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Chiefs focused on field instead of noise heading into AFC Championship Game rematch

Bengals Chiefs Football
Posted at 4:02 PM, Jan 25, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-25 18:03:54-05

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs players and coaches are focused on the field despite a video of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton proclaiming the Chiefs' home stadium as "Burrowhead" last week.

Hilton looked to a camera on the sideline and said, "We'll see y'all at Burrowhead" twice during the closing moments of the Bengals' AFC Divisional round win against the Buffalo Bills.

The last time Kansas City faced Cincinnati at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium was last season’s AFC Championship Game, a 27-24 overtime loss.

Multiple Chiefs personnel were asked about the video during Wednesday’s media availability.

Safety Justin Reid, who got into some hot water earlier this season regarding Bengals players, didn’t put too much stock into the “Burrowhead” comment.

"I think we all saw it and those guys are having fun since they won the game, but we're going to just let our play on the field speak for us,” Justin Reid said.

Linebacker Nick Bolton said the Bengals' chatter and chirpiness don't bother him.

“That’s playoff football,” Bolton said.

He views the AFC Championship Game rematch as another chance to compete against a team that has beaten them three times in a row.

Because of that losing streak, Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster believes the team has to play its best game.

Smith-Schuster is set to play his 10th career game against Cincinnati, so the outside noise from them doesn’t faze him.

"The Bengals have always been the ra-ra team, but they back it up," Smith-Schuster said.

During Wednesday’s episode of the "New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce" podcast, tight end Travis Kelce called the “Burrowhead” nickname “bulletin board material” for the Chiefs.

Reid explained that even though the Bengals should feel confident heading into Sunday’s game, it won’t impact his team’s game plan.

“They know us and we know them,” Reid said.