Over the past half-decade, there haven’t been many rivalries in the NFL more exciting than the one between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. Since the start of 2021, the teams have met eight times, including four times in the playoffs – two of which were AFC Championship games. By now, we know the story: the Chiefs won all of those playoff games, despite the Bills winning all of the other regular season matchups.
That inability to get past the Chiefs in the postseason has Bills GM Brandon Beane up at night every offseason. Following a heartbreaking loss to the Chiefs just a couple of months ago, the Bills made some moves to bolster their roster through free agency. Aside from re-signing a few key players, they also brought in veterans to fortify the defense.
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Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjbi suspended for PEDs
But before all of the players could even learn each others’ names, the Bills suffered a major setback. Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi, who were signed this week by Buffalo, were handed tentative six-game suspensions by the NFL for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Both players are still expected to contribute to what should be a scary defensive line, but they won’t be available for the first six games of the regular season unless something changes.
Ogunjobi had signed a one-year, $8 million contract, while Hoecht was the more important signing, getting a three-year, $24 million deal. While missing six games shouldn’t derail the Bills’ season, it could put them behind the eight ball when it comes to racking up wins in order to get the first seed, which the Chiefs had last season.
That home field advantage may have ended being the difference between the Bills making the Super Bowl or not.
