The Game
For the NFL’s Wild Card Weekend, the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs will host the Miami Dolphins for the postseason’s opening round on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. Arrowhead Time. The game will be carried on the Peacock streaming service and local NBC stations in each market: KSHB/41 in Kansas City and WTVJ/6 in Miami.
Both teams come into the matchup with 11-6 records. Kansas City has won three of its last six games — including a 25-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 and a 13-12 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers in the season finale, in which most of the team’s starters sat out.
Miami has dropped three of its last five games. In Week 17, it recorded a 56-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Then in the final regular-season game, it ceded the AFC East title to the Buffalo Bills by losing 21-14.
The two teams have already met this season. In Week 9’s much-anticipated International Series game at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany, the Chiefs ran out to a 21-0 halftime lead — and then held off the Dolphins’ second-half charge to register a 21-14 victory.
Each team also has postseason scores to settle. Miami hasn’t won a playoff game in 24 years — ever since its 23-17 overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts in 2000. A week later, the team was humiliated in a 27-0 loss to the Oakland Raiders — and has lost four straight postseason matchups since then.
In contrast, Kansas City has a 12-7 playoff record since head coach Andy Reid took over the team in 2013 — and since quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the starter in 2018, the team has a postseason record of 11-3.
But in their long histories, the Chiefs and Dolphins have met for only three playoff games. Miami has won all three, starting with the Dolphins’ 27-24 win in 1971’s famous double-overtime Christmas Day playoff game. Still the longest game in NFL history, it was the last one ever played in Municipal Stadium — and in the minds of the fans who remember it, might be the team’s most bitter playoff loss. Saturday’s game will be the first time since then that Kansas City has hosted Miami for a playoff game.
Despite all of that, the being the biggest story of this Wild Card contest might be the weather. Saturday morning’s forecast is calling for a temperature of minus 1° at kickoff, with winds WNW at 13 miles per hour. That’s a wind chill of minus 19°. Back in 1971 — the last time the Chiefs hosted the Dolphins for a postseason game — the temperature was 47°.
Nuts and bolts
- Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Playing surface: Natural grass
- Game time: 7 p.m. Arrowhead Time, Saturday, January 13, 2024
- Weather forecast: Party cloudy and -1° with winds WNW 13 mph (wind chill: -19°)
- Matchup history: 16-13 Chiefs (regular season), 3-0 Dolphins (postseason)
- Odds: Chiefs -4.5, per DraftKings Sportsbook
- Officials: Referee Brad Rogers (126), umpire Ramon George (128), down judge Kent Payne (79), line judge Kevin Codey (16), field judge Aaron Santi (50), side judge Anthony Jeffries (36), back judge Tyree Walton (2), replay official Durwood Manley and replay assistant Chad Wakefield
- Pageantry: Colors: Kansas and Missouri State Highway Patrol honor guards. National Anthem: Kameron Marlowe. Drum Deck Honoree: Tamba Hali. Spirit Leader: Tim Grunhard
- Television broadcast: with Mike Tirico, Jason Garrett and Kaylee Hartung on Peacock, KSHB (NBC/41-Kansas City), WTVJ (NBC/6-Miami) and
- Online Stream: Peacock
- Chiefs radio broadcast: with Mitch Holthus, Danan Hughes and Josh Klingler on WDAF (106.5 FM-Kansas City), Chiefs Mobile App and Chiefs Radio Network affiliates
- Chiefs Spanish radio broadcast: with Hannah Bassham, Oscar Monterroso and Adan Manzono on KSSA (105.9 FM-Garden City) and KSMM (1770 AM-Liberal,KS), Chiefs Mobile App, Tico-Sports.com and NFL Game Pass
- Dolphins radio broadcast: with Jimmy Cefalo, Joe Rose and Kim Bokamper on WINZ (940 AM-Miami), WBGG (105.9 FM-Miami), www.MiamiDolphins.com and Dolphins Radio Network affiliates
- SiriusXM broadcast: Channel 227
- Enemy SB Nation site: The Phinsider
- Twitter: Arrowhead Pride
- Facebook: Please like us!
Special cold weather information at the stadium
- Guests may carry in blankets (without zippers or compartments), draped over their shoulder during the security screening process, cardboard no larger than 3 feet x 5 feet, as well as portable chargers and non-dry cell batteries (both no larger than 6 inches x 3 inches x 1.5 inches) to power heated apparel. Battery packs must be disconnected during security inspection. More information can be found at www.Chiefs.com/prohibitedpermitted.
- Fans needing additional layers on site may visit one of the many Pro Shop locations that will be stocked with warm-wear.
- Stay hydrated. All guests may bring in one factory-sealed bottle of water, 20 ounces or less.
- Exterior warming stations: Trailers will be available near parking gates 3/4, 5 and 6, inside Lots B, C, D, F and G as well as the northwest corner of the Ford Tailgate District in Lot M.
- Interior warming stations: One at the bottom of each of the four Field Level spirals, near the Jim Beam (north) and Crown Royal (south) bars located on the upper level, near the Red Zones on the east and west sides of the upper level — and the Season Ticket Member kickoff countdown tent, on the Plaza Level near Gate G will turn into a warming zone at kickoff for all fans.
What else you need to know at the stadium
- Parking lots open: 2:30 p.m.
- Stadium gates open: 5 p.m.
- Parking passes: All parking passes must be purchased in advance at www.Chiefs.com; payments will not be accepted at the parking toll gates.
- Cashless Arrowhead: All concession stands and retail points of sale are completely cashless. In addition to traditional scan and chip reader options for credit/debit cards, all fixed points of sale offer mobile tap or scan payment options, including Chiefs Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. In-stadium hawkers and vendors are credit card only.
- Clear bags, permitted items: The NFL’s clear bag policy is in place for all events at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Fans can visit www.Chiefs.com/stadium/clearbag for important information on the clear bag policy and a complete list of permitted and prohibited items. In 2023, Guests will experience a more seamless entry through the CEIA OPENGATE security screening technology at all stadium entry gates this season. As guests approach the stadium, they should keep items in their pockets and/or clear bags as they pass through the new advanced screening devices while following the direction of security personnel. All fans should keep moving through the screening gates at a normal pace, as there is no need to wait for the person in front or to stop unless otherwise directed.
- COVID-19: Masks are no longer required in indoor spaces. But per Kansas City, Missouri Health Department recommendation, masks are encouraged. Fans should stay home if they are sick, showing COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. If you become ill and can’t attend the game, you can resell or transfer your tickets.
2023 Schedule
Wk 1 |
Thu Sep 7 |
Lions | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Lost 21-20 |
Wk 2 |
Sun Sep 17 |
@Jaguars | EverBank Stadium Jacksonville |
Won 17-9 |
Wk 3 |
Sun Sep 24 |
Bears | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Won 41-10 |
Wk 4 |
Sun Oct 1 |
@Jets | MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ |
Won 23-20 |
Wk 5 |
Sun Oct 8 |
@Vikings | U.S. Bank Stadium Minneapolis |
Won 27-20 |
Wk 6 |
Thu Oct 12 |
Broncos | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Won 19-8 |
Wk 7 |
Sun Oct 22 |
Chargers | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Won 31-17 |
Wk 8 |
Sun Oct 29 |
@Broncos | Empower Field Denver |
Lost 24-9 |
Wk 9 |
Sun Nov 5 |
Dolphins | Frankfurt Stadium Germany |
Won 21-14 |
Wk 10 |
BYE | – | – | – |
Wk 11 |
Mon Nov 20 |
Eagles | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Lost 21-17 |
Wk 12 |
Sun Nov 26 |
@Raiders | Allegiant Stadium Las Vegas |
Won 31-17 |
Wk 13 |
Sun Dec 3 |
@Packers | Lambeau Field Green Bay |
Lost 27-19 |
Wk 14 |
Sun Dec 10 |
Bills | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Lost 20-17 |
Wk 15 |
Sun Dec 17 |
@Patriots | Gillette Stadium Foxborough, MA |
Won 27-17 |
Wk 16 |
Mon Dec 25 |
Raiders | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Lost 20-14 |
Wk 17 |
Sun Dec 31 |
Bengals | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Won 25-17 |
Wk 18 |
Sun Jan 7 |
@Chargers | SoFi Stadium Los Angeles |
Won 13-12 |
Wk 19 |
Sat Jan 13 |
Dolphins | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Kansas City |
Peacock KSHB/41 7:00 p.m. |