KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Christian Benford, a cornerback for the Buffalo Bills, successfully passed through the concussion protocol and participated in the AFC championship game on Sunday. His presence was anticipated to be crucial in mitigating the impact of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs’ aerial assault.

In contrast, safety Taylor Rapp was ruled out due to injuries affecting his back and hip. His absence was expected to be significant since he typically plays a key role in defending against Chiefs tight ends like Travis Kelce and Noah Gray. Notably, Kelce had an impressive performance in the prior divisional round, recording seven receptions for 117 yards along with a touchdown in Kansas City’s 23-14 win over the Texans.

The Bills also faced other losses, with cornerback Brandon Codrington, defensive tackles Quinton Jefferson and DeWayne Carter, and offensive linemen Ryan Van Demark and Sedrick Van-Pran Granger being listed as inactive. Conversely, linebacker Matt Milano, who had been managing injuries to his biceps and hamstring, was cleared to play after being limited earlier in the week. Milano previously missed the Bills’ 30-21 victory against Kansas City earlier this season.

Additionally, tight end Dalton Kincaid, who was sidelined with a knee injury, and wide receiver Keon Coleman, recovering from a wrist injury, were both available for the championship matchup, having missed earlier competition against the Chiefs.

On the Chiefs’ side, running back Isiah Pacheco, pass rusher Charles Omenihu, and cornerback Jaylen Watson, all of whom were absent during their earlier contest, returned to the field for the title game. The Chiefs entered this critical matchup with an impressive level of overall health, largely due to securing the top seed in the AFC following a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day. This achievement granted them the opportunity to rest numerous starters during the last game of the regular season and enjoy an additional week off as they were the only team with a bye in the AFC playoffs.

For the game against Buffalo, Kansas City designated cornerback Keith Taylor, wide receiver Justyn Ross, defensive ends Josh Uche and Malik Herring, as well as offensive linemen C.J. Hanson, Wanya Morris, and Ethan Driskell as inactive.