Report: Indianapolis turns down NFL request to host to AFC championship game

INDIANAPOLIS (KCTV/Gray News) - Indianapolis has reportedly turned down an NFL request to host this year’s AFC championship game.

KCTV reports that Indianapolis was one of the multiple cities being considered by the NFL to host the AFC championship game under a proposal approved Friday by the league.

However, the Indianapolis Business Journal cited that a “busy convention month” has forced the city to turn the NFL’s request down.

Part of the league’s new postseason proposal includes possibly playing the AFC championship game at a neutral site.

The NFL agreed on several postseason changes after deciding to cancel Monday’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals where Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field.

According to The Associated Press, the AFC championship game will be played at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and both could have been the No. 1 seed and hosted the game had all AFC clubs played a full 17-game regular season.

Those circumstances involve Buffalo or Cincinnati qualifying for the game as a road team. If Buffalo and Kansas City both win or tie this weekend, a Bills-Chiefs AFC title game would be at a neutral site.

If Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Baltimore wins or ties, a Bills-Chiefs AFC title game would be at a neutral site.

If Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Cincinnati wins, Bills or Bengals against Kansas City in the AFC title game would be at a neutral site.

The league is reportedly continuing to explore several stadium options.

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