The AFC Championship Game cannot come soon enough.
Shortly after the Bengals beat the Bills 27-10 in the divisional round on Sunday, Patrick Mahomes took to Twitter to let the world know he was counting down to next week’s rematch of the 2022 division title game .
Mahomes, who is currently nursing a tall ankle sprain, shared a tweet that included nothing more than a clock emoji, a simple but not-so-subtle sign that the star quarterback is eagerly awaiting the Jan. 29 Chiefs Matchup with the Bengals. The game will mark the fourth time the two teams have met in the past two seasons, with Cincinnati on a three-game winning streak — including a classic 27-24 victory in the 2021 AFC Championship Game.
While Mahomes is clearly gearing up for next Sunday, the 27-year-old first has to weather a week of non-stop speculation about his injury status for the big game. Mahomes sprained his ankle late in the first quarter of Saturday’s 27-20 win over the Jaguars, but he returned after halftime to lead the club to its fifth straight AFC title game.
Mahomes insisted he would play after Sunday’s game, but it remains to be seen how this week plays out. However, if he can fit in and have few constraints, there’s a good chance NFL fans will be in for a game as exciting as last year’s playoff clash.
In a tight 2022 battle at Arrowhead Stadium, Joe Burrow and the Bengals defeated the Chiefs to advance to their first Super Bowl since 1988. Burrow recorded 250 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while Mahomes recorded 275 yards, three touchdowns and two picks.