{"id":20660,"date":"2025-01-20T04:17:57","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T04:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=20660"},"modified":"2025-01-20T04:17:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T04:17:57","slug":"breaking-news-chiefs-announce-national-anthem-decision-for-afc-championship-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=20660","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS: Chiefs Announce National Anthem Decision For AFC Championship Game.."},"content":{"rendered":"

For the sixth time in seven years, the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0will host the AFC Championship Game.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Chiefs, who earned the No. 1 seed in the conference with a 15-2 regular season, took care of business on Saturday afternoon, beating the\u00a0Houston Texans\u00a023-14 in the AFC Divisional Round.\u00a0Patrick Mahomes\u00a0threw a touchdown to\u00a0Travis Kelce, Kareem Hunt ran for a score and the KC defense sacked C.J. Stroud eight times to secure a workmanlike victory.<\/p>\n

After playing in the AFC title game on the road last season, the Chiefs will face either the\u00a0Baltimore Ravens\u00a0or\u00a0Buffalo Bills\u00a0at Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday.<\/p>\n

This afternoon, the team made a major announcement regarding next week’s pregame ceremonies, choosing\u00a0United States Navy Petty Officer First Class Generald Wilson to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner.”<\/p>\n

“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\u00a0@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!”\u00a0Wilson said on social media.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Travis<\/picture>
\n

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 18: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Jamie Squire\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Social media didn’t seem to love the national anthem performance from singer Lanell Lightfoot on Saturday afternoon, so hopefully Wilson has better luck.<\/p>\n

No team that has won back-to-back Super Bowls has even made the big game the following year, let alone won three in a row, so just by winning next week, the Chiefs will have made some history.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re fortunate that we\u2019ve got a lot of great character guys in the building,\u201d Kelce\u00a0said postgame. \u201cAs the years have gone on, we only got here by focusing on the task at hand. This win was great \u2013 we\u2019re gonna enjoy this one tonight \u2013 but the task at hand is gonna be that AFC championship. You don\u2019t get a threepeat by looking past that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The AFC Championship will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET next Sunday on CBS.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the sixth time in seven years, the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0will host the AFC Championship Game. 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