Chiefs-Lions overseas beginning to seem likely

Last month, the NFL confirmed the Kansas City Chiefs would be one of 10 teams “designated to play” an international series contest in Germany during the 2023 NFL season. As mentioned the day of the announcement, the belief is that those teams “designated to play” will be the host team of the game, meaning that one less game will be played on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

In the statement, the league confirmed that the New England Patriots would also host a game based in Germany. The Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars are set to host games in the United Kingdom. The Chiefs and Patriots hold rights to market in Germany as part of the NFL’s International Home Marketing Area (IHMA) program.

So who will the Chiefs play?

As part of the league’s 17-game schedule, the AFC and NFC alternate having nine home games each season. 2023 is a season designated for the AFC to host nine home games, providing nine home opponents for the Chiefs.

They are the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles.

The signs have pointed to the Chiefs hosting the Lions in Germany — in either Frankfurt or Munich.

First, NBC Sports’ Peter King supplied a note in his “Football Morning in America” column published on February 21:

KING: It’s likely that the game Kansas City hosts in Germany (likely Frankfurt) will be against Detroit or Chicago, and possibly against Miami, but I’d think the NFL would want to hold Miami-KC as a doubleheader or primetime game because of its attractiveness. My bet for the Germany game: Detroit versus Kansas City in Frankfurt—because the league won’t want to risk exporting a 2-8 team (and Chicago just might be that) and a non-competitive game in a significant window. I’m not saying Chicago will be an also-ran by mid-November; I’m saying Detroit’s got a better chance of being a contender this year than Chicago does.

On Monday, Lions president Rod Wood described the Lions heading to Germany as a coin flip.

“I think it’s, I don’t know if it’s better than 50-50 but it’s at least 50-50 that the Chiefs game will be over there,” Wood said. “We’re kind of due to go international.”

The Lions have actually “visited” the Chiefs in an international series game within the last decade, with the Kansas City thrashing Detroit, 45-10, in its second straight win of what would become 10 consecutive victories to end the season. Running back Charcandrick West led the Chiefs with 97 rushing yards and a score.

Travis Kelce, Jeremy Maclin, Alex Smith, De’Anthony Thomas and Spencer Ware added touchdowns as part of the blowout. Matt Stafford and Dan Orlovsky both had snaps at quarterback for Detroit.

It’s safe to say that a Lions-Chiefs game in Germany — should that be the choice — will look much different in 2023.