The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs are set to square off in a place where LA Chargers fans thought their favorite team would be. There was hope the Chargers could shock the world and make the AFC Championship but instead, the AFC played out completely to chalk.
Buffalo has captured the heart of football fans who want to see an end to the Chiefs' reign of terror. Chargers fans will especially be rooting hard for the Bills as the last thing anyone in that fanbase wants to see is another Chiefs Super Bowl.
If rooting against the Chiefs wasn't enough of a reason to root for the Bills, Chargers fans have an (albeit small) new reason to root for Buffalo. The Bills elevated center Will Clapp from the practice squad for Sunday's game, giving the former Charger a chance to suit up and play in the AFC Championship.
Former Chargers center Will Clapp elevated by Bills for AFC Championship Game
The last time Chargers fans saw Clapp was the worst loss in franchise history. Clapp suffered a knee injury in the Bolts' 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders last season and would not return to action.
Clapp spent two seasons with the Chargers as a depth offensive lineman and played in 31 total games with 14 starts for the Bolts. Eleven of those 14 starts came in 2023 as Clapp filled in for Corey Linsley, who was placed on the NFI list with a heart issue that eventually made him retire.
Clapp signed a one-year deal with the Bills last offseason and was eventually cut as he did not make the 53-man roster after training camp. Buffalo re-signed Clapp to the practice squad and eventually signed him back to the active roster in September. Once again, Clapp was waived by the team in December and re-signed to the practice squad.
The Bills are hoping they don't need to rely on Clapp on Sunday as that would mean something went wrong in the offensive line. However, at the very least, it is beneficial for the team to have a depth option with legitimate NFL experience in case glass breaks.
Backup offensive linemen with 22 starts to their name don't grow on trees, after all.
Clapp is not the only former Charger looking to advance to the Super Bowl with the Bills. Defensive tackle Austin Johnson signed a one-year deal with the Bills in free agency after two productive years in Los Angeles. Former Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill is also looking to win his second Super Bowl as a member of the Chiefs.