The last time the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs met in the AFC Championship Game, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen weren't even born. Instead, Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Joe Montana were. 48-19 @ Chargers. CANC @ Cardinals. From 2011 to 2017. The Browns lost 50 of 55 games between Week 10 of the 2014 season and the end of the 2017 season. Later that afternoon, the Buffalo Bills' win over the Miami Dolphins - coupled with the Cincinnati Bengals win over the Baltimore Ravens - gave the Bills a playoff berth, ending their 17-year playoff drought.

It has taken a long time but the Buffalo Bills are back in the AFC Championship Game. How long? The last time they played for a spot in the Super Bowl the QB matchup was Kansas City’s Joe Montana vs. Buffalo’s Jim Kelly.

Bills Vs Browns Score

They will face the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 24 and the quarterback matchup is uncertain after Patrick Mahomes suffered a concussion in Sunday’s Divisional Round game against the Cleveland Browns.

This is the first AFC Championship Game appearance for the Bills since after the 1993 season. How about 9,863 days or 27 years and 1 day.

The game took place on Jan. 23, 1994, at what was then known as Rich Stadium.

Buffalo’s Marv Levy and Kansas City’s Marty Schottenheimer were the coaches.

The star was Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas. The eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer carried the ball 33 times for 186 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-13 victory. Thomas also caught two passes for 22 yards.

He had been held to 43 rushing yards during a 23-7 loss to the Chiefs in November.

Kelly threw for 160 yards. Montana was 9-of-23 for 125 yards. He saw Dave Krieg come on and go 16-of-29 for 198 yards.

“It’s very difficult to get to the Super Bowl once let alone as many times as these guys have,” Montana said afterward. “That says a lot about that team. I wish them the best.”

Kelly walked off the field with Montana after the game and the man who owns four Super Bowl rings told the man who owns none to “Go get it.”

“I’ll give it my best,” Kelly said.

What the world was like that date:

Number one song: “All For Love” by Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/StingNumber one movie:PhiladelphiaNumber one New York Times fiction best seller:Disclosure by Michael CrichtonPresident of the United States: Bill ClintonAverage price of a gallon of gas: $1.00

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes did, in fact, play through injury against the Bills in the AFC Championship game.

Kansas City won vs. Buffalo, 38-24, and Mahomes’ health was a storyline leading up to the game. However, nearly all of that surrounded him passing concussion protocol, which he did.

Bills Vs Browns 2017 Preseason

Bills Vs Browns 2017 Season

But a lesser-discussed issue was a turf toe injury that Mahomes was playing with. It appears that injury was a bit more extensive than once thought as well as reportedly the QB is set to have surgery on it on Wednesday.

The Chiefs’ season ended in defeat in Super Bowl LV as the Bucs topped KC for the title. Mahomes did not blame his struggles on the toe injury after the loss, but he did mention playing through the issue vs. the Bills.

“Yeah, I can’t say the toe was a problem when I played last week or two weeks ago and I played well on it,” Mahomes said via Chiefs Wire following the Super Bowl. “It’s something you battle through. You’re playing football you have to battle through injuries. We’ll look at it tomorrow and we’ll make a final decision on if we’re going to have to have surgery on it or not.”

Mahomes is expected to be sidelined for several months, but good news: He has an entire offseason to heal.

In the Super Bowl, Mahomes and the Chiefs failed to find the end zone. Against Buffalo, Mahomes’ mobility was limited as he only had five total yards rushing. Still, he managed three touchdowns and 325 passing yards in the win. Buffalo only sacked Mahomes once when he was forced out of bounds near the line of scrimmage on a scramble.