The NFL has begun making the necessary preparations for a potential neutral-site AFC Championship Game, but Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon does not view it that way.
Tickets for a potential neutral-site AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills in Atlanta went on sale Wednesday, with season ticket holders for the two teams having access to a presale. Should the Bengals and/or Jacksonville Jaguars advance to the conference title game, the higher seed would then host.
Mixon was asked on Wednesday if the Bengals have had any discussions about tickets already being sold for a potential Chiefs-Bills AFC Championship Game. The star running back called it “disrespectful.”
The full video asking Joe Mixon if the #NFL selling tickets for a “Chiefs-Bills” AFC Championship game is motivation. #Bengals #RuleTheJungle https://t.co/Gfinfsozv6 pic.twitter.com/v0ZLavvg8q
— Marshall Kramsky (@marshallkramsky) January 18, 2023
“I mean, to be honest, it’s disrespectful,” Mixon said. “We’re not worried about that s—. We’ve got a game to play on Sunday, right? So you can’t count us out. We’ve got a game to play on Sunday. All this stuff, that don’t mean s—. We’re gonna go out there on Sunday and do what the hell we gotta do to get that (win), then we’re gonna see what they’re talking about.”
It is probably smart for the Bengals to use the ticket sales as motivation, but the NFL certainly was not trying to disrespect any team. What they did for the neutral-site game is no different from a team selling postseason tickets before they have clinched a spot.
Of course, Mixon and his teammates have been unhappy with the NFL over the changes to this year’s playoffs. Mixon even took a shot at the league with a touchdown celebration in Week 18 (video here).
