Blog Briefing Room

Ohio, Missouri senators wager ribs on Bengals-Chiefs game

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton (21) speaks with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after the NFL AFC Championship playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 23-20. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) wagered ribs on the outcome of the AFC Championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, Hawley said in a tweet on Sunday.

“We settled on ribs from @JDVance1 if (and when) he loses, KC Joe’s from me in the highly unlikely event the @Chiefs don’t prevail,” Hawley tweeted ahead of the highly anticipated match-up.

“So they gave the Chiefs a 3rd down redo and then they called a holding?” Vance asked during the game. “This is total BS.”

“Stop the steal!” Vance added in a follow-up tweet.

“I can taste those ribs now,” Hawley replied.


The Chiefs won the game, 23-20, on a 45-yard field goal from Harrison Butker with 3 seconds to go, sending Kansas City to the Super Bowl for the third time in four years. The Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles, who defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 31-7, earlier in the day.

“@buttkicker7 you’re the man,” Hawley tweeted to Butker.

“Heartbreaking. But very proud of our team. Congrats to the Bengals coaches and players on another incredible run,” Vance tweeted after the game.

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) also tweeted a wager with the Ohio senator on Sunday, saying he would wear a Bengals tie if Cincinnati beat the Chiefs while Vance would have to wear Marshall’s Chiefs tie for a day this week if Kansas City won.