Kansas City both win or both tie -- a Buffalo vs. Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site

◊Scenario 2 - Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Baltimore wins or ties -- a Buffalo vs. Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site

◊Scenario 3 - Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Cincinnati wins - a Buffalo or Cincinnati vs. Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.

If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati in Week 18, it will have defeated Cincinnati, a divisional opponent, twice but will not be able to host a playoff game because Cincinnati will have a higher winning percentage for a 16-game schedule than Baltimore will for a 17-game schedule.

If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati AND if those two clubs are scheduled to play a Wild Game game against one another, the site for that game would be determined by a coin toss. If Cincinnati wins the Week 18 game or if Baltimore and Cincinnati are not scheduled to play one another in the Wild Card round, the game sites would be determined by the regular scheduling procedures.

“As we considered the football schedule, our principles have been to limit the disruption across the league and minimize competitive inequities,” Goodell said. “I recognize there is no perfect solution. The proposal we are asking the ownership to consider, however, addressed the most significant potential equitable issues created by the difficult, but necessary, decision not to play the game under these extraordinary circumstances.”

EARLIER REPORT

The NFL will not resume the Bills-Bengals game that was suspended Monday night after Buffalo Bill safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field of Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

The game will be declared a non contest.

Two people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league is trying to figure out how to determine playoff seedings and scheduling but the NFL Players Association must approve changes, according to the AP.

The Bills-Bengals game had significant playoff implications Monday night.

Buffalo entered the game with a 12-3 record and needed a win to maintain the No. 1 seed in the AFC, currently held by the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Bengals are 11-4 with a chance to earn the AFC’s top seed with two more wins and a loss by the Chiefs.

>>Photos: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapses, receives CPR on field

Doctors at University of Cincinnati Medical Center gave an update on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin at a news conference Thursday afternoon.

“There has been substantial improvement in the last 24 hours,” said Doctor Timothy Pritts. “He is beginning to awaken and his neurological function is intact. He is moving his hands and feet.”

Doctors said Hamlin has made a “fairly remarkable recovery,” but they continue to work with him as they focus on his current state and not the future.

>>How to donate to Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin’s charity

Buffalo is scheduled to host the New England Patriots in Orchard Park, New York on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. while Cincinnati will host Baltimore at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.

Kickoff between the Bengals and Ravens is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The game will be televised on Channel 7.

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Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapses, receives CPR on field CINCINNATI, OHIO - JANUARY 02: Tre'Davious White #27 and Mitch Morse #60 of the Buffalo Bills react to teammate Damar Hamlin #3 collapsing after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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