Sports
After knocking off Ravens, ‘different’ Bills turn their attention to all-too-familiar Chiefs
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — With every Ravens turnover, every field goal forced instead of surrendering a touchdown, and every failed two-point conversion that kept the opponents just out of reach, it marched the Bills closer and closer to what they’ve been yearning to get back to for years.
At long last, the Bills have returned to the AFC Championship Game. Their 27-25 triumph over the Ravens exorcised several demons in both this season and previous ones.
Over the last three years, it’s been like a record stuck in a loop, repeating the same part of the song that drives everyone listening up the wall. In the divisional round, a super-talented Bills team with so much promise eventually yielded the way to the final four to another AFC superpower. First, it was the Chiefs. Then it was the Bengals. Then the Chiefs again. But this year… this year was different.
“You learn from all of the scars,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “You never want that feeling again.”
“I think there’s something kind of intangible about this team that feels different,” tight end Dawson Knox said. “It’s kind of hard to put your finger on.”
Knox isn’t alone. It’s a sentiment shared throughout the locker room, permeating throughout the fan base. Some think it’s the players. Others may point to how head coach Sean McDermott has evolved. However, that unquantifiable feeling about how the 2024-2025 Bills are different, in fact, yielded a different outcome than the past.
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With all the talk centering on the Ravens and how the Bills would have to adjust to them, they forced the Ravens to adjust. The Bills kept Derrick Henry below the century mark after allowing him to hit nearly 200 rushing yards in Week 4. They took the fight to the Ravens’ defensive line, who, for good reason, drew rave reviews for their run-defending. The Bills running backs averaged 4.9 yards per carry on 26 attempts. They forced Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson into two game-changing turnovers.
And by the end of the evening, there the Bills stood, with snow trickling down, allowing the scoreboard’s bright red, white and royal blue lights to shine a jumbotron-long banner even brighter.
“Next stop, AFC Championship.”
And that next stop is to Kansas City — because, of course it is.
The very Chiefs team that gave the Bills a cruel lesson on what it takes in the AFC Championship Game four years ago, who punished them for in-game mistakes and flawed decisions en route to a blowout loss, well, there they are again — the AFC gatekeepers of the Super Bowl.
Only 13 players from that AFC Championship Game Bills team remain on the roster. Allen, Dawkins and Knox were there, along with Micah Hyde, Matt Milano, Taron Johnson, Ed Oliver, A.J. Epenesa, Cam Lewis, Reggie Gilliam, Quinton Jefferson, Tyler Bass and Reid Ferguson.
The original 13 are acutely aware of just how poetic the upcoming showdown is.
“Yeah, 100 percent,” Lewis said. “I feel like we wouldn’t want it no other way.”
“I was watching the (Chiefs-Texans) game the other night with my girlfriend,” Epenesa started. “She was like, ‘What if the Texans win?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, you know, on paper they’re the lesser team, whatever, whatever, but how much sweeter would it be to be able to beat the team that got us a couple of times in the past and everything like that?’ So I’m definitely on that page right now as we have our opportunity to do something, and I’m looking forward to it.”
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A lot has changed for the Bills between the first AFC Championship matchup and now.
At that point, the Bills were simply novices. It was all new to them after only getting to the wild-card round the year before. They didn’t know what they didn’t know about deep playoff runs. The expectation was that they’d be back — and soon. It was only a matter of time.
“Soon” wasn’t quite what everyone expected. The Bills have learned difficult lessons, year after year, most of which were dealt to them by the very franchise they’ll face next weekend.
On Sunday, the Bills will have played in Kansas City more times than they have at any of their division rivals over the last five years. They’ve been there every year since that first AFC title tilt, with Sunday marking their sixth soiree at Arrowhead. It will be the eighth meeting between these two AFC behemoths over the last five years, four happening in the postseason.
But you don’t have to be reminded about how the last three have turned out. Most fans of the team have carried the weight like an elephant sitting on their collective chest.
AFC Championship Game in 2021 — a lopsided loss. AFC Divisional round in 2022 — a gut-punching loss with victory being so close they could taste it. AFC Divisional round in 2024 — another loss so close it had many wondering if the Bills would even return after an offseason roster refresh.
It all led to this year — the return to the AFC Championship Game coming in a year where no one thought it possible before the season. Standing before the Chiefs on Sunday will be the Bills, a sculpted Super Bowl contender, hardened by one excruciating playoff exit after another.
“For the guys that were there [in 2021], it’ll definitely I think be a little extra chip on the shoulder,” Knox started. “In a way, it can help. You can let it fuel you a little bit, but if you dwell on it too hard or too long, I think it’s distracting at a point. But if you kind of just let it lay underneath the surface, if it helps you bring a little extra motivation, a little extra work in the week, great. But we’re not going to be dwelling on that too hard.”
That’s one of many things that have changed about this Bills team.
Gone is the wily Allen, who, through all his brilliance, had a penchant for a back-breaking turnover. Gone are the one-dimensional, pass-happy Bills, who ran the ball well only after ample success through the air. Gone is the weak-link offensive line of the past that led to uneven results. And gone is a head coach who usually opted toward conservative in-game decisions.
In their place is a franchise quarterback playing the best football of his life, a running game that can take all the pressure off that franchise quarterback at any point during a game, an offensive line that is one of the team’s greatest strengths and a coach in complete trust of his players and the math, unafraid of fourth downs.
But opposing them will be a Chiefs team that has pivoted multiple times throughout its incredible run, all while remaining the class of the NFL. And certainly, a team eager to undo their lone loss of the 2024 regular season against the team that spoiled its perfect season.
The Bills and Chiefs are perfectly intertwined, both in their personal connectors and playoff histories. However, as always, neither can live while the other survives.
“History does have a way of repeating itself,” Dawkins said. “But sometimes, it has a different outcome. We’ll see how this one goes.”
(Top photo: Tina MacIntyre-Yee / USA Today)
MINNEAPOLIS — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is planning for right fielder Kyle Tucker to be out for the rest of the series against the Minnesota Twins, after he left Monday’s game with low back spasms.
Roberts hopes to write Tucker into the lineup Friday, when the Dodgers open a three-game series in San Diego, after three days off, plus most of the game Monday.
“Hopefully he [can take] advantage of this, obviously to get right, but also kind of a mental reset,” Roberts said. “Hopefully the four days will suffice.”
Tucker, who said he felt a little better Tuesday but still sore, especially when rotating, is “pretty confident” that he’ll be able to avoid the injured list. And if he can take swings on Wednesday, he’ll probably be on track for that Friday return.
“But if he doesn’t, then we’ll have probably a tougher decision on Friday,” Roberts said.
Tucker, who has a .707 on-base-plus-slugging-percentage this season, has had a slow offensive start to his Dodgers’ tenure. He wasn’t ready to make any declarations about the potential benefits of time off to reset.
“Maybe,” he said. “We’ll see after I get back. We’ll see how that goes.”
The news on catcher Dalton Rushing, who exited Monday’s game to rule out a concussion, was more straightforward.
Rushing hadn’t yet gone through the second round of concussion testing needed to clear him to play when Roberts addressed the media Tuesday afternoon. But Rushing had told Roberts he was ready to play.
“That doesn’t carry too much weight until I hear from the medical staff,” Roberts said. “But it is good to know that he said he’s good to go. My hope is that he’ll be available off the bench in some capacity.”
As a downpour hammered the tarped field early Tuesday evening, it was unclear when exactly the Dodgers would be playing. But despite plenty of rain in the forecast Tuesday evening, the teams and Major League Baseball identified a window for the game.
The Twins announced an estimated 5:05 p.m. PDT first pitch, representing a 25-minute rain delay.
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Wyndham Clark reflected on winning what was his second U.S. Open with an emotional message filled with appreciation.
Clark went wire-to-wire at Shinnecock Hills to become the 24th player to win at least two U.S. Opens in their career after beating fellow American Sam Burns by one shot. The 32-year-old’s first U.S. Open title came in 2023 at Los Angeles Country Club, another one-shot victory, where he got the best of runner-up Rory McIlroy.
“I’m not sure I’ve found the words yet. If I’m being honest, last year wasn’t filled with many highs. There were a lot more questions than answers, a lot more frustration than celebration, and plenty of moments that tested my belief in myself,” Clark’s note on X began.
Wyndham Clark of the United States looks on after winning the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 21, 2026, in Southampton, New York. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
WYNDHAM CLARK DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LOVED, BUT HE DOES HAVE TO BE RESPECTED AFTER US OPEN TRIUMPH AT SHINNECOCK
“This game can be incredibly humbling. It doesn’t owe you anything, and sometimes the only thing you can do is keep showing up and trust that the work will eventually pay off. That’s why this week means so much. To the fans, thank you for making this championship what it is. New York crowds are passionate, honest, and demanding. Whether you were pulling for me or not, you created an atmosphere I’ll never forget and pushed all of us to compete at our best.
“Thank you to the USGA, the members of Shinnecock Hills, the volunteers, and every person behind the scenes who made this week so special. This place is everything a U.S. Open should be, and I’m incredibly honored to have my name connected to it forever.
“To my team, family, friends, and sponsors, thank you for staying in my corner through the difficult stretches. Thank you for believing in me on the days when believing wasn’t easy. This trophy means more because of the road it took to get here. The setbacks, the doubts, and the hard days all make this moment that much sweeter. I’ll never forget this week, this place, and what it feels like to stand here as a two-time U.S. Open Champion. Forever grateful.”
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NEW YORK GOLF FANS DESERVE TO BE CALLED OUT, SAM BURNS HAS A GOOD CRY, WYNDHAM CLARK’S BEST SHOT AT SHINNECOCK
Wyndham Clark celebrates with his caddie, David Pelekoudas, on the 18th green during the final round of the 126th U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 21, 2026, in Southampton, New York. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
Clark was far from the fan favorite during Sunday’s final round at Shinnecock. The majority of fans on the Long Island, New York property appeared to be pulling against the Colorado native with countless shouts for his golf ball to find bunkers and minor roars after each of his five bogeys during the final round.
Wyndham Clark celebrates with his girlfriend Emily Tanner after winning the 126th U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour)
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Clark made a pair of public mistakes during the 2025 PGA Tour season. During the final round of the 2025 PGA Championship, he threw his driver through an advertisement sign behind a tee box. A month later, after missing the cut at Oakmont in the 2025 U.S. Open, he ripped apart two lockers inside the clubhouse and was barred by the historic club in the following days.
SEATTLE — Jaysen Dickinson flew to Seattle from Vermont to cross an item off his lengthy bucket list.
“To see the World Cup and the U.S. play in the World Cup,” he said.
Kim Fletcher and her 17-year-old son Kelan caught a 5 a.m. flight from Sacramento last week for the same reason.
“It’s a must-do right now,” she said.
They weren’t alone. Tens of thousands of people poured into Seattle on Friday morning for the U.S. team’s group-stage game with Australia, turning the Emerald City into a sea of red, white and blue. Some had tickets, most did not.
United States’ Folarin Balogun celebrates the team’s first goal with fans during the game against Australia in Seattle on June 19, 2026.
(Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
But who needed a ticket? More than 66,000 people filled Lumen Field in Seattle’s SoDo district, but thousands more simply stood in the streets surrounding the stadium to soak up the energy.
“It’s electric,” said Fletcher, whose son wore an American flag as a cape beneath a tri-cornered colonial hat. Another man was dressed in overalls in star-spangled colors while one couple wore large and seemingly uncomfortable bald eagle heads, topped by red, white and blue cloth stovepipe hats.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said one fan, whose been attending sporting events in the city for more than seven decades.
If this World Cup has been marred by astronomical ticket prices and an opaque system for selling them, resulting in large swaths of vacant seats visible on telecasts from Guadalajara, Santa Clara and Miami Gardens, that hasn’t put a damper on the tournament in the Pacific Northwest. Los Angeles is far from the only city with World Cup fever.
The midday celebration on Friday engulfed — and overwhelmed — one of the country’s largest cities on what was supposed to be a workday.
A viewing party in historic Pioneer Square was packed so tightly it was hard to move. Along the city’s waterfront, hundreds of people paid $52 to stand on a barge and watch the game on a scoreboard-sized TV. Thousands more had scaled the steep cascading steps across the street, where they strained to watch for free.
“There were just people who wanted to be in the atmosphere. And that’s Seattle,” said Kasey Keller, a four-time World Cup goalkeeper for the U.S. from nearby Olympia, Wash.
“This,” agreed MLS commissioner Don Garber “is a soccer city.”
The first game in Seattle, also played on a weekday afternoon, drew a sellout crowd for Egypt-Belgium while in Vancouver, 35 miles north of the U.S. border, a 10-block stretch that knifes through the heart of the central business district has been turned over to a street party for the duration of the 39-day World Cup, snarling traffic and rerouting buses.
Fans of Belgium wait for the beginning of the World Cup Group G soccer game between Belgium and Egypt in Seattle on June 15, 2026.
(Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
Not that many folks were complaining.
Fans marched to last Thursday’s afternoon game with Qatar wearing Canadian flags draped over their shoulders and headdresses that sprouted small maple leafs. Thousands more watched on TV from bars and restaurants along Granville Street, where 15-foot-tall soccer players and giant soccer balls stand beneath miles of red and white streamers.
Even a strip club in the center of the fan zone got in on the action, draping the flags of Canada and nine other World Cup teams above its heavy wooden doors.
“It’s beautiful to see. The whole country showed up,” goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau said. “It’s beautiful. We were all one nation tonight.”
Crepeau and his teammates said they fed off that atmosphere in their victory over Qatar, giving Canada its first-ever World Cup win. Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine-born U.S. coach, said the same thing about the Americans’ reception in Seattle.
“Even if I am not American I was emotional because the atmosphere was amazing, the fans were amazing,” he said. “The way they supported us and the way they celebrated victory, it was an amazing and perfect connection from the stands and the team.
“It makes us feel very proud because to connect with the people is what we wanted — here in Seattle, and the rest of the country.”
U.S. and Australia fans bump fists on their way to the stadium before their game in Seattle on June 19, 2026.
(Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
U.S. and Canadian soccer fans have come a long way since 1994, the last time North America played host to the World Cup. Keller remembers watching a group-stage game with a very confused man at a bar in Florida.
“There was a guy sitting next to me rooting for the wrong team,” he said. “‘Wait a minute. Ireland’s in white?’ It took him 30 minutes to figure out which team he wanted to root for.”
That hasn’t been a problem this summer. Three days before the U.S. game in Seattle some 500 fans, most wearing the blue-and-white striped jerseys of Argentina, filed onto a 322-foot cargo barge moored in Elliott Bay to watch their team play Algeria.
“Our city is really crushing it for the World Cup,” said Daniel Norberg, a recent transplant from Amsterdam. “We’ve been really impressed.
“It’s got a great vibe.”
The aging 53-year-old barge, which typically plies the waters of southeastern Alaska, was towed to Seattle by the RAVE Foundation, the charitable arm of Seattle’s two professional soccer teams, the Sounders and the Reign of the NWSL.
“Elliott Bay on Seattle’s waterfront, it just felt right. Because it is so very Seattle,” said Ashley Fosberg, the foundation’s executive director.
For the U.S. game, tens of thousands more packed the breathtakingly beautiful shoreline. Sitting on folding chairs and under portable awnings or standing on concrete steps and bridges, the crowd seemed to stretch from the water’s edge to the horizon. When the Americans took an early lead on an own goal from Australia, the crowd broke into a raucous cheer that gave way to chants of “USA! USA!”
A mile away, inside Lumen Field, the reaction to Alex Freeman’s goal at the end of the first half produced measurable earth movement, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. The players felt the shaking — and the support.
“It’s tough to put it into words,” forward Folarin Balogun said. “It’s extremely special. It gives us that last bit of motivation to just go out there and really go crazy.”
After the 2-0 win, a victory that sent the U.S. through to the knockout stage and opened up the possibility of a return to Seattle for the round of 16, the players took a victory lap around the field as the fans serenaded them with John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” overwhelming the version playing on the stadium sound system.
Seattle, the crowd told the players, was the place where they belonged.
“It was just incredible,” said captain Tim Ream, who teared up as he gathered with his teammates afterward. “It’s one of those moments where you’re like, ‘Is this real life?’”
Deputy Sports editor Ed Guzman contributed to this report.
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