We are down to the final four Super Bowl 59 contenders. The Kansas City Chiefs will continue their pursuit of a three-peat against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m. ET.
On game days, it’s always an electrifying environment in the Chiefs’ arena. The reigning Super Bowl champions have invited a special guest to sing the national anthem ahead of the AFC Championship.
Let’s look at who will sing the national anthem ahead of the Chiefs vs. Bills game.
Who Will Sing the National Anthem Before AFC Championship Game?
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs kicked off the Divisional Round on Jan. 18 with a controversial 23-14 win over the Houston Texans. The Bills, meanwhile, narrowly escaped Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens courtesy of a critical fumble from Mark Andrews.
Retired Navy officer and singer Generald Wilson will take the field to sing the national anthem before the Chiefs and Bills battle it out for a ticket to New Orleans. Wilson served as the United States Navy Petty Officer First Class for 21 years.
Wilson has sung the national anthem before multiple major sporting events, including last year’s AFC Championship Game in Kansas City against the Cincinnati Bengals. He is known as the “Praise & Worshipper” of St. Louis and has shared the stage with the likes of Bobby Jones and the late James Moore.
The musician took it to X(formerly Twitter) to share his excitement about the invitation. He shared a picture from his previous visit to the Arrowhead Stadium.
“KANSAS CITYYYYYYY! 😁 SO HONORED to receive the call off the bench to join you in singing OUR National Anthem during the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, January 26th. Y’all already know how much I love The @Chiefs, so you can imagine how I’m feeling right now. 😁 God is so Good! I’m Thankful! I’m Grateful! I’m Honored! Pray and Sing with me Y’all! Letzgoooooooo!!!! Love y’all to Life! 💪🏾❤️💪🏾 #NationalAnthemTourContinues #Honored #Blessed #GodIs,” the caption read.
KANSAS CITYYYYYYY! 😁 SO HONORED to receive the call off the bench to join you in singing OUR National Anthem during the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, January 26th. Y’all already know how much I love The @Chiefs , so you can imagine how I’m feeling right now. 😁 God is so… pic.twitter.com/FEC2WYntbH
— Generald Wilson (@generaldwilson) January 19, 2025
The Chiefs went on to win the game against the Bengals and then the Vince Lombardi Trophy when Wilson sang the national anthem during the AFC Championship game last time. Kansas City fans would hope for the same good luck this year.
Chiefs vs. Bills Game Preview
- Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kanas City
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Streaming: CBS/Paramount+
In the Super Bowl era, the Bills and Chiefs are the fifth pair of teams to face each other in the playoffs four times within a five-season span. The Chiefs could become the first team to play in the Super Bowl with a chance to three-peat.
The Bills lead the league in turnover margin this season, including the playoffs, at +27. Buffalo has maintained an even or positive turnover margin in 21 consecutive games dating back to last season, tying the 1952-53 Rams for the longest streak since turnovers became an official stat in 1933.
On the other side, the Chiefs have gone eight straight games without a turnover, the longest streak since turnovers became an official stat in 1933.
Josh Allen is one of the league’s best quarterbacks against the blitz. Including the playoffs, he averages the second-highest EPA (Expected Points Added) per dropback (0.30) when blitzed, with 16 passing touchdowns and just two interceptions.
However, the Chiefs excel at blitzing effectively. Including the playoffs, Kansas City blitzes at the ninth-highest rate in the league (30%) and ranks 10th in pressure rate (44%) when sending extra rushers.
The Bills have been one of the league’s best defenses on early downs this season, ranking fifth in EPA per play (0.08) on first and second down. However, their performance drops significantly on third down, where they rank 31st in EPA per play (-0.26) and have allowed the fifth-highest third-down conversion rate (44%).
That’s an ominous sign against a Chiefs offense that thrives on third downs. Kansas City ranks fourth in third down conversion rate (47.9%) and fourth in EPA per play (0.22) on third down. Conversely, they only rank 15th in EPA per play on first and second down (-0.02).