Bills safety Taylor Rapp ruled out for Chiefs clash

The Buffalo Bills are going to face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game shorthanded. As injuries pile up on the AFC East champions, safety Taylor Rapp will miss the game due to a hip injury.

Without Rapp, head coach Sean McDermott will give rookie Cole Bishop the start, according to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. Bishop has shown flashes of promise in 2024 but has otherwise struggled in most of his limited opportunities thus far.

Rapp was one of several members of the Bills' secondary who picked up concerning injuries in the divisional round. The sixth-year safety left the game and was ruled out, making his availability for the AFC Championship Game a longshot. Bishop filled in and played the majority of the second half alongside Damar Hamlin.

After Rapp left the game, Christian Benford and Taron Johnson both suffered minor scares but were able to play through their concerns. However, both Benford and Johnson were limited in practice and remain questionable for the game.

Rapp started 14 of the Bills' 17 regular season games, finishing fourth on the team with 82 total tackles. He added two interceptions and six pass breakups, forming an improved safety group with Hamlin.

Rapp will miss the Bills' playoff matchup with the Chiefs for the second straight season. He also did not play in the 2024 divisional round contest after suffering another postseason injury.

Bills, Chiefs to continue rivalry in 2025 AFC Championship Game

Without Taylor Rapp, the Bills will have to limit the Chiefs' eccentric offense without their full defensive arsenal for the second consecutive season. In addition to Rapp's injury, Buffalo faced Kansas City without star linebackers Matt Milano and Baylon Spector in 2024.

Against a hobbled defense, Patrick Mahomes threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns in the 2024 divisional round to end the Bills' season. Isiah Pacheco added 97 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground to lift the Chiefs to a 27-24 victory.

Buffalo hopes to avoid repeating history and face the defending champions with better health in 2025. As of Friday, only Rapp and Spector have been ruled out. Milano, Benford and Johnson are the three other defenders listed as questionable on the injury report.