SUNDAY, JAN. 16, 2022 // 8:15 PM ET // ARROWHEAD STADIUM // REFEREE: SHAWN SMITH
ON THE AIRWAVES
TV: NBC (8:15 PM ET): TBD
NATIONAL RADIO: Westwood One: TBD
SIRIUS: 82 (Pit.), 85 (KC), 88 (National) | XM: 225 (Pit.), 227 (KC), 88 (National) | SXM App: 826 (Pit.), 815 (KC)
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY
LEADER: Steelers lead all-time series, 22-12
STREAKS: Chiefs have won past 2
LAST GAME: 12/26/21: Steelers 10 at Chiefs 36
LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/26/21
PLAYOFF SERIES HISTORY
LEADER: All-time series tied, 1-1
STREAKS: Teams have split two meetings
LAST GAME: 1/15/17: Steelers 18 at Chiefs 16
LAST GAME AT SITE: 1/15/17
STEELERS NOTES
• PITTSBURGH clinched postseason for 2nd consecutive season. Aims for 1st playoff win since 2016.
• MIKE TOMLIN makes 10th postseason appearance as head coach. Led Pit. to SB XLIII championship in 2008.
• PITTSBURGH had 2 players selected to 2022 Pro Bowl: DT CAMERON HEYWARD & LB T.J. WATT.
• PITTSBURGH led NFL with 55 sacks & became 4th team ever to record 50+ sacks in 5 consecutive seasons.
• STEELERS are 1st team in NFL history to lead league in sacks for 5 consecutive seasons.
• QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER expected to make 23rd-career postseason start, tying HOFer JOE MONTANA for 4th-most by QB in NFL history. Had 3,740 pass yards in 2021, his 11th-career season with 3,500+ pass yards, tied with HOFer DAN MARINO for 8th-most all-time. Has 450+ pass yards & 4+ TD passes in each of his past 2 postseason starts. Has 95+ rating in 4 of his past 5 starts vs. KC.
• RB NAJEE HARRIS led rookies with 1,667 scrimmage yards (1,200 rush, 467 rec.), most-ever by Pit. rookie, & ranked 2nd with 10 TDs (7 rush, 3 rec.). Had 110 scrimmage yards (93 rush, 17 rec.) & 5 catches in Week 16 meeting. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3.
• WR DIONTAE JOHNSON set career highs in catches (107), rec. yards (1,161) & rec. TDs (8) this season. Had 11 catches for 117 yards in only career postseason game (2020 AFC-WC). Had rec. TD in Week 16 meeting. Has 50+ rec. yards in each of past 7 road games. WR CHASE CLAYPOOL had career-high 956 scrimmage yards (860 rec., 96 rush) in 2021. Had 2 rec. TDs in only career postseason game (2020 AFC-WC). TE PAT FREIERMUTH ranked 2nd among rookies with 7 rec. TDs this season.
• LB T.J. WATT led NFL with 22.5 sacks in 2021, tied with HOFer MICHAEL STRAHAN (2001) for most in single season since 1982. Has PD in each of 2 career postseason games. DT CAMERON HEYWARD had 10 sacks, his 2nd-career season with 10+ sacks (12 in 2017). Had sack in Week 16 meeting. Aims for 4th in row with sack. S MINKAH FITZPATRICK led all DBs with career-high 124 tackles this season. Had 12 tackles in Week 16 meeting.
CHIEFS NOTES
• KANSAS CITY clinched AFC West for 6th consecutive season.
• ANDY REID makes 17th postseason appearance as head coach. Led KC to SB LIV championship in 2019.
• CHIEFS had 6 players selected to 2022 Pro Bowl: T ORLANDO BROWN, WR TYREEK HILL, DT CHRIS JONES, TE TRAVIS KELCE, QB PATRICK MAHOMES & S TYRANN MATHIEU.
• KANSAS CITY aims to become 4th team ever to advance to 3 straight SBs, joining Mia. (1971-73), Buf. (1990-93) & NE (2016-18).
• CHIEFS ranked 3rd in NFL in total offense (396.8 yards per game) & 4th in scoring offense (28.2 points per game).
• QB PATRICK MAHOMES ranked 4th in NFL with 4,839 pass yards & tied-4th with 37 TD passes in 2021 & is 1st QB ever with 35+ TD passes in 3 of 1st 5 seasons. Has 2,324 pass yards (290.5 per game) & 21 TDs (17 pass, 4 rush) vs. 4 INTs for for 100.4 rating in 8 career postseason starts. Has 9 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 148.2 rating in 2 career starts vs. Pit. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 2+ TD passes, 0 INTs & 135+ rating.
• RB CLYDE EDWARDS-HELAIRE had career-high 6 TDs (4 rush, 2 rec.) in 2021. Had rush TD in Week 16 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with rush TD. RB DARREL WILLIAMS had career-high 1,010 scrimmage yards (558 rush, 452 rec.) & 8 TDs (6 rush, 2 rec.) in 2021. Had 85 scrimmage yards (55 rush, 30 rec.) in Week 16 meeting. Has 85+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3.
• TE TRAVIS KELCE tied for lead among TEs with 9 rec. TDs & ranked 2nd with 92 catches & 1,125 rec. yards, becoming 1st TE ever with 1,000+ rec. yards in 6 seasons. Is 1st TE ever with 80+ catches in 6 straight seasons. Aims for his 4th playoff game in row with 100+ rec. yards. WR TYREEK HILL ranked 3rd in NFL with career-high 111 catches & had 1,239 rec. yards & 9 rec. TDs in 2021. Has 100+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 playoff games. WR BYRON PRINGLE had 2 rec. TDs in Week 16 meeting.
• S TYRANN MATHIEU led team with 3 INTs, his 3rd straight season with 3+ INTs. Had FR in Week 16 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with FR. DT CHRIS JONES led team with 9 sacks in 2021. DE FRANK CLARK has sack in 7 of his past 8 postseason games. Has 11 sacks in 11 career playoff games. Has sack in each of 2 career games vs. Pit.
